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COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE
TO RECEIVE HELP IN THE TIME OF NEED
Hebrews 4: 14 Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest Who has [already] ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith in Him].
15 For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses , but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation
16 Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].
(John 16:23-27) And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of Me [you will need to ask Me no questions]. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM].
24 Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.
25 I have told you these things in parables (veiled language, allegories, dark sayings); the hour is now coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I shall tell you about the Father in plain words and openly (without reserve).
26 At that time you will ask (pray) in My Name; and I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf [for it will be unnecessary].
27 For the Father Himself [tenderly] loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came out from the Father.
This is the profound teaching about prayer which the Master chiefly emphasizes in His closing addresses to His disciples.
Undoubtedly it means this much at least, that we are to pray to the Father as revealed in Jesus Christ.
"Whatever you ask the Father in my name" might be translated, "Whatever you shall ask the Father as represented by me." It expresses Christ's identity with the Father. The Father had been known to them before by many different names: "Elohim," the God of nature; "El Shaddai," the God of power; "Adonai," the God of providence; "Jehovah," the God of covenant grace, but henceforth, He is to be known as "Jehovah-Jesus," God in Christ. This is undoubtedly implied in the language of this passage, and involved in the thought to which the Saviour is giving expression. It is the same thought that He repeats in the parallel verse, "Whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." There it plainly expresses that the Father and Son are acting in perfect concert, and it is through the Son only that the Father is glorified and revealed to man or understood by him.
The idea may be carried so far as to do away with the distinct personality of the Father and the Son, and this, of course, would be extreme and erroneous. But bearing this in mind and recognizing fully the dual personality, it is true that the Father Himself is revealed to us in the person of the Son, and that we are to ask the Father for our petitions and feel encouraged to expect His gracious answer because of what we know of Jesus, through Whose presence and teachings He Himself has become revealed to us. Would we come with confidence to our Saviour? Let us come with the same confidence to His Father, for "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." The words that He hath spoken, the Father that dwelt in Him spoke. The love that He manifested was the Father's love, Whom He came to reveal. He is the brightness of that Father's glory, the express image of His person, and the reflection of His will and character. It is to God in Christ, therefore, that we are to pray; to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; to Him, of Whom we know nothing except through the Son, and in Whom we trust, even as in Jesus Himself. Thus let us learn to pray in the Name of Jesus.
This expression, however, denotes far more than the identity of the Father and the Son. It expresses the great truth of mediation and intercession.
Not only do we come to the Father as we know Him in Jesus, but we come to Him through the Mediator. There are deep necessities for this in the nature of God and the relationships of sinful men with Him. So deeply did Job realize this that he cried out for a Daysman, who could "lay his hand upon us both," some being that could touch at once both heaven and earth and bring them into harmony and fellowship. This is just what Christ has done. His incarnation has bridged over the infinite gulf between the eternal and spiritual Deity and finite man, and His atonement has healed the awful breach that had morally and imperatively separated the sinner from a holy God. Jesus in His death has united the sinner with his offended God, praying, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," and appealing to sinful men, "Be reconciled to God."
But not only has He brought God and men into reconciliation and fellowship, but He keeps that fellowship unbroken by His ceaseless intercession. "He ever liveth to make intercession for (us)," and, therefore, " is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him."
The most striking of all the ancient types of Christ our Mediator was Aaron, the Hebrew High Priest. It was his special office to stand between the people and God and present their worship in the Holy of Holies and make intercession for their sins and needs. For them he passed through the open veil, stood beneath the Shekinah, presented the blood and incense at the mercy seat, and came back to them with the benediction of Jehovah. In all this he was but the type of the better ministry of the Great High Priest in the true Tabernacle of heaven. There He hath entered, with His own blood, through the rent veil of His own flesh, now to appear in the presence of God for us.
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10:10
At the time appointed by God, the only Son of the Father, the eternal Word, that is, the Word and substantial Image of the Father, became incarnate; without losing his divine nature he has assumed human nature.
Jesus Christ is true God and true man, in the unity of his divine person; for this reason he is the one and only mediator between God and men. Jesus Christ possesses two natures, one divine and the other human, not confused, but united in the one person of God's Son.
Christ, being true God and true man, has a human intellect and will, perfectly attuned and subject to his divine intellect and divine will, which he has in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Incarnation is therefore the mystery of the wonderful union of the divine and human natures in the one person of the Word.
1. I am the bread of life Jn. 6.35-59
2. I am the light of the world Jn. 8.12; 9.5; 12.35-36
3. I am the door Jn. 10.7-10
4. I am the good shepherd Jn. 10.11-18
5. I am the resurrection and the life Jn. 11.25
6. I am the way, the truth and the life Jn. 14.6
7. I am the true vine Jn. 15.1-11
Evidently Jesus was emphasizing the fact that he was Yhvh, God. After his Ascension Jesus spoke to John in his vision where he added two other I am the... pictures, these are:
8. I am the Alpha and the Omega - Rev. 1.8; 1.17-18; 21.6; 22.13
9. I am the root and the offspring of David, Rev. 22.16
the bright morning star
Apart from these verbal symbols Jesus also instituted some visible symbols. Two of them occur in the sacrament of the Last Supper and carried over into the institution of the Breaking of the Bread or Lords Supper or Communion or Mass as are usually referred to by various denominations. These are the Bread and the Vine.
Putting On Christ For Victorious Living
Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the full armor of God.
THE ARMOR OF GOD IS CHRIST
The figurative speach in Ephesians 6 refers to Christ. We are to be strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might. The armor is Christ--and what He is prepared to be and to accomplish in our lives. The various pieces of armor in Eph. 6 is about Christ and how we are to regard Him and lay hold of His power as a defense against the strategies of the devil. It is not merely Christ as He is made available to us, but Christ as we have actually appropriated Him for our lives.
In Romans, Paul clearly declares this concept: "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desirs of the sinful nature." (Romans 13:14)
Eph 4:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
The Angel of the Lord
Jesus Christ, in pre-incarnate form
"the Angel of the Theophany"
"This phrase is especially employed to denote the Lord himself in that form in which he condescends to make himself manifest to man." It seems to denote some person of the Godhead in angelic form."
There are many references to angels in the Old Testament...
The Hebrew word malak (found 103 times in the OT) simply means "messenger"
It can refer to a human messenger - e.g., 1 Kin 19:2
It can refer to a divine messenger - Gen 28:12
Supernatural or heavenly beings sent as messengers to men Agents who carry out the will of God
Gen 16:10 Who speaks in the first person, as though it was the Lord Himself
You will note that some translations capitalize "Angel"
APPEARANCES OF THE ANGEL OF THE LORD
TO HAGAR...When she was in the wilderness - Gen 16:7-14
The Angel speaks as though he was the LORD - Gen 16:10-12
Note carefully Gen 16:13
It was "...the LORD who spoke to her"
She called His name "You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees"
She said "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?"
TO ABRAHAM...
When he was about to sacrifice Isaac - Gen 22:9-19
The Angel speaks in the first person as though he were God
"you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." Gen 22:12b
"By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD...blessing I will bless you..." - Gen 22:15-18
TO MOSES...
At Mount Sinai, in the burning bush - Exo 3:1-6
The Angel identifies himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - Exo 3:6
TO ISRAEL...
The Angel of God led the Israelites out of Egypt - Exo 14:19 cf. Num 20:16
God's angel led Israel through the wilderness - Exo 23:20-23; cf. 32:34; 33:2
Note that God says "My Name is in Him"
This angel was called "the angel of His presence" - Isa 63:9; cf. Exo 33:14-15
[There are other examples where "the Angel of the Lord" speaks as the
LORD in the first person (e.g., Num 22:32) or where the Angel and the
LORD are described interchangeably (e.g., Jud 6:11-14). So, just who was
"the Angel of the Lord"? Here are two...]
AN ANGEL WITH A SPECIAL COMMISSION...
Acting as God's representative or ambassador
One problem some pose with this explanation: implied is the aility of the Angel of the Lord to forgive sin, something only God can do - cf. Exo 23:20-23
JESUS CHRIST, THE PRE-INCARNATE SON OF GOD...
A kind of temporary pre-incarnation of the second person of the Godhead
If the Angel of the Lord were the pre-Incarnate God the Son
Then the term 'Angel' would be taken in its root sense of 'Messenger'
Making the pre-incarnate Word of God 'the Messenger of God'
Evidence offered for this explanation
The Messiah to come is described as "the Messenger of the covenant" - Mal 3:1
So Jesus would be a "messenger" of the New Covenant
Could He then have been a "messenger" (angel) during the Old Covenant?
Paul reveals that Israel in the wilderness:
Was nourished by "that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ" - 1 Co 10:1-4
Which some take to be a reference to the Angel of the Lord, the Angel of His Presence - cf. Isa 63:9; Exo 33: 14-15
But if Jesus was "the Angel of the Lord" where so mentioned in the Old Testament...
He was the One sent to destroy Jerusalem after David's census - 2 Sam 24:15-17; 1 Chr 21:14-18,26-30
He was the One who slew 185,000 men of the army of Assyria - 2 Kin 19:35; 2 Chr 32:20-22; Isa 37:36; cf. Isa 63:9
Then again, Jesus is the One who will exercise judgment on those who know not God nor obey His gospel - cf. 2 Th 1:7-9
JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE
"Each has its difficulties, but the last (Jesus in pre-incarnate form) is certainly the most tempting to the mind. Yet it must be remembered that at best these are only conjectures that touch on a great mystery."
"It is certain that from the beginning God used angels in human form, with human voices, in order to communicate with man; and the appearances of the angel of the Lord, with his special redemptive relation to God's people, show the working of that Divine mode of self-revelation which culminated in the coming of the Savior, and are thus a foreshadowing of, and a preparation for, the full revelation of God in Jesus Christ.
Christ Died as Our Redeemer and Substitute
Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Romans 5:1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Romans 5:6 While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
The book of Hebrews states Christ's death is the only sacrifice which counts and is once and for all time.
Hebrews 9:11-14 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer
There is only one way to experience God's salvation and sanctification and that is through Jesus Christ and the life God gives us in Him. We can only experience this, however, as we listen to the teachings (doctrines) of the Bible, which is our index for faith and practice.
In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus said, Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
The order of gate and way suggests the gate as the entrance to the way, symbolic of a believers initial experience with Christ, which introduces him to the life of godliness. The first Christians were called those of "the Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). Though the mass of mankind is upon the broad way that leads to destruction (eternal ruin), the other gate and way are so small as to need finding. Yet the same God who provided Christ, who is both gate and way (Jn 14:6), also causes men to find the portal (Jn 6:44). Life. Here a contrasting parallel to destruction and thus a reference to the blessed state in heaven, though this eternal life begins at regeneration.
Romans 8: 26 - So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
Romans 8: 27 - And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will.
Romans 8: 28 - We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
Romans 8:31-39 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, "For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The declaration in Romans 8:34, "Christ Jesus is He who died," is given in answer to the questions of verses 31-33, and in anticipation to the questions and declarations of verses 35-39. The goal of verse 34, however, is to show the absolute security of the believer. Two reasons are stated in relation to God the Son:
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LIFE OF FAITH
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What is faith? Faith is seeing the visible things around you and believing that behind every one of them is the invisible God who made them all.
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