How precious is all this to the true-hearted Christian who is ever conscious, deeply and painfully conscious, of his weakness, need, infirmity, and failure? How, we may lawfully inquire, is it possible for anyone, with his eye resting on such passages as we have just quoted, to say nothing of his own self-consciousness, the sense of his own imperfect state and walk, to call into question the Christian’s need of the unceasing ministry of Christ on his behalf? Is it not marvelous that any reader of the Epistle to the Hebrews, any observer of the state and walk of the most advanced believer, should be found denying the application of Christ’s priesthood and advocacy to Christians now?

For whom, let us ask, is Christ now living and acting at the right hand of God? Is it for the world? Clearly not, for He says, in John 17:9, “I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” And who are these? Are they the Jewish remnant? Nay, that remnant is yet to appear on the scene. Who are they then? Believers, children of God, Christians, who are now passing through this sinful world, liable to fail and to contract defilement every step of the way. These are the subjects of Christ’s priestly ministry. He died to make them clean. He lives to keep them clean. By His death He expiated our guilt, and by His life He cleanses us, through the action of the Word by the power of the Holy Spirit. We have expiation and cleansing through a crucified Savior. The double stream emanated from the pierced side of Christ, dead for us (Jn. 19:34). All praise to His name!