The Call to Transformation: Allowing Christ to Finish His Work
The work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary is a cornerstone of Adventist theology. It speaks of His ongoing intercession for humanity, made possible through His shed blood and sacrificial death. However, the effectiveness of this work is deeply connected to our willingness to let Christ transform our hearts and remove the world from within us.
The Role of Confession
Confession is the act of bringing our sins to Christ, acknowledging our failures, and seeking His forgiveness. When we confess, the Bible tells us, Jesus deals with our sins through His life, symbolized by His blood. As stated in Scripture, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
This cleansing is not automatic. It requires us to recognize our need for God’s grace and to approach Him with humility. However, as long as we continue to sin and confess, Jesus remains in His priestly role, interceding on our behalf.
The question arises: Are we perpetuating this cycle unnecessarily? Are we holding Christ in His intercessory role because we refuse to surrender fully?
The Connection Between Blood and Life
The Bible speaks of the power of Christ’s blood, but it’s essential to understand what this means. The shedding of blood symbolizes the giving of life. Jesus began shedding His blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, but it was His death on Calvary that paid the penalty for sin.
When we confess, it is not merely the blood that cleanses us but the life of Christ that He imparts to us. His life transforms and heals, making us new creations in Him.
The Responsibility of God’s People
Jesus is not interceding for the unconfessed sins of the world; He is dealing with the sins of His people—those who profess His name but have not yet allowed Him to remove the world from their hearts. This truth places a solemn responsibility on believers.
As long as we cling to worldly habits, selfish desires, and sinful tendencies, we delay the completion of Christ’s work. This reality reflects the deeper issue: the enemy within.
Identifying the Enemy Within
It’s tempting to blame external forces, including Satan, for our sins. While the devil may plant seeds of temptation, the choice to act on those impulses rests squarely with us. Gossip, dishonesty, prejudice, and other sins originate from within. As Jesus Himself said, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness” (Mark 7:21-22).
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This is why God’s work of cleansing must begin in our hearts. Like Noah, Lot, and the early Christians, who were physically removed from sinful environments, we must allow God to remove sin itself from our lives.
Transformation Through Surrender
Transformation requires more than confession; it demands surrender. Confession acknowledges our sins, but surrender invites God to change us completely. It is a process of yielding to the Holy Spirit, who convicts us of sin and empowers us to overcome it.
The Bible assures us of God’s power to transform: “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 11:19).
The End of Christ’s Intercessory Role
When God’s work of cleansing is complete, Christ’s intercessory role will end. Revelation 22:11 solemnly declares: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still... and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” At that point, there will be no more opportunity for repentance or change.
Jesus will lay aside His priestly robes, put on the crown of a king, and return to claim His people. This event hinges on our readiness—on our willingness to let Him remove every trace of the world from within us.
Practical Steps for Spiritual Cleansing
Conclusion
The work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary continues because His people have not fully surrendered. While He intercedes faithfully, He longs to complete this work and return to a purified people.
The challenge for us is to stop clinging to the world and to allow God to cleanse our hearts fully. This requires more than superficial change; it demands a deep, transformative work of the Spirit.
Let us not delay. The time for cleansing is now, and the invitation is open to all. May we respond with humility and faith, allowing God to prepare us for the day when Christ will exchange His priestly robes for a crown and come to take us home.