Christ As The “Mercy Seat”: Understanding The Shed Blood Of Christ -- By: Ron J. Bigalke, Jr.

Journal: Chafer Theological Seminary Journal
Volume: CTSJ 08:2 (Apr 2002)
Article: Christ As The “Mercy Seat”: Understanding The Shed Blood Of Christ
Author: Ron J. Bigalke, Jr.


Christ As The “Mercy Seat”:
Understanding The Shed Blood Of Christ1

Ron J. Bigalke Jr.*

[*Editor's note: Ron J. Bigalke, Jr. earned a B.S. degree in Biblical Studies from Moody Bible Institute and an M.Apol. degree from Columbia Evangelical Seminary. Currently, he is a scholarship student in pursuit of a Ph.D. in Prophetic Studies with Tyndale Theological Seminary. He is a faculty member at the Florida extension of the Moody Bible Institute. Ron is the founder and director of Eternal Ministries—a discipleship and evangelistic ministry dedicated to teaching and proclaiming the Word of God. He has served as both a youth pastor and associate pastor. His email address is [email protected].]

Introduction

The writer of Hebrews instructs believers to have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19).2 Based on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as God and Savior, the Christian can enter into the very presence of God through the blood of Jesus Christ. Christ ever liveth to make intercession (Hebrews 7:25) for those trusting in His payment of a debt that, as sinners, they could never pay. Therefore, those who are being sanctified3 through the blood of Jesus have immediate access into the presence of God because Christ appears in the presence of God for us (Hebrews 9:12–14, 24).

The basis for the intercession is due to Christ being the propitiation (satisfaction) for sinners. He intercedes by means of His once-for-all bloody sacrifice upon Calvary’s cross. The blood that was shed in His voluntary death is the basis by which He cried, It is finished (John 19:30) and the basis for reconciliation with God.

It is because He is the actual mercy seat, or place of propitiation, that Jesus Christ entered the heavenlies to take up His rightful position as Lord over all. His office as the believer’s High Priest is not due to His shed blood being preserved somewhere in heaven or even offered upon the heavenly mercy seat. Rather the sufficiency of His shed blood on Calvary’s cross, as the sinners’ substitute, is the means by which He entered heaven and the means by which believers can also boldly enter the eternal presence of God having been sanctified by grace through faith in the merits of t...

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