Millpond Ink Musing – The Apostate Mantel

Jesus was and is both the oblation (sin offering) and intercessor for the elect; the High Priest Who enters the Holiest of Holies on our behalf. Through His oblation, He procured all good things for us. Through His intercession, He will actually have bestowed upon us through the Father what was procured; not only what is needed in this life but more blessed in the life to come.

While the acts of oblation and intercession can be viewed and discussed separately, these duties of our High Priest cannot be separated. Those for whom He died, He will intercede; and He will intercede for those He died. As for those He died, the Father gave them to Him in accordance with His divine will and pleasure. (see John 17:9; also, Eph. 1:3-5)

If you find yourself thinking that what I have written to this point, if true, would limit the number of those saved; then, yes, this is indeed one of the Scriptural arguments that supports the doctrine of limited atonement. And if you are opposed to this thinking, then you can breathe a sigh of relief since this doctrine is widely rejected by many church leaders and parishioners. Why is it rejected? Because it runs counter to the many that view love as God’s preeminent; if not the only, attribute to regard and to preach seriously within our churches. For those of such preaching, love hangs upon the Christmas mantel as a stocking; filled with all the promised fruit that many preach today, offering wealth, health and easy living. Thus, they treat God’s other attributes; those less attractive and unsavory (such as God’s justice and wrath) as virtually nonexistent. This, they do not only at their own peril but their congregation. While God’s love is indeed abundant and eternally giving; it is unscriptural to assert that God’s love exceeds His hatred for sin; therefore, covering the sins of the world and redeeming even the unbeliever. In fact, it is God’s extreme hatred for sin that makes Christ’s death on the cross and God’s mercy all the more wonderful and loving, but that is not what is usually taught. As a result, many professed Christians feel safe to persist in their sin; without a conviction to repent and turn away from that apostate mantel; where supposedly hangs a stocking with their name on it. Rather, the real celebration of our Savior’s birth in a manger is shown through Holy living and rightly dividing the Word of Truth in honor of His most glorious and wonderful name, Jesus.