Our Understanding Savior

Hebrew 4:15-16 (NKJV)
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Who is Jesus? Some people say that He is a good man. Some say that He is merely a historical figure and some are still trying to disprove Him altogether. Those who know Him as savior also see Him in many different ways and this is because He has earned so many different titles. In this verse a very personal side of Jesus is shown forth.

The title given Him, in this verse, is High Priest. The high priest in the Old Testament was the spiritual leader who made sacrifices for sin and offerings for the people. He went into the presence of God for the people and managed the house of God. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, He is our advocate and it is Him who pleads our case in presence of God on our behalf.

When Christ left heaven, He left an atmosphere of perfection, holiness, goodness and everything that is wonderful and glorious. He did this to become a man. Man is God’s creation. He, the Creator, willingly became the created. Jesus became a man in order to experience everything that we can and will experience on this earth. He was tempted in every way as we are and yet He did not sin. He experienced every situation as we do, yet without sin. He was humiliated, shamed, abandoned, hated, spurned, lied to, hurt, stolen from, hungry, treated unfairly and many other atrocities happened to Him, but He never responded in evil.

Jesus knew every feeling and hurt that we would experience, but He still came to earth because of the greatness of His love for us. He knew that we could not make it to heaven on our own, so He put Himself in our shoes, experienced the same things as we do and then He went to the point of taking our penalty on Himself for our sake. This is how He can sympathize with us in every way.

On top of all of this He wants us to spend time with Him in His presence. Grace is an undeserved, unearned gift given to us when we deserve judgment. The presence of God is called the throne of grace. We don’t deserve to come into His presence, but by His grace, He tells us to come. We can come boldly. This is a word that has the idea of freedom, confidence, courage and assurance. We can come to Him in full assurance that He will accept us and listen to our prayers. He has felt all our hurts, so He knows what we are feeling. He then offers grace and mercy when we come to His throne, showing us His generous heart and deep desire to help us in our need.

Thoughts, comments, objections, prayer requests.



Daniel A. Smith