Do I need a priest to reach God?
There is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, and through His one offering every believer may draw near directly and boldly. The torn veil says access is open; the royal priesthood says God's people minister to Him themselves. Christ is Priest enough for all who come to God through Him.
This question arose from studying Why did Jesus have to die? and Where is Jesus now?.
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What the Scripture says
One mediator between God and men
The gospel narrows the road to one Person: 'There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' Through Him 'we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.' Any additional mediator between the soul and God, however well meant, subtracts from the sufficiency of the Son.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all; the testimony in its own times;
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
The veil was torn from top to bottom
When Jesus died, the temple curtain separating sinners from God's presence tore in two, and the direction matters: torn from the top, by God's hand and not man's. Hebrews reads the sign plainly: we have confidence to enter the holy place by 'a new and living way,' through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. Access to the Father is not granted at a priest's discretion; it was purchased at Calvary and thrown open.
Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.
Every priest stands; Christ sat down
Under the old covenant priests stood daily, offering many sacrifices that could never take away sin. This Man offered one sacrifice for sins forever and sat down: the posture of a finished work. Because the sacrifice is complete and the Priest is permanent, no further sacrificing priesthood mediates forgiveness; He ever lives to intercede for those who come to God through Him.
Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins, but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;
For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.
We draw near with boldness ourselves
The invitation is addressed to the weakest believer: 'Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace,' a mercy seat approached personally, in full assurance of faith. In Christ every sinner who trusts Him has what Israel's laity never had under the law: unhindered, unmediated approach to God.
Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.
let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,
God's people become the priesthood
The astonishing reversal of the gospel is that believers are not merely served by a priesthood; they are made one: 'You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices.' A chosen people, a royal priesthood, God's own possession, called out of darkness to proclaim His excellencies.
You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood; and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
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