Authored By :
Bill Kochman
Published On :
October 14, 1997
Last Updated :
November 24, 2012
NOTE: This article or series has not been updated recently. As such, it may possibly contain some outdated information, and/or ideas and beliefs which I no longer embrace, or which have changed to some degree.
Jesus Is High Priest Mediator And Intercessor, Old Testament Foreshadows Of Christ's Sacrifice: Abraham And Isaac, Egypt, Jonah, Destroy This Temple, Doctrine Of Atonement Was Taught Long Before Paul Became An Apostle, Paul's Conversion And Enlightenment, Salvation Cannot Be Obtained By Means Of Our Own Self-Righteous Works, All Have Sinned, Jesus Christ Is The Foundation And Cornerstone Of Our Faith, Hard-Hearted Spiritual Blindness And Willing Ignorance By One's Choice, Young Christians And Danger Of The New Age False Prophets, Avoid All False Prophets False Brethren And False Teachers
Following are some additional verses which demonstrate that because Jesus so willingly gave His own life on the Cross for our sins, He has become the Author of the New Covenant, our one and only Mediator, our High Priest, and our unique Intercessor and Defense Attorney who represents us before the Throne of His, and our, Heavenly Father:
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings . . . Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil . . . For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 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."
Hebrews 2:9-10, 14, 16-17, KJV
"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;"
Hebrews 3:1, KJV
"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
Hebrews 4:14-15, KJV
"Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
Hebrews 6:20, KJV
"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;"
Hebrews 8:1, KJV
"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;"
Hebrews 9:11, KJV
"Wherefore he [Jesus] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."
Hebrews 7:25, KJV
"Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
Romans 8:34, KJV
As Jesus informed His Disciples following His Resurrection from the Dead, this truth regarding the importance of His Final Sacrifice is made so plain throughout the Scriptures. Even Abraham's test of faith in offering to sacrifice his son Isaac was a foreshadow of things to come. Consider also how during the final plagues in Egypt, the Israelites were required to smear the blood of an unblemished lamb on their lintels and door posts so that the Angel of Death would pass over them and not harm them. This was an act of faith, and also a sign of their obedience, just as we must likewise obey God's Will and demonstrate an act of faith by believing in the redemptive Blood of Jesus which was shed on the Cross. In this way, we too can escape the Wrath of God, as well as Eternal Death.
In addition to the previous two examples, the Old Testament is literally full of hundreds of prophecies describing the Birth, Life and Sacrificial Death of Jesus on the Cross, and His miraculous Resurrection from the Dead as well. However, unless your mind, heart and spirit are truly receptive to these Old Testament prophecies, you will never understand them, or even recognize them for that matter. The truth is, if you were to spend as much of your time reading the Bible as you have done with the Urantia Book, perhaps you would begin to understand these matters, and would not now be enveloped in so much ignorance and spiritual darkness.
Another good example which the Lord Himself referred to concerns the Prophet Jonah, and how Jonah's experience was symbolic of how He would spend three days in the tomb, just as Jonah likewise had spent three days in the belly of the great fish. Consider these verses:
"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Matthew 12:40, KJV
"For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation."
Luke 11:30, KJV
Thus we see Jesus prophesying concerning His approaching Death, and His subsequent Resurrection from the Dead. As I have already explained, Jesus knew that He had to go through this in order to reconcile humanity with God the Father. He used a similar example when dealing with the Jewish elders, as we see by the following verses:
"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said."
John 2:19-22, KJV
"We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands."
Mark 14:58, KJV
Jesus realized that until He had shed His innocent Blood on the Cross, there could be no reconciliation for any of us with the Father. There could be no remission of sins. The Final Sacrifice for sin had to be made, and He was it. It is clear then that for you to state that Jesus did not speak of His Death on the Cross -- and the purpose for His Death -- is totally inaccurate. Whether this error is due to your lack of knowledge of the Scriptures, or your stubborn resistance to the same, I honestly do not know. I have only given you a few examples which clearly demonstrate that He did in fact speak of these matters.
In light of these Scriptural truths, to suggest that the belief in Salvation through faith in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ is a religion that was created by the Apostle Paul is an absolute fallacy. As I have already pointed out, Paul taught what he himself had been taught by the Lord Himself. Furthermore, please note that Paul became an Apostle after Jesus' Death on the Cross, and after His Ascension. Jesus and His Apostles were teaching the doctrine of Salvation long before Saul of Tarsus was ever converted, and became the Apostle Paul. In fact, Paul referred to himself as the least of the Apostles, as you can see by the following verse:
"For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."
1 Corinthians 15:9, KJV
As I explain in such articles as "Biblical Cafeteria, or the Whole Course?", because Paul was such a proud and stubborn learned Pharisee who possessed such a legalistic view of the Scriptures prior to his conversion, it became necessary for the Lord to knock him off of his horse and blind him for a few days, before Paul's eyes were spiritually opened. You will find these life-changing events discussed in the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts.
However, once Paul's spiritual eyes were opened, he was blessed with a great understanding of the full meaning of Christ's Sacrifice on the Cross. As with the other Apostles, he came to understand that without Jesus' Blood that was shed on the Cross, there can be no remission of sins. He came to understand that God's forgiveness is conditional, and that it requires our faith in -- and our acceptance of -- Jesus' Sacrifice as the only means of atonement for our sins.
Following are a few additional verses which clearly explain how Salvation is unattainable through our own "goodness", or supposed righteousness, even if we do forgive each other as you erroneously claim:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9, KJV
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"
Titus 3:5, KJV
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
Isaiah 64:6, KJV
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one . . . For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
Romans 3:10, 23, KJV
Given the preponderance of Scriptures which I have now shared with you, it should be evident to you that the theme of Jesus' Sacrifice on the Cross, and the fact that He is the prophesied final Lamb of God, is central throughout the Bible, in both the Old and the New Testaments. It is for this reason that it has been said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, while the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.
To reiterate a point that I made earlier, the misguided belief that Christianity and the Atoning Sacrifice of Jesus Christ was the invention of the Apostle Paul is utterly false. Our Christian faith is founded upon none other than the Blood of Jesus Christ. It is not just a new religious doctrine that was cooked up by the Apostle Paul as you so foolishly and ignorantly claim. Jesus, the other Apostles, and Paul all make it very clear that Jesus Christ alone is the Foundation and Cornerstone of our faith; and that this He willingly became through His Sacrifice on the Cross. This truth is made so evident by verses such as the following:
"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock [Jesus referring to Himself and not to Peter] I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Matthew 16:18, KJV
"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? . . . And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them."
Matthew 21:42, 44-45, KJV
"This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner."
Acts 4:11, KJV
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 3:11, KJV
"And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."
1 Corinthians 10:4, KJV
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;"
Ephesians 2:19-20, KJV
"To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed."
1 Peter 2:4-8, KJV
"Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces . . . And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever."
Daniel 2:34, 44, KJV
"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."
Psalm 2:6-9, KJV
If you are not yet convinced of the truths which I have shared with you in this series, then I can only conclude that it is because you do not want to be. It would seem that as a result of your own pride and stubbornness, you have purposely chosen self-imposed delusion over the truth. You have chosen a book of lies -- the Urantia Book -- over the solid truth of God's Word. While you may not realize it, the Scriptures amply speak of people who are so hard-hearted and so stiff-necked, that they willingly choose such ignorance and spiritual blindness over the truth of God's Word. Allow me to share some verses with you regarding this particular subject. Please note that in the following verses, the two phrases "being past feeling" and "their conscience seared with a hot iron" refers to willfully becoming numb to the conviction of God's Spirit:
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
1 Corinthians 2:14, KJV
"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness."
Ephesians 4:17-19, KJV
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"
1 Timothy 4:1-2, KJV
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"
2 Timothy 4:3, KJV
"For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:"
2 Peter 3:5, KJV
"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye."
Acts 7:51, KJV
"And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear."
Matthew 13:10-16, KJV
"Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
Matthew 15:14, KJV
"Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! . . . Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel."
Matthew 23:16, 24, KJV
"And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other."
Mark 3:5, KJV
"And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth."
John 9:39-41, KJV
The previous verses perfectly describe what people such as yourself have done. Rather than accept the Truth of God's Word, you have hardened your heart, and embraced such false teachers as Dr. Byron Weeks, and all of the other New Age false prophets who have distorted and twisted the meaning of God's Word to their own convenience. What alarms me the most is the fact that there are many Christians who are young in their faith who probably don't yet possess a solid foundation in God's Word. As a result, they may easily become deceived by the dangerous false doctrines and belief systems that are espoused and promoted by these satanic New Age emissaries.
Whether they realize it or not, these New Age false prophets are in fact manipulated by Satan and his demons, who speak their deceptive lies into their minds; and so much of it is absolute nonsense and rubbish. I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote concerning the Jewish false prophets of his own day:
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him . . . For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-15, KJV
Following are some additional verses that are found in the New Testament where we are strongly warned to watch out for false brethren and false prophets who promote their false doctrines and damnable heresies. As you will see, we are clearly instructed to have absolutely nothing to do with such deceived people, or their wayward beliefs and ideas:
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
Matthew 7:15-20, KJV
"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."
Matthew 13:24-25, KJV
"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many . . . For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
Matthew 24:11, 24, KJV
"For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect."
Mark 13:22, KJV
"Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves."
Luke 10:3, KJV
"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."
Acts 20:28-30, KJV
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
Romans 16:17, KJV
"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."
Galatians 1:6-9, KJV
"And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:"
Galatians 2:4, KJV
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"
Ephesians 4:14, KJV
"Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision."
Philippians 3:2, KJV
"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do."
1 Timothy 1:3-4, KJV
"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself."
1 Timothy 6:3-5, KJV
"But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."
2 Timothy 3:13, KJV
"But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself."
Titus 3:9-11, KJV
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."
Hebrews 13:9, KJV
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."
2 Peter 2:1-2, KJV
"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."
1 John 2:18-19, KJV
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
1 John 4:1, KJV
"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds."
2 John 1:9-11, KJV
In the previous verses, please note that the Apostle Peter writes "denying the Lord that bought them". By rejecting the necessity of Jesus Christ's Sacrifice as the only means of Atonement for our sins, and suggesting that forgiving each other is all that is needed, that is exactly what you have been doing. You have been denying the Lord who bought you with His own Blood on the Cross. You are saying that it was an unnecessary Divine Agreement between the Father and the Son that He should do this for us. You are saying that your own works of goodness and kindness -- through forgiveness -- is sufficient to save you. While you claim to accept Jesus, and believe in Jesus out of one corner of your mouth, you are in fact denying what He did for you out of the other.
Please go to part five for the conclusion of this series.
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