The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1904, Page 4

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4 The Lutheran Pioneer.

took the whole load upon Himself, fulfilling all the
demands of the Law, and thus unburdening us. He
having perfectly kept God’s Law for us, we are now
free from its curse, free children of God.

But Christ did more. He also died for our sins.
Only by the shedding of blood can there be remis-
sion of sins; and to gain forgiveness for us, Christ
shed His own blood on the cross. God had said,
The soul that sinneth must die,—death was the
punishment of sin. This punishment Christ bore
for us. ‘‘Christ His own self bare our sins in His

Jesus Christ the Righteous; and He is the propi-
tiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also
for the sins of the whole world,”’ 1 John 2,1.2. The
high priests of the Old Testament were the mediators
of the people. In this they were shadows of Christ,
who is the true Mediator between God and man.
He is ever at the right hand of His Father, making
intercession for us. Having died for our sins and
thus being the propitiation for our sins, His prayer
for us is ever heard. Through Him we receive for-
giveness of sins and power to overcome evil. His

The Jewish High Priest.

own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins,
should liye unto righteousness; by whose stripes
ye were healed,’? 1 Pet. 2, 24. In the Old Testa-
ment the high priest killed a goat upon whom the
sins of the people were laid; but Christ, the true
High Priest, took our sins upon Himself and gave
Himself as a sacrifice for us upon the altar of the
cross. He, the holy, harmless, undefiled Lamb of
God, bore our sins and the punishment we had de-
served; and being God Himself, His death was suf-
ficient to atone for the whole world’s sins for all time.

But Christ is still our High Priest, and as such
intercedes for us with His heavenly Father. ‘‘If
any man gin, we haye an advocate with the Father,

prayers gain for us all we need to be preserved in
faith, and to make progress in holiness. Yes, it is
because of His intercession that God shows long-
suffering and patience towards the sinner.

Jesus, my great High Priest,

Fulfilled the Law, and died,

My guilty conscience seeks

No sacrifice beside:

His powerful blood did once atone;

And now it pleads before the Throne.

F. J. L.

—— oo

To be baptized is naught else than to be bathed

and cleansed in the blood of the Lamb of God,
Jesus Christ. — Luther.