Chapter Thirteen – Where Is Jesus?—and What Is He Doing?
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What has Jesus Christ been doing for the past 2,000 years? Most believe He is trying to help the poor through charity organizations or missionary campaigns to “get people saved”—that He is “entering hearts” when listeners give their lives to Him—spreading the kingdom of God on earth through evangelizing Christians—and working through all churches that profess Christianity.
There need not be any mystery of where Christ is and what He is doing. The Bible is clear, and you will soon have no doubt about His role.
Contents
The Right Hand of God
Let’s begin by examining the gospel accounts of Christ’s life and death. A key prophecy describing where He went after His resurrection is found in Luke 22:1-71, “And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led Him into their council, saying, Are you the Christ? Tell us. And He said unto them, If I tell you, you will not believe: And if I also ask you, you will not answer Me, nor let Me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God” (Lk 22: 66-69).
Jesus’ words are clear. Before His death, He prophesied He would ascend to heaven. But did this happen? Can we find more evidence in the gospels?
After Jesus was raised from the dead, He continued to teach His disciples and prepare them for the work they would carry out after He was gone. The account in Mark records that after fulfilling His task, Christ ascended into heaven: “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” (Mk 16:19).
Upon making the ultimate sacrifice, Christ was raised by God to the highest possible position on earth or in heaven. Notice: “When He [the Father] raised Him [Christ] from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and has put all things under His feet” (Eph. 1:20-22).
The Bible reveals that Jesus “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3).
This picture is very different from that which you may be accustomed. After fulfilling His purpose on earth, Jesus Christ was glorified and exalted to sit at the Father’s right hand. While there are many more references to Christ’s position at God’s right hand, it should be clear that Christ is alive and well. With all the talk of Jesus in mainstream churches, rarely does anyone speak of what Christ is doing today at the right hand of God. Why do so few seem to care about something so crucial to their existence—and to their salvation? Now that it has been established where He is, what does Christ actually do?
A Living, Active High Priest
If Jesus has been in heaven during the past 2,000 years—through the fall of Rome, the bloody crusades, the Renaissance, World War I and II, and the advent of the Information Age—we might ask: How has He spent His time?
The key to this question lies in one of the most important offices Christ holds. Among His many roles and titles, such as Prince of Peace, Savior, Apostle, King of kings, Lord of lords, Jesus Christ is also referred to as a High Priest.
Take note of this clear statement not only about Christ’s location, but also regarding one of His offices: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:14-15).
Let’s examine more proof of Christ’s all-important office. In Hebrews 3:1-2, Paul writes, “Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was faithful to Him that appointed Him.” The Bible makes clear that God the Father has appointed Jesus Christ to the office of spiritual High Priest. This is the office through which Christ works.
But what does Jesus do as High Priest?
Making Intercession
In Hebrews 8:1-13, Paul elaborates on Christ’s responsibilities as High Priest. “We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices” (Heb 8:1-3). Jesus Christ is described as a “Minister” in God’s sanctuary. He is actively working in God’s Temple—the definition of it comes later—acting as a mediator between Christians and the Father. His sacrifice gives Christians access to God.
In Ephesians 2:1-22, Paul records, “But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Christ…for through Him we both [Jew and Gentile] have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph 2:13, 18). To break this wall of separation, Christ’s death was required. Through prayer, Christians are now permitted to enter the throne room of God (Heb. 4:16). It is only through Jesus, as the active High Priest over His New Testament Church, that this is possible. It is among His responsibilities to present spiritual sacrifices, prayers, to God the Father.
The apostle Paul wrote that “Wherefore He [Christ] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). Christ lives to intercede on a Christian’s behalf. The word intercede means to “intervene between parties with a view to reconciling differences.” In I Timothy 2:5, Christ is also called the “Mediator between God and men.” When fully understood, it is plain that Jesus takes a crucial and active role in working with true Christians and the Father.
Death or Life?
In a book of many necessary insets, here is one more that is most vital to understand. It involves one of the very greatest deceptions—in fact, outright lies!—attributed to the role of Jesus Christ. Be sure to comprehend what is now explained. Too much depends on it for you to miss this knowledge.
A near universally accepted idea is that Christians are “saved by Christ’s death.” Hundreds of thousands of preachers speak in these terms every week to the millions who hear them. So do evangelists and missionaries criss-crossing the world. Thousands of cheap tracts are also printed and distributed saying the same.
Here is just one quote from such a pamphlet, recently found on my front door. Sadly, these are usually badly written, so the wording, spelling and grammar quoted is as it appears under the subhead “The Blood Saves”: “Forgiveness, Justification and Redemption there’re all wrapped up in one word, Salvation. If you want your sins forgiven, to be justified before God, and have your soul redeemed from Hell, there’s only one way, be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. ‘Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him (Rom. 5:9).’”
First, the passage cited states that Christians are “justified by the blood of Jesus”—not saved by it. The author simply cannot read. He should have included the verse immediately following Ro 5:9, which was conveniently left out. Notice: “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” (Ro 5:10).
The thinking in this tract is repeated with such conviction, time and time again, from pulpits and in similar literature, that most assume “it must be in the Bible.” But it is not in the Bible. In fact, you saw that the Bible says exactly the opposite—and right after the verse most often quoted to prove that Christians are “saved by the death of Christ.”
Christians certainly are justified—or reconciled—to God by Christ’s blood, which brought His death. (Of course, this was very thoroughly explained in Chapter Eleven.) When Ro 5:9 and10 in Romans 5:1-21 are read together, as they appear in the Bible, this is the plain meaning.
Before explaining the phrase “we shall be saved by His life,” the matter of justification/reconciliation needs to be clarified. What exactly again is it that Christ’s blood does? This was explained earlier in Romans, for the person who would have been reading what Paul established in context before arriving at chapter 5. Notice: “Whom [Jesus Christ] God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Ro 3:25).
The blood of Jesus Christ covers “sins…past.” Of course, that same blood will also cover future sins that one commits—if such transgressions are always followed by repentance. Jesus Christ, as High Priest, mediates such sins on the repentant sinner’s behalf before the Father. But Romans 3:25 and 5:9-10 make plain that the DEATH of Christ reconciles people to God by removing the Romans 6:23 death penalty (“the wages of sin”) hanging over them.
But Romans 5:10 reveals that the justified/reconciled person is “saved [not justified or reconciled] by His [Christ’s] life.” How could this be missed if one were reading even somewhat carefully? Then you must ask yourself, How could such vast numbers of ministers all be missing this?
But let’s understand what they are missing. Recall what Christ said on His final night with the disciples: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send [it] unto you” (John 16:7).
It took the resurrection of Christ—His return to LIFE!—that permits Him to “go away”—“depart”—to heaven so that He can send the Holy Spirit (the Comforter) into converted minds. Without it, they would be unable—completely helpless—to build God’s character through continual growth and overcoming. But in a world where ministers are not teaching people that the very character of God is to be built in their lives for them to qualify to rule with Christ, such colossal “oversights” are to be expected.
While more could be said, there is not space here to explain this in greater detail. But any chapter describing where Christ is and what He is doing would have to include an explanation of this all-important work He is daily doing on behalf of Christians.
Do not fall for the deceptive reasoning of ministers who simply do not know their Bibles! It is no wonder they unwittingly bring so many doctrines of a different Jesus. (This will be addressed more thoroughly in the last two chapters.)
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