Eighth, Christ’s priestly intercession is effectual.
Jesus warned Peter that Satan aimed to sift him “like a wheat,” a violent
trial, btu said, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when
you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Like 22:31-32 ESV). Christ
did not say “if” Peter would turn back to him, but “when” (pote). No one
can condemn “God’s elect” when Christ “is interceding for us,” for “who shall
separate us from the love of Christ?” (Rom. 8:33-35) ESV). “For if, when we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (5:10). The writer to the Hebrews
says, “He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him,
seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (7:25). The phrase
translated as “to the uttermost” (eis to pantelēs) could be rendered as
“to the all-completion.” William Symington (1795-1862) said, “The intercession
of Christ secures the complete salvation of the chosen of God, their entrance
into heaven, and their everlasting continuance in a state of perfect
blessedness.” (Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley, Reformed Systematic
Theology, 4 vols. [Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2020], 2:1094)
Tenth, Christ’s priestly intercession is comprehensive.
His intercession obtains for his people all the grace that they need for a
complete salvation from beginning to end. Christ makes intercession for the
“transgressors” (posehe’im, Isa. 53:12), a term that denotes those
presently unconverted (Ps. 51:13). Regeneration is granted “through Jesus
Christ our Saviour” (Titus 3:5-6). Christ looks upon the elect yet dead in
their sins and intercedes for them before the Father, and the Spirit of the new
birth goes forth to turn them from darkness to light. Christ’s prayer in John
17 shows the breadth of his intercession for the converted, for Christ asked
the Father to grant his people spiritual preservation (vv. 11-16),
sanctification (vv. 17-19), unity (vv. 20-23), and glorification (v. 24). The
merciful and faithful High Priest helps the tempted (Heb. 2:17-18), obtaining
for them hatred of sin and love for holiness. Justification is complete at the
first moment of saving faith, but Christ’s intercession preserves believers in
a state of justification despite their culpable slips and falls, so that no one
can condemn them before God (Rom. 8:33-34; 1 John 1:7-2:2). Preservation from
fully and finally falling away from God is granted through Christ’s
intercession (Luke 22:31-32; Heb. 7:25). Nothing can separate believers from
the love of Christ, who intercedes for them (Rom. 8:34-35). When Christ judges
the world, he will confess their names before the Father (Rev. 3:5). Anthony
Burgess said that “the matter of Christ’s prayer for his children . . . is for
the accomplishment of all grace here and glory hereafter. There is no heavenly
or spiritual mercy but Christ hath prayed for it.” (Joel R. Beeke and Paul M.
Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology, 4 vols. [Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway,
2020], 2:1095)
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