Is Jesus the only Way?

[Reggie Belafonte]

What if the priest in the OT sanctuary service had walked away from the altar of sacrifice and said, I'm done here, and gone home? What would have happened to Israel. Would the atonement have been "finished"?
Now remember, the OT services were a type... Jesus fulfilled them in every particular. Was everything truly "finished" at the cross?

No it just started.

 

[charity]

'These words spake Jesus,
and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said,
.. "Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee:
.... Thou hast given Him power over all flesh,
...... that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.
........ And this is life eternal,
.......... that they might know Thee the only true God,
............ and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.
I have glorified Thee on the earth:
.. I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.
.... And now, O Father, glorify Thou me with Thine own self
...... with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was."'
(John 17:1-5)

'When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar,
He said, "It is finished:"
and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.'
(John 19:30)

Praise God!

 

[Episkopos]

'These words spake Jesus,
and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said,
.. "Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee:
.... Thou hast given Him power over all flesh,
...... that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.
........ And this is life eternal,
.......... that they might know Thee the only true God,
............ and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.
I have glorified Thee on the earth:
.. I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.
.... And now, O Father, glorify Thou me with Thine own self
...... with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was."'
(John 17:1-5)

'When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar,
He said, "It is finished:"
and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.'
(John 19:30)

Praise God!

And now that perfected way in Christ is available for all who surrender to His will...in order to empower them to walk as He did and overcome as He overcame.

Rev. 3:21 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

 

[Enoch111]

Was everything truly "finished" at the cross?

Certainly. Whatever was necessary for our redemption and our salvation was finished at the cross. Why else would Jesus proclaim victoriously " IT IS FINISHED"? And then go and proclaim His victory for three days and three nights to the spirits in prison within Sheol/Hades as well as Tartarus? Christ was not sleeping in the tomb as the Soul Sleep proponents would have liked.

Furthermore, that was the end of the Old Covenant (including Sabbath observance by Israel) which you may find hard to accept. But Paul made it perfectly clear that the sabbath days were shadows, and the reality is Christ and His finished work of redemption. And God made it crystal clear by supernaturally tearing the temple veil in two from top to bottom. That was the end of the Holy of Holies on earth. Christ is now in the Heavenly Sanctuary at the Mercy Seat as High Priest after the order of Mechizedek. Which meant the end of the Levitical priethood, the temple sacrifices, and all the ceremonial observances of the Old Covenant (including feasts, festivals, holy days, new moons, and sabbaths).

 

[brakelite]

Certainly. Whatever was necessary for our redemption and our salvation was finished at the cross. Why else would Jesus proclaim victoriously " IT IS FINISHED"? And then go and proclaim His victory for three days and three nights to the spirits in prison within Sheol/Hades as well as Tartarus? Christ was not sleeping in the tomb as the Soul Sleep proponents would have liked.

Furthermore, that was the end of the Old Covenant (including Sabbath observance by Israel) which you may find hard to accept. But Paul made it perfectly clear that the sabbath days were shadows, and the reality is Christ and His finished work of redemption. And God made it crystal clear by supernaturally tearing the temple veil in two from top to bottom. That was the end of the Holy of Holies on earth. Christ is now in the Heavenly Sanctuary at the Mercy Seat as High Priest after the order of Mechizedek. Which meant the end of the Levitical priethood, the temple sacrifices, and all the ceremonial observances of the Old Covenant (including feasts, festivals, holy days, new moons, and sabbaths).

If it were necessary for Christ to act as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, to minister there as our intercessor/mediator, ministering His blood before the throne of the Father as did the priests in the OT before the ark in the most holy place of which were a type of the NT fulfillment, how can you say then all was finished at the cross? Something was finished, yes, But surely not everything. It is incumbent upon us to understand what was finished, the importance and extent of Christs ministry in heaven, and the part we are to act in response.
I asked this question earlier. What would have happened to Israel had the priest watched the penitent sinner cut the throat of the lamb, then said, it is finished, my work is done. Would the atonement be complete? Is the same application not to be made for Christ our High Priest seeing all the services etc were patterned after heavenly realities?

 

[Enoch111]

how can you say then all was finished at the cross? Something was finished, yes, But surely not everything.

Looks like you are not acquainted with the epistle to the Hebrews. Something which every Christian needs to get a hold of. So let me give you some quotes from Hebrews to prove that everything necessary for our redemption and salvation was finished at the cross.

And being made perfect, he [Christ] became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb 5:9,10)

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb 6:17-20)

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God... By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament....Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Heb 7:19-25)

 

[brakelite]

Looks like you are not acquainted with the epistle to the Hebrews. Something which every Christian needs to get a hold of. So let me give you some quotes from Hebrews to prove that everything necessary for our redemption and salvation was finished at the cross.

And being made perfect, he [Christ] became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb 5:9,10)

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb 6:17-20)

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God... By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament....Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Heb 7:19-25)

I am very familiar with Hebrews, and I would like to thank you for supporting my perspective. Nothing in the above verses suggests that the cross was all that was necessary to accomplish our redemption, bu t on the contrary, it is the entire process that accomplishes atonement ... The whole priestly ministry which did not end at the altar of sacrifice.

 

[quietthinker]

Looks like you are not acquainted with the epistle to the Hebrews. Something which every Christian needs to get a hold of. So let me give you some quotes from Hebrews to prove that everything necessary for our redemption and salvation was finished at the cross.

And being made perfect, he [Christ] became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb 5:9,10)

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb 6:17-20)

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God... By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament....Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Heb 7:19-25)

I think the cry 'it is finished' is relative to what Jesus was referring to. It is possible to load that statement to mean a number of things like ..my time in the earthly flesh is finished ...or, Lucifers charges against God have been made null and void...or all that is necessary for mans salvation is accomplished etc.

One thing is certain, not everything is finished...ie, we are still subject to death and misery with injustice increasing daily....Jesus is yet to return with his reward and I'm not yet on the sea of glass....besides, my bills keep rolling in So from that perspective, it is drawing too long a bow to conclude that every aspect of the plan of salvation is finished.

By faith and in Jesus we have the promises fulfilled but the reality of the consummation we wait for patiently. And is not the changing from mortality to immortality of our bodies something to look forward to.
I also think the the services of the ancient tabernacle as brakelite has mentioned, give us insight into what is finished and what isn't.

 

[GodsGrace]

Looks like you are not acquainted with the epistle to the Hebrews. Something which every Christian needs to get a hold of. So let me give you some quotes from Hebrews to prove that everything necessary for our redemption and salvation was finished at the cross.

And being made perfect, he [Christ] became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb 5:9,10)

Jesus finished HIS work. He came to do the Father's will and so Jesus completed God's salvation economy.

Jesus becomes the author of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.
So it would seem to me that we now have OUR part to do.

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb 6:17-20)

All good.
But the above starts out with Hebrews 6:9-11.
Paul is confident that we will produce good fruit.
When Jesus' work ended.....which was doing the will of the Father....
Now WE must also do the will of the Father.
John 6:38

John 14:16-17
Jesus sent us a helper, comforter, paraclete for this reason.

Some understand IT IS FINISHED to mean that everything is finished,,even that we are to do the will of the Father. Since it has already been done by Jesus FOR US.....

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God... By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament....Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

(Heb 7:19-25)

AMEN!

 

[bbyrd009]

Furthermore, that was the end of the Old Covenant (including Sabbath observance by Israel) which you may find hard to accept.

ha well so you say, but the Sabbath existed before Israel, and the Commandment has not been revoked or anything, ok. So, Old covenant gone--even though we are still practicing it i guess right--Commandments, still in place and effective, wadr

which i dunno how much respect that should get, tryna be nice here lol

 

[bbyrd009]

If it were necessary for Christ to act as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, to minister there as our intercessor/mediator, ministering His blood before the throne of the Father as did the priests in the OT before the ark in the most holy place of which were a type of the NT fulfillment, how can you say then all was finished at the cross? Something was finished, yes, But surely not everything. It is incumbent upon us to understand what was finished, the importance and extent of Christs ministry in heaven, and the part we are to act in response.
I asked this question earlier. What would have happened to Israel had the priest watched the penitent sinner cut the throat of the lamb, then said, it is finished, my work is done. Would the atonement be complete? Is the same application not to be made for Christ our High Priest seeing all the services etc were patterned after heavenly realities?

well you might note there in your argument that the lamb was all done regardless of who else might not have been done, yes? So Jesus might not be completely represented up there maybe?

 

[bbyrd009]

I think the cry 'it is finished' is relative to what Jesus was referring to. It is possible to load that statement to mean a number of things like ..my time in the earthly flesh is finished ...or, Lucifers charges against God have been made null and void...or all that is necessary for mans salvation is accomplished etc.

One thing is certain, not everything is finished...ie, we are still subject to death and misery with injustice increasing daily..

leave the world

..Jesus is yet to return with his reward

return to Me, and I will return to you

and I'm not yet on the sea of glass....besides, my bills keep rolling in

leave the world

So from that perspective, it is drawing too long a bow to conclude that every aspect of the plan of salvation is finished.

in you anyway, right now, sure. In me either i guess, yeh

By faith and in Jesus we have the promises fulfilled but the reality of the consummation we wait for patiently.

rather than dispute this i wonder if you could just Quote where Paul said "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" and maybe we could go from there? I cant find it myself, anywhere! ty

And is not the changing from mortality to immortality of our bodies something to look forward to.

if only you could Quote that, huh?

I also think the the services of the ancient tabernacle as brakelite has mentioned, give us insight into what is finished and what isn't.

brother my brother wadr if you are waiting on Jesus to do one single thing for you from here on out, you are going to get thief in the night imo, is all youre going to get, no offense meant ok

 

[Enoch111]

I am very familiar with Hebrews, and I would like to thank you for supporting my perspective. Nothing in the above verses suggests that the cross was all that was necessary to accomplish our redemption, bu t on the contrary, it is the entire process that accomplishes atonement ... The whole priestly ministry which did not end at the altar of sacrifice.

That is Ellen G. White's unscriputural distortion of the book of Hebrews. Christ SAT DOWN at the right hand of the Father. That is confirmation that there is no on-going work of redemption in Heaven. But no high priest on earth could sit down in the earthly temple because their work was never finished. There are some SDA doctrines which are clearly manufactured by Mrs. White. But she has been raised to the status of an infallible SDA pope.

 

[Enoch111]

One thing is certain, not everything is finished...ie, we are still subject to death and misery with injustice increasing daily.

Agreed. But we need to be clear that the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is the core of the Gospel and of the New Covenant. And that is what "IT IS FINISHED" is all about.

There is no more redemptive work for sinners to be accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. Even the Resurrection/Rapture and the Second Coming (and events following) are all based upon the fact that Christ DESTROYED the power of sin, death, Hades, Hell, and Satan at the cross. The Millennium and the New Earth will all be under the New Covenant, which was sealed with the shed blood of Christ.

 

[Enoch111]

ha well so you say, but the Sabbath existed before Israel, and the Commandment has not been revoked or anything, ok.

Have you never heard of the Christian Sabbath, also known as the Lord's Day -- the first day of the week? The Sabbath commandment applies to this day. Until the Sabbatarians came along in the 19th century, all Christians had only one day of rest, worship, and good works. That's why the apostle John said " I was IN THE SPIRIT on the Lord's Day" (Rev 1:10).

 

[bbyrd009]

Have you never heard of the Christian Sabbath, also known as the Lord's Day -- the first day of the week? The Sabbath commandment applies to this day. Until the Sabbatarians came along in the 19th century, all Christians had only one day of rest, worship, and good works. That's why the apostle John said " I was IN THE SPIRIT on the Lord's Day" (Rev 1:10).

no, its not, sorry. You can make Solday into Sabbath day all you like, you can think to change times and days, doesnt make it true or even justifiable wadr. The Sabbath was made for Adam and Eve, and the Sabbath will be observed in the New Jerusalem, and the Sabbath is a Commanment that you cannot Quote being revoked. You have a Black Sabbath, is what you got there bro

now look down at your shirt, the one youre wearing right this second, what color is it?
lol
i mean no offense here ok, you are not alone, but wadr do you even own a white shirt? ("always wearing white") as if, right

 

[brakelite]

That is Ellen G. White's unscriputural distortion of the book of Hebrews. Christ SAT DOWN at the right hand of the Father. That is confirmation that there is no on-going work of redemption in Heaven. But no high priest on earth could sit down in the earthly temple because their work was never finished. There are some SDA doctrines which are clearly manufactured by Mrs. White. But she has been raised to the status of an infallible SDA pope.

You give Ellen White far too much credit. Our understanding of the sanctuary can about as a result of intense Bible studies and EGW had very little influence over them, if any. If you are genuinely interested in how we approach this topic here is a link to a book you will find very interesting.
Downloads | Milian L. Andreasen | Adventist Pioneers | Books

 

[bbyrd009]

Have you never heard of the Christian Sabbath, also known as the Lord's Day -- the first day of the week? The Sabbath commandment applies to this day. Until the Sabbatarians came along in the 19th century, all Christians had only one day of rest, worship, and good works. That's why the apostle John said " I was IN THE SPIRIT on the Lord's Day" (Rev 1:10).

so, i sure dont mean for you to take that wrong, ok, bunch of ppl believe in sunday sabbath and idc, not saying that condemns you per se, but see arent you and all them others and bl too singin "When We All Get to Heaven" and praising Jesus and talkin about goin somewheres tomorrow that Merc wait i mean Apoll wait i mean Jesus gonna take you, supposedly? And all talkin about goin to Mars tomorrow too right, iow i could find your family members interested in a discussion of going to another planet, where there is no world whatsoever?

but one esteems one day, another esteems all days alike i have no probs whatsoever with, ok

 

[marks]

Merc wait i mean Apoll wait i mean Jesus

Another curious question . . . do you see any actual difference between these personages?

Much love!

 

[quietthinker]

Agreed. But we need to be clear that the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is the core of the Gospel and of the New Covenant. And that is what "IT IS FINISHED" is all about.

There is no more redemptive work for sinners to be accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. Even the Resurrection/Rapture and the Second Coming (and events following) are all based upon the fact that Christ DESTROYED the power of sin, death, Hades, Hell, and Satan at the cross. The Millennium and the New Earth will all be under the New Covenant, which was sealed with the shed blood of Christ.

Do you think there is any relevance to the other activities of the high priest on the day of atonement (seeing they are shadows of the reality) apart from the slaying of the lamb for the sins of Israel and him entering in behind the veil of the most holy place?