Heavenly Ministry

Pastor Martin proposes a better framework for understanding Christ's priestly functions — not merely sacrifice and intercession, but the earthly once-for-all activities marked by suffering, humiliation, and death, contrasted with the heavenly continuous activities marked by exaltation, glory, and life. He then surveys five dimensions of the heavenly priestly activity: sympathetic assistance, prevailing intercession, authoritative administration, effectual vindication, and acceptable presentation of the worship of His people.

Pastor Martin turns from Christ's earthly priestly work to examine His continuous heavenly ministry of intercession. He establishes the fact from Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34, and Isaiah 53:12, then explains the nature of intercession both by the word used (interposing between two parties with requests) and by the end secured (salvation to the uttermost). He applies the doctrine to show that Christ has the preeminence in every phase of our salvation and that all dealings with the Father must be through the interceding Son.