Maybe it’s my age, but attitudes towards good and bad, what I consider moral behavior, continue to soften. I suppose these inclinations have always been present, I just see more due to the incredibly connected nature of our world. Social media spreads bad ideas faster than a sneeze.

If one holds that no higher authority exists, then this sliding scale of behavior causes no real problems. The goal in the here and now becomes taking advantage of your placement in this world and getting the things you want. If it’s all up for grabs, then start grabbing.

However, if you claim to believe in God, then behavior becomes an issue. If you’re bold enough to believe in the God of the Bible, you’ve chosen accurate scales. When we read the Bible we discover that God is holy—unbelievably pure, radiant, and set apart. There’s no possible way to meet his standards.

Unless someone meets them for us.

Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

Jesus mediates between the magnificently Holy God and our lack of anything nearing holiness. Jesus saves completely. Fully, nothing left to scrub. In totalis. Our cup runneth over.

Regardless of modern ideas, right and wrong still exist. You and I fail any sort of holiness test. But not to worry, our high priest speaks on our behalf. When it comes to meeting impossible standards, he’s the one we need.

Hebrews 7 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Greg Rosenke