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The intercession of Christ

Out of sight out of mind?

THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST
By John Bunyan
Christian Focus. 122 pages. £5.99
ISBN 978-1-84550-544-8

This is John Bunyan’s celebration of the perfect, permanent priesthood of Christ based on his in-depth, unfolding of Hebrews 7.25, ‘He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them’.

His contention is that the word ‘save’ here especially pertains to our persevering in the faith against all odds, so bringing us safe to heaven, and this is especially what the heavenly intercession of Christ achieves for us. It is a pastorally very encouraging book. Christ saves imperfect people who sadly still sin, whose graces are in many ways lacking and who are still vulnerable to Satan’s devices.

There is much of heaven and hell in the book and many points which relate to present controversies surrounding the essential doctrine of justification by faith alone. There are clear teachings on the conviction of heart required to shake a sinner out of his or her complacency, so prompting them to come to God through Christ. It is an exercise in squeezing every last wonderful drop of comfort for weak, doubting sinners from a glorious Bible text. The priestly office of Christ has two parts, the first through the cross in this world and the second through his intercession in heaven. Because the latter takes place in the realm invisible to us at present, we tend to forget it. But we do so to our own spiritual impoverishment.

John Benton