Better Than Aaron

Rather than Moses, Aaron or a Levite - all sinners, all men with weaknesses and subject to death - it is God manifest in the flesh who ministers now. He died once but soon rose and now lives forever. His person is marked by every divine and human perfection. He is “a Son over God's house” not merely its builder and so is worthy of more honour. Further, the covenant he administers is “founded on better promises”. Christ has greater blessings to give and there is a greater certainty of receiving them than was the case under the old covenant.

Christ's administration is also greater and more glorious as regards place and manner. We can think of a number of contrasts.

• Aaron went into an earthly, Christ into a heavenly sanctuary.
• Aaron stood before the mercy seat, Christ is near the Father of mercy himself.
• Aaron wore clothing that spoke symbolically of glory, Christ is now clothed with real and substantial glory.
• Aaron knew God's symbolic presence on earth for a while, Christ is in God's immediate presence in heaven forever.
• Aaron knew a measure of respect and honour from fellow sinners, Christ is adored and honoured by all the holy angels and the spirits of just men made perfect.
• Aaron ministered “a shadow of the good things that are coming”, Christ gives “the realities themselves” (Hebrews 10:1) - the Spirit, righteousness, pardon, grace and eternal life.
• Aaron was under a cloud, Christ “at the Father's right hand, is in the clearest light and brightest glory” (Hurrion).

From my book What Jesus is doing now, pp 69, 70

He sits down to enjoy what he has done

It is not that Christ ceases to act for his people in heaven. No, their forerunner has passed into the heavens to serve them and do them good. He appears in God's presence for them. As their high priest, he transacts their affairs and he lives to make intercession for them forever. Nevertheless, his former toilsome and laborious work is over. The work was done for his Father and though he did it voluntarily and more than willingly, it was very demanding. Not only did he continuously go about doing good for men's bodies and souls but he knew great toil and hardship when he bore God's wrath and endured the law's curse by suffering and dying. He has now been set free and has relief from it all. He sits down to enjoy what he has done.

God looked with satisfaction and pleasure on the completed old creation, declared it very good, then rested from his activity. So Christ looked with complacency on the new creation wrought by his labours (the blessings of grace that have come through his blood that are applied to his people), saw it was very good, then rested from his activity.

From my book What Jesus is doing now, pp 65, 66

Until I make your enemies a footstool

Psalm 110 also speaks of the Father making the Son's enemies a footstool for him. This is again a picture. A footstool is a piece of furniture designed to support the feet of someone who is seated. It can be a separate piece of furniture or it can be built into a seat or throne, as with Solomon's throne, which had six steps “and a footstool of gold” attached (2 Chronicles 9:18). Interestingly, in 1 Chronicles 28:2 the ark of the covenant is referred to as being “the footstool of our God”. Given that the mercy seat or atonement cover is often seen as a throne (1 Samuel 4:4; Psalms 80:1, 99:1) there is perhaps some significance in that. In Isaiah 66:1 God says “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool” which is also quite significant in this context. The picture of the Son's enemies being his footstool is in harmony with the idea of his sitting at God's right hand.

From my book What Jesus is doing now, p  63

Sitting at the right hand?

Obviously we are not to understand God's “right hand” literally. As Augustine points out, that would mean the Father was on Christ's left! God does not actually have a right hand, or a left for that matter. The children's catechism rightly observes that “God is a Spirit, and has not a body like men”. Jesus' own statement in John 4:24 is that God is a spirit. When the Bible speaks of God's right hand it is speaking anthropomorphically. It is using human terms.

Similarly, when we speak of Christ sitting, we are not speaking of bodily sitting. Jesus certainly has a body but we are not to imagine a literal crown on his head or his sitting on a literal throne. Stephen sees him standing not sitting (Acts 7:56). That detail presents no difficulty. No doubt Jesus stood, as it were, resentful at how they were treating his servant. Concerned for Stephen, he was more than ready to help. In Revelation Jesus stands too. Paul and Peter simply say Christ is “at the right hand of God” (Romans 8:34; 1 Peter 3:22). The idea of sitting, or standing for that matter, is picture language.

From my book What Jesus is doing now, pp  62, 63

On the throne/At his right hand

Such passages (Revelation 5:6; 7:9, 17; 22:1, 3) speak of the present glory of Christ in terms of his being on the same throne as the Father rather than on a throne at his right hand but there is no real contradiction. They are simply two different ways of speaking of what is really the same thing. It is the right hand language that is most often used in Scripture and that has led theologians to refer to Christ's session at God's right hand.

From my book What Jesus is doing now, p  62

At the right hand of God

The truth is that these words (in Psalm 110) cannot have been spoken about any ordinary man. The saints will sit down together with Christ, their head and representative, and will be on the throne with him in glory, but they are never said to sit at God's right hand. It cannot be an angel either. The writer to the Hebrews rules this out when quoting it (1:13). “To which of the angels did God ever say” such things? Rather, angels and powers are subject to him who is at the right hand (1 Peter 3:22).

From my book What Jesus is doing now, p 60

Christ is now in session

The English word session refers to a time of sitting or, more specifically, sitting to conduct certain business. A Parliament or law court can sit or be “in session”, for example. A group of beer drinkers or musicians can be “in session”. Presbyterians call the board of elders or consistory in a local church the church or kirk session.

We know that Christ is now in session because this truth is taught not only in Psalm 110 but also in several other places in the Bible. Psalm 110, however, is original and fundamental.

From my book What Jesus is doing now, p  58

Abandon all carnal thoughts of him

When Christ ascended, he physically removed himself from his people on earth and from this present state of affairs. He can no longer be known on earth in a physical way, only in a spiritual one. Calvin hence tells us to “abandon all carnal thoughts of him”. His physical ascension assures us that it is right to seek our Master where he really is - in heaven - and nowhere else. He does not live in temples made with hands, as some think (see Acts 17). Our relationship with him on earth can only be spiritual - brought about by the Spirit, sustained by faith. Physical contact is no longer possible. He has ascended on high.

From my book What Jesus is doing now, p  45

Praying for regeneration

To argue that someone who is not born again cannot pray for regenerating grace because of the sin in his soul is wrong. If it was true, the same argument could be applied to a born-again person praying for holiness. The prayers even of those who are born again are mixed with sin. If you cannot pray until rebirth because your prayers are sinful then you cannot really pray until you are perfectly holy either. If the presence of sin is a reason for not praying in one case, it is in the other.
Therefore we urge anyone who is not born again to pray for it to happen, not because new birth is obtained by prayer as such but because there is no better way to prepare for it. It is better to pray than do nothing. The prayer of the unregenerate is marred by sin, but not necessarily any more than any other prayers.

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 152

The regeneration of all things

A new order of things is coming and it is those who have first been born again who will enter that kingdom. ... As our souls have been restored and refreshed already so there will come a time when all things are restored or regenerated. We most often speak of this in terms of glorification although it is as much an entire or completed sanctification (just as regeneration is an initial sanctification), or, in terms of regeneration, the external and universal regeneration that follows internal and personal new birth.

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 145

Conversion and regeneration

Conversion consists of repentance and faith and it is being born again that makes these two possible. It is not that by repenting and trusting in Christ we are born again but that by being born again we are enabled to repent and trust in Christ. Kuyper says that some old Scottish theologians would speak of the implanting of the faith-faculty (regeneration) followed by faith-exercise and faith-power. Without the faculty, the exercise of faith and its power cannot be known.

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 134

Regeneration and Assurance

Two dangers confront us in this area - on one hand, wrong headed presumption and on the other, needless despair. It is God’s will that every newborn Christian should know that he has entered God’s Kingdom. Nevertheless, not all have the same level of assurance about this. Better that we enter heaven doubting our new birth than that we go to hell falsely assuming we have been born again.

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 127

He can never be content in his sins again

"Benjamin Beddome wrote:

'The principle of grace will always be rising up against sin, and at length will triumph over it.'

The regenerate man has broken with sin and will no longer live in it as he once did. The born-again sinner sins, but he can never be content in his sins again."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 121

Having a reputation for being a Christian does not prove regeneration

"You may have a conscience that agrees that you are a Christian. You may have a tender heart, a hatred of sin and a love for God’s Word. These are excellent things but again they cannot prove regeneration. Having a reputation for being a Christian is not the same as being born again. No amount of zeal, persecution or patience under trial can prove anything. Even strong hopes of heaven and willingness to die for Christ are inconclusive. In Matthew 7:22, 23 Jesus speaks these sobering words
Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!
There is such a thing as a mere form of godliness (2 Tim 3:5)."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 120

We must know if we are regenerate

"We are going to be judged one day and as everything hangs on the hinge of new birth we must be absolutely clear about whether we have been born again or not."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 117

Regeneration - the knowledge factor

"This fact must not be abused, but out of ignorance a person may live contrary to certain Christian teachings and practices and may appear not to be born again when in fact he is. Of course, if he is genuinely reborn that will show itself when his errors are pointed out.
Far from arguing against religious instruction and faithful teaching prior to conversion, this observation argues rather in its favour. The better instructed people are, the better they will be able to discern their standing before God and benefit from being reborn."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 110, 111

Born again - date unknown

"On occasions, I have met people who cannot tell you accurately when they were born. I remember a Vietnamese fellow who was picked up on the streets of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) as an orphaned toddler, and was eventually brought up in the UK. He only knew more or less how old he was. Many abandoned children share the same sort of ignorance. In certain parts of rural Nigeria, it is common not to know the exact day you were born as records are not kept too strictly. In a similar way, many Christians do not know exactly when they were born again. As Archibald Alexander points out, even those who claim that they do know may well be wrong. ... 
A characteristic of regeneration is that it is mysterious and secret so we should not be surprised that it can be difficult to know exactly when it has occurred."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 103, 104

NB  There are apparently some 51 million people  wordwide with no birth certificate [63% of them in SubSaharan Africa].

Two Birthdays

"I remember as a boy being told by my mother that the Queen of England was very special because she has two birthdays — an actual one and an official one. As a child the idea of two birthdays sounded very attractive.
If you are a Christian, you also, in a manner of speaking, have two birthdays. When the Kent martyr Alice Potkins was arrested in 1556, she was asked her age. She replied that she was 49 ‘according to her old age’ but only one ‘according to her young age, since she learned Christ’. Many could say something similar."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 102, 103

Preach to the dry bones; trust the Spirit

"It is as we preach God's word that people are born again. God is able to work when, where and how he chooses to work but we observe that where men go out and preach in his name people are born again but where they are not able to do that such things are much more scarce.

Like Ezekiel we are to preach to the dry bones and trust the Spirit of God to bring life. People need to accept ‘the word planted in you, which can save you’ not merely listening to the word but doing what it says (Jas 1:21, 22). Paul tells how he came to Thessalonica and preached successfully. What made the difference was that they accepted his preaching ‘not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe’. This is why they turned ‘to God from idols to serve the living and true God’ (2 Thess 2:13, 1 Thess 1:9).
When we ask what causes the new birth, we must say that it originates with God who transforms people by the Spirit and is possible because of what Christ has done on the cross. It usually happens as the Word of God is preached."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 100

Born to give them second birth

"More broadly, Jesus was

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth.

His (Christ's) birth led to his atoning death and resurrection. We think of the atonement most readily in connection with justification and link the resurrection with the new birth. The atonement, was necessary, however, for both. Without it, there would be no basis for regeneration. Because of all that Christ has done, God is willing to grant rebirth to his own that they may receive the full benefit of Christ’s redemption."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 96