How come it seems that we are simply wired to constantly justify ourselves? Just the other day my wife was pointing out a response that I had to my daughter, and I instantly began to justify myself. If we do not vocally express our justification we certainly play it out in our minds. Unfortunately, I think the latter is what we are most guilty of. We may have come to a point in life that it is easy to spot how we vocally respond to others and we work on controlling our tongues. One cannot help but see this called wisdom throughout the book of Proverbs or in James; however, I don't think that we can stop there. It is important to work on the outward manifestations but that is the easy work. The tough work is to get right at the root that is lodged in our hearts. Our only hope for inward change is in the Gospel.
Hebrews 9:24-26 reads, "For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself,, no to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
This is the greatest news in the world. One that can bring hope and piece to the lives of sinners because of what Jesus Christ has done on our behalf.
If one were to understand this passage one would have knowledge that when God made His covenant to Israel he gave Moses instructions for proper worship. Included with this was the design for the tabernacle which as stated is a copy of the heavenly reality.
Each year the high priest would go into the holy of holies, the place of God's dwelling, and make a sacrifice for all the people. This was not something done lightly. In fact the high priest was required to make a sacrifice for himself first before entering into God's presence. On top of this a rope would be tied around him, with a bell, in case he did not approach God correctly. If done incorrectly, he would be struck dead and the bell would ring and the people would know to drag his body out.
This was the yearly sacrifice on behalf of all the people. Going alongside these yearly sacrifices were the daily required sacrifices and a host of other daily sacrifices. All this done to justify the sinner.
The Good News of Christianity is that by the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross accomplished for us what we could never accomplish ourselves. Before a holy and perfectly just God we could never justify ourselves. On the cross Jesus became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). When we put our trust in Jesus (his life, death, and resurrection) then our sins our washed away and our debt has been paid. Even more, Jesus continues to serve as our high priest.
Hebrews 7:25 says, "Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them."
Jesus constantly intercedes for us. In the divine courtroom he is there!
Because he constantly intercedes for me and we know that one day He will judge with perfect justice, I do not need to justify myself. I can listen to others criticism and listen for the truth that they can contain. Yes, sometimes criticism is hurtful but often this hurtful criticism does contain elements of truth that we need to hear. If we jump to our own defence we will suffer the loss of peace that can be ours, we may hurt those we love, and we may lose an opportunity for growth in our own lives.
