Eternal Priesthood

The letter to the Hebrews concerns the cause for the Gospel of the forgiveness of sin. This is irrefutably presented to the believing Jews. The focus here is primarily towards those people who originated from the traditions of Jewish faith and the Old Testament law. So, not applicable to believing heathen. It is important to draw a distinction here otherwise some of the statements in this letter can cause controversies. These believers were to reach full maturity in Christ. Thus not in-between law and grace, old and new covenant, deviating to and fro and never coming to peace, but to have certainty of the foundation upon which they may and must stand. The practice of reaching a godly transformation in one's faith life is to attained by occupying oneself with Jesus Christ. To this the Apostle Paul wrote, in 2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Striving in the life of a Christian is not about following certain rules, but attaining, through the power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus Christ, a relationship with God, which is given us through the Gospel. That is far better and more credible than adhering to strict rules and regulations and trying, through works and sacrifice, to guarantee and earn a place in heaven and in God's heart.

The recipients of the letter to the Hebrews were in this position. And if they took a stance against Jesus and the Gospel in this manner, and completed the task in the reverse, there would most certainly not have been any possibility for them to be saved. Whoever rejects the best and only opportunity of redemption, in the truest essence of the word, has nothing left to hope for. That was the situation. It had nothing to do with whether or not they believed in God (they did), but whether they preferred to rely on the Old Testament Aaronite Priesthood in their quest for salvation, or on the New Priesthood in Jesus Christ, who is our compassionate High Priest. In Hebrews 2:17-18 we read about Jesus: “Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.” It also has to do with a certain maturity in one's faith, for in this sense it means nothing else than to have found eternal peace with God through an inner perception and certainty in the Person of God's Son. And even today the situation, not infrequently, arises that many are not opposed to God, however they do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, nor that His sacrificial death at Calvary is the cause and foundation of salvation. But, it is the only way (John 14:6).

Jörg Bauer