You have peace with your Father in heaven because of your Brother in heaven.
Hebrews 2:14–18 (ESV)
11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers...
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Listen to passage & devotional:
Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 26: The Intercession of Christ
We believe that we have no access to God
except through the one and only Mediator and Intercessor:
Jesus Christ the Righteous.
We should not plead here
that we are unworthy—
for it is not a question of offering our prayers
on the basis of our own dignity
but only on the basis of the excellence and dignity
of Jesus Christ,
whose righteousness is ours
by faith.
Since the apostle for good reason
wants us to get rid of this foolish fear—
or rather, this unbelief—
he says to us that Jesus Christ
was “made like his brothers in all things,”
that he might be a high priest
who is merciful and faithful
to purify the sins of the people.
For since he suffered,
being tempted,
he is also able to help those
who are tempted.
Since it has pleased God
to give us his Son as our Intercessor,
let us not leave him for another—
or rather seek, without ever finding.
For when God gave him to us
he knew well that we were sinners.
Therefore, in following the command of Christ
we call on the heavenly Father
through Christ,
our only Mediator,
as we are taught by the Lord’s Prayer,
being assured that we shall obtain
all we ask of the Father
in his name.
Today's passage, Summary and Dig Deeper post are a slightly modified reprint of the May 30, 2024 post.
Summary
As we began our journey through the Belgic Confession earlier this year, we looked at what it means when we confess that our God is omnipotent, and how although God can do all that He pleases, it doesn't mean He can do all things. For example, God cannot do evil, since doing so would violate who and what He is.
This is critical to remember as we begin to understand exactly how our salvation was accomplished. God could not save us from a distance. He couldn't just declare "Let them be saved" the way that He called light into being. Only a man could satisfy God's covenant, so therefore God needed to become a man so "that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death (v14)."
This is why Jesus had to become a man "in every respect (v17)." It wouldn't be enough for Him to just come down and be with us, or even to simply look like us. He needed to become a man in every regard: He needed a physical body, as well as a spiritual soul.
Jesus took on human nature "so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest..." Remember, whereas a prophet is one who represents God to us, a priest represents us to God. The only way for you to be perfectly represented before God was for Jesus to become God incarnate: that is, God in flesh.
Dig Deeper
How often haven't you said to someone going through a trial something along the lines of "I know what you're going through..." Certainly we say this sincerely in a way that we hope helps, but ultimately the only way to truly know what it's like to go through something is to actually go through the exact same experience ourselves.
Certainly the primary reason the Son of God became man was "to make propitiation (atonement / payment) for the sins of the people." Jesus did this by taking on all of our sin and bearing the holy wrath of God as He hung on the cross. But in doing so, Jesus came to know first hand exactly what it's like to live as a human being in this fallen and broken world. He literally became our brother - our Brother who is now in heaven!
Jesus suffered as He was tempted through life to a degree the rest of us will never truly experience. He can honestly say that He knows what it's like to be us, but we could never say that we know what it was like to be Him as He endured the worst of what Satan could muster. But because He endured this unimaginable suffering in life, "He is able to help those who are being tempted."
So as we Confess, Jesus “ was made like his brothers in all things” for two reasons: First, and most importantly, "that he might be a high priest who is merciful and faithful to purify the sins of the people." But don't miss the second huge benefit that having a Brother in heaven brings to you: "For since he suffered, being tempted, he is also able to help those who are tempted."
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father in heaven, whom we are able to approach in peace because of our Brother in heaven;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will lean more and more on your Brother in heaven and not your own abilities or strength;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 16
Comments