Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Romans 8:33-34

Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25

The most sorrowful news one could hear in this world apart from Christ is the truth of being a sinner and a child of God’s wrath. Yet there is beauty in this news because when this news is received and repentance comes with sorrow, there is good news of the Savior who justifies, utterly saves, provides adoption as coheirs, and always lives to intercede for those who draw near to God through Him. But why do we still need intercession as believers in Christ?

Have you ever read something or heard something related to Scripture that pierced you in a beautifully tender way? I recently finished reading Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortlund. Jesus said in Matthew 11:29 that He is gentle and lowly in heart, and this book discusses the aspects of Christ’s nature and what this means Biblically with regards to this passage. I found myself returning to a particular chapter several times even while making my way through this book. It was the chapter on Jesus saving to the uttermost. Now I had read the passages of Scripture in Romans 8:33-34 and Hebrews 7:25 before in my private time, but I was now having my understanding illuminated by the Holy Spirit in why I need and why you need Jesus Christ to still intercede for us.

What is Jesus doing now? He is interceding for those who belong to Him. I thank God that He is interceding for me because I need it. You see, apart from Christ, I am a vile person. It is true. My heart is deceitful and wicked, and I did not seek after God of my own volition. It was the Father drawing me to Christ, softening my heart and opening my ears to hear and my eyes to receive the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. His kindness drew me to repentance. Christ Jesus has justified me by His atonement for my sin, and He has saved me from the wrath of God (Romans 5:9). Those of us who are saved by grace through faith in Christ live in a now and not yet because though we are coheirs with Christ, we still are sojourners in a fallen world where we fail daily. Hence, our need for a High Priest who lives to makes intercession for us. Ortlund says this thought provoking understanding about our salvation and His intercession, “The atonement accomplished our salvation; intercession is the moment-by-moment application of that atoning work. In the past, Jesus did what he now talks about; in the present, Jesus talks about what he then did…we are to-the-uttermost sinners. We need a to-the-uttermost Savior.”

The fact that Jesus Christ intercedes for us tells us that while on this earth we still sin, and Christ is the High Priest we so desperately need. If we did not sin, there would be no need for intercession. There would be no need for the High Priest. It provokes me to realize His love for me and my utter dependency upon Him. Jesus Christ now lives to intercede on our behalf before the Father because we sin and fall short of the glory of God. He is our Advocate. His work on the cross was complete. It was finished. He is the spotless Lamb who takes away our sins, and He is the High Priest now mediating for us, having offered Himself once for all. He has done what no other could do. He ceaselessly presents Himself and what He accomplished through His death, burial, and resurrection before God the Father on our behalf. For those of us who place our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, this should bring great joy and comfort. Our sins they are many, but His mercy is more.

There will come a time for those of us in Christ when we will ultimately be free of the presence of sin (glorification). Understanding our need for intercession should not cause us to lay out the welcome mat for sin to abound in our lives. It should however encourage us ever more to desire being conformed to His image by the Holy Spirit and to run to Him in our weakness, knowing that it is His work and not our own which saves to the uttermost. We need Him every hour. Praise our Lord and Savior who lives to always intercede for us.