this article is a part of the The Crossway Podcast collection.
The Doctrine of Intercessionin this episode, Joel Beeke discusses the doctrine of Christ's ongoing intercession in heaven. He explains what that doctrine is all about, the place we discover it in the Bible, and why it be more crucial and spiritually edifying than you may also recognize.
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. SmalleyThe 2d installment within the Reformed Systematic Theology series attracts on old theology of the Reformed culture, exploring the doctrines of man and Christ with an accessible, comprehensive, and experiential strategy.
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themes Addressed during this Interview:Matt TullyJoel, thank you so a whole lot for joining me these days on The Crossway Podcast.
Joel BeekeGlad to be with you, Matt.
Matt TullyYou're a seminary president who also happens to train, you're also a pastor and the editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, you are the vp of a translation society, and on properly of all that—as if it is no longer ample to fill one person's time—I've examine that you have written or coauthored over a hundred books. Is that authentic?
Joel BeekeUnfortunately it's actual. I've probably written too a great deal. I suppose closest to God once I write.
Matt TullyThat's what i used to be going to ask you: What's behind that prolific output? without doubt it should be something that you simply like to do.
Joel BeekeI love God's certainty. I guess i'm a weirdo as a result of I may study from eight within the morning until hour of darkness and simply love every minute of it. I just love working with biblical actuality, but additionally after I write I think closest to God. however i would not be published, i would write. i have been writing given that i was a teenager. God transformed me and referred to as me to ministry when i used to be fifteen-years-historical, and i in fact felt a call to be a author on the identical time. it's challenging to clarify, but it became an impressive, compelling call not best woe unto me if I do not preach the gospel however also woe unto me if I do not write the gospel.
Matt TullyLet's shift gears and talk about one of these doctrines that you simply spent loads of time on on your most recent publication. regularly when we talk concerning the gospel we tend to emphasize Christ's atoning work—his atoning death for sinners. every so often we even probably forget about the resurrection. i know it is been a critique that many have had of contemporary evangelicalism. but even if we do highlight the resurrection, in my event evangelical Christians regularly will stop there—Christ died for our sins, he become raised for our justification, after which it truly is the end of the story when it involves his work for us. but there is greater to the story, right?
Joel BeekeThat's appropriate! I think that Christ's intercession has gotten short shrift no longer only from preachers within the pulpit however also from writers and, subsequently, within the event of the individual believer. I've met few of God's little ones who basically treasure this doctrine the manner they may still.
Matt TullyIf you needed to boil down this doctrine—Christ's intercession—into basic language for a new Christian, how would you clarify what it's really all about?
Joel BeekeI would put it this way: Jesus died for you in order that you could be saved; but now he is in heaven interceding for you—praying for you—moment through second that you simply reside saved. devoid of his intercessions you can't preserve what he is given you because you would sin it away again. So the intercession of Christ is fully essential. From moment to second, as Hebrews 7:25 says, he's ever living to make intercession for you. suppose about that like a clock ticking: tick, tick, tick—he is praying for you, he is praying for you, he's praying for you. He has the limitless potential—and here's what most people do not understand because they believe of Jesus as a mere man—to hope for all of his hundreds of thousands of people corporately at once; but on the same to wish for each and every one in my opinion. it is beyond our comprehension, but Romans 8:34 (if he intercedes for us, who may also be towards us?) validates that for us, in addition to Hebrews 7:25 . if you combine the a considerable number of texts in the Bible about the intercession of Jesus and also you truly start to recognise that every single second he is praying for you and his prayers are all the time effective. The upkeep of your salvation is interwoven—it dovetails—with Christ's intercession for us.
Matt TullyWould you say that's the core of it—the thought that Jesus is praying for us always?
Joel BeekeI would say it's the core of it. mixed with it, although, is this complete idea of advocateship that Paul speaks of. he is heaven's attorney; he pleads our case. So, linked with intercession is advocateship. i love to look at advocateship this fashion: as a Christian, we've two advocates. we've one in heaven named Jesus who's pleading our case, and we've one on this planet who's in our heart—the Holy Spirit—who's our inside recommend in which we groan with groanings that are unutterable—Paul says in Romans eight:26—returned to God, our petitions and our cries. John Bunyan put it this fashion: Christ as intercessor, which is what he is doing the entire time for us, is sitting at his Father's appropriate hand and interceding for us. When he exercises his advocateship, Bunyan says, it be as if he stands up and pleads our case and helps us in instances of big need.
Matt TullyHelp us take into account a bit bit greater why here's so vital. I believe usually the manner that we believe about salvation and Christ's work for us, and honestly the manner it's often taught and preached, is there's such an emphasis on Christ's once-for-all useful death and resurrection. He did something in background, and that became efficacious—that did it; it sealed the deal. So I suppose hearing someone talk, like you are, in regards to the want for Christ to consistently characterize us earlier than the father, it feels like you might be suggesting that might be Christ's work on the cross in heritage someway wasn't sufficient to retailer us perpetually. assist us understand that dynamic.
Joel BeekeThat's an outstanding query. I believe a part of the problem is that now we have disregarded sufficiently stressing the inward life of sanctification. we have now gotten down pat, as it were, the doctrine of justification, which is remarkable. without the Protestant doctrine of justification, there may be in reality no bound salvation. i may compare it this way: the day you married your wife, you signed the papers. You are actually legally in a state of marriage. however that does not imply that from then on that you would be able to say, Oh well, my expensive wife. i am married to you; you cannot trade that now. I can't trade that, so i can just are living some thing way I are looking to are living. No! you have got obtained to figure out that marriage each day, with all of its u.s.a.and downs, all of its challenges, all of its understandings and misunderstandings, and also you've obtained to grow in that relationship. So it is in our relationship with Jesus. it be one issue to become a Christian; it's a different component to remain a Christian and retain transforming into as a Christian. it is important. And so, Christ's intercession from heaven and the accompanying groaning work of the Spirit in our soul—here is the experiential reality of the Christian life of growing in sanctification. after I preach about the intercession of Christ, what i like to claim is this: this is a doctrine that resonates with the deepest inward event of a believer. if you may supply me just a couple of minutes to advance this, I suppose it's critical. i will stand in the pulpit and say, You know, friends, this doctrine of intercession is very essential since it potential Jesus is praying for us all of the time, and that is the reason an attractive issue. Our salvation is cozy in him; he will keep us. that would be splendid—nothing wrong with that, and that's the reason real. but this is very distinct than announcing anything like this: My expensive chum, if you a re a believer, you comprehend what or not it's like to in reality come into non secular distress and sometimes possibly to be so overwhelmed with anguish—inside or external—that possibly you suppose, 'I cannot even pray anymore!' You come to the wit's end of your own prayers. but if you understand at that second that Jesus continues to be praying for you and you simply cry out to him, 'Oh Lord! Please intercede for me as I cannot seem to do it, but i do know your prayers are all the time helpful!' and you forged yourself upon the intercession of Christ and you be aware he's at all times residing to intercede for you and he'll help you, even when the water seems to come back up to your lips or over your head, you're going to now not drown; you should not burned within the fireplace; you're going to come forth devoid of your hair even being singed as a result of he ever lives to make intercession for you! praise be to God for this incredible protecting grace of Jesus from the righ t hand of the daddy! You see? That resonates with the experiential struggles of the believer. My dad used to claim to me—i used to be 9-years-historic when he first stated this to me: You comprehend what the change between a believer and an unbeliever is? I at all times talked about no as a result of I always received the wrong answer.
Matt TullyYou recognize there's whatever coming.
Joel BeekeRight. He talked about, A believer at all times has a place to move—to a Savior who is all the time remembering him. that is so tremendously comforting for a believer. here is how I grow in sanctification: not with the aid of relying on my very own efforts, but realizing that Jesus is remembering me; and out of gratitude to live to his glory. I don't are looking to injure in any manner via my abominable sin this superb Savior who not simplest died for me however is now dwelling for me. And so, if he died for me and he lives for me, why can't I at the least reside for him and die to sin?
Matt TullyDo you ever feel that might be the imbalance is when individuals no longer so a good deal overemphasize one factor but underemphasize the entire other issues?
Joel BeekeYes.
Matt TullyThere's a really powerful ancient testament historical past to the idea that Christ continues to intercede for his americans as our priest. might you difficult on that a bit bit?
Joel BeekeI feel there are typological points within the old testament which are pointing to Christ's intercession, and i feel there are some extra direct facets. definitely Moses, the manner that he interceded for Israel at times. God says to Moses, i am going to divorce myself from the individuals of Israel, and i will simply retain you, Moses, and that i'll make you an outstanding nation. it truly is reasonably tempting for the corrupt human coronary heart, but Moses says, Oh no, Lord! here is your individuals and your name is linked with this americans. Have mercy upon them! Then Moses in fact comes to the element where he would somewhat be blotted out than have the nation blotted out, so he has this true love for the individuals of God. All of that, you see, is he's a sort of Jesus. Jesus pleads with his Father, in response to his personal deserves, bring this sinner from going down into the pit, for i'm his ransom. after which, of path, you have the entire Aaronic priesthood which is pointing to Jesus's priesthood, the priesthood of Melchizedek, the golden altar of incense which symbolizes prayer, the brazen altar representing justification, after which coming in and offering up a prayer—the 2d essential work of a priest—by the golden altar, sprinkling it with incense and the cloud going up—or not it's all a logo of Christ's intercession. The concept of the Angel of the Lord interceding for the people of God in the ancient testomony. The covenant facets to Jesus as well. and then, of course, spilling over into the starting of the brand new testament, you have examples of Jesus praying for others while he is nonetheless in the state of humiliation. I believe of his prayer for Peter: "satan demanded to have you ever . . . but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail" (Luke 22:32). it's a prestaging of the intercessory work of Christ to come back.
Matt TullyIf this doctrine is so present all over both the historic and New Testaments and in church background—you mentioned that the Puritans and the Reformers talked about this commonly and didn't disconnect it from the doctrine of justification—if it's such an encouraging and edifying to meditate on, why do you feel it's that the evangelical church nowadays has often so ignored it?
Joel BeekeI would say that goes again even to the Reformation. I do not consider that the Reformed church even gave it as a good deal attention as it deserves. might be one reason is that Reformers are coming out of the Roman Catholic system, and also you've got so tons speak concerning the intercession of Mary, the intercession of the saints, and how man contributes to his own salvation. So the Reformers are definitely laser beamed on getting right the doctrine of justification by means of religion on my own. The Puritans did greater than the Reformers in establishing the doctrine of sanctification. no longer that they introduced new things, however just emphasised it more. They emphasised intercession a bit extra. One notable illustration of that, incidentally, is Anthony Burges. he's one of my favourite Puritans. He wrote 145 sermons—1,200 pages—on John 17, which is Christ's high priestly prayer where he talks so tons about intercession. by the way, we've just edited and re typed it all from the common transcript. It went through many, many editing ranges and that i had the privilege of being the remaining editor. now we have obtained it at the printer presently—a two-extent work—and it'll be coming out in about three weeks. Anyway, Burges's work on Christ's intercession is, even among the many Puritans youngsters, a fairly first-rate exception. I tell my students in my Reformation church background classification that from the Reformation, even into these days, I feel the most disregarded doctrine in the Reformed religion is the intercession of Christ. I preach on it quite a bit of, and i suppose one reason I do is because I believe the poverty of my own prayers. i need a person who prays a great deal improved than I pray for myself, and that adult is Jesus. I simply get so tons out of the intercession of Christ experientially for my very own soul that I feel i am on a form of campaign to try to get God's americans to see greater in this doctrine. The greater you see in it I consider the happier you're as a Christian, the greater at ease you are as a Christian, and the greater profound appreciation you will have for Jesus in his state of exaltation and not just in his state of humiliation. To me it truly is a massive transition within the non secular life of a believer—to truly come to treasure him within the state of exaltation. One Puritan—Thomas Goodwin—I need to mention him as a result of he did anything amazing. He wrote a little ebook titled something like this, Christ's desirable heart in Heaven towards His Saints on the earth. What he is asserting in that booklet is that on account of the intercession of Christ and because of his ministry at the Father's appropriate hand, we even have Christ even improved these days than the disciples and apostles had when he become walking on earth. He argues that from a couple of methods. He argues, first of all, that once he become on this planet Christ might only be in one vicinity at a time in his human nature. but now in heaven, via his Spirit poured out in us, he is latest in every single place. So, he says we now have extra access to Christ when he is in heaven than the apostles even had with him on the planet. besides all of that, from heaven he no longer has his personal pains and infirmities that he struggled with in the world (youngsters he did it sinlessly, it became nonetheless a combat for him). Now he is so full in his resurrection power and his exaltation that the least whisper, Goodwin says, the least whisper of the smallest cry of one of his little ones—he has his ear tuned at his Father's right hand to listen to him and to deliver his worthless name and whisper it in the ear of the Lord of Saboath. He just paints this photo of Christ at the right hand of the daddy simply ministering to his church by way of his Spirit, by way of his preached observe, and the servants he sends out. This ministry of Christ in heaven, which is concentrat ed on his intercession, is richer than anything the church has ever regularly occurring. So it's what I consider needs to be developed more.
Matt TullyAs you suppose about your personal journey with God and Jesus and your personal meditation on his intercessory work, do you believe like this is greater than him being right here? I feel now and again we've all heard whatever like that. Jesus even talked about, i am sending a counselor to be with you and or not it's better that I leave so i will send him (John sixteen:7). I think we have now all likely skilled a little little bit of, Yeah, but i might truly love in case you could in fact be right here with me.
Joel BeekeOf course! We're human and it's the fleshly aspect of us that wishes to be in his presence in a physical method. like every believers, I lengthy for the day when i will be able to see him head to head and no greater through a pitcher darkly. I feel that's okay, but I think you might be onto whatever thing, Matt, for those who discuss Jesus himself saying to us, or not it's better for you that i am going away. He knows our strengths and weaknesses and he knows that a few of his americans want that guideline. that is what Mary essential: "touch me no longer" (John 20:17). however the other women he allowed them to grasp his ft. So he carves out for our specific wants—our strengths and weaknesses—his own guidance for us. however I suppose overall you may certainly say, yes, of course i might like to be with Jesus physically, but I've acquired his note—the entire sixty-six books of the Bible, the library of the Holy Ghost because the Puritans known as it—and i've got him at the correct hand of the daddy. right here I reside via faith; there i will reside via faith and by way of sight. commonly we hear these days in Reformed circles, You won't need religion in heaven as a result of there you'll have sight. To me it is a bunch of nonsense because a heart of religion is believe, and that i will have faith him. however I may not need that one point of religion—trusting him whereas I can't see him. it really is true; but both will be reality. i will be able to have Christ in an excellent fuller method because I might be living bodily in his presence, however i'll even have the aspect of religion, hope, and love as I even have here on earth. however now, I see via a pitcher darkly.
Matt TullyLet's talk a bit bit about standard misconceptions about this doctrine. this is a doctrine that we have already dependent as a little bit foreign to many people. one which comes to mind instantly is that this doctrine can occasionally be spoken of in a way that makes it seem like God the Son, Jesus, has to continuously persuade God the father to forgive us, or to no longer pour out his wrath on us. he is form of continually holding the daddy again. What would you say to that?
Joel BeekeThat's a significant false impression because the Father is as willing to give his Son as the Son is willing to supply himself as the Spirit is willing to work in the hearts of all these whom the father has given to the Son. i like to put it this fashion: the Triune willingness is coequal and coeternal, like every thing else in the Godhead. don't forget that it changed into preeminently ascribed in Scripture to the daddy the plan of eternal redemption, to so love sinners and that he would give his simplest begotten Son. if you're a Father, you understand that when your baby is in amazing pain, once in a while you suppose that even deeper in many ways than the child does. To make the daddy someway greater unwilling or desiring to be persuaded is just so unbiblical.
Matt TullyWhat are some other misconceptions that you've got encountered when it comes to this doctrine?
Joel BeekeI think the leading false impression is that we just effectively fail to realize the perfections of this. We believe that somehow we should have excellent prayers or we need to have excellent sanctification. obviously we strive for perfection, but the beautiful aspect of here's that Jesus is superb in now not onlymeriting our justification and perfect in his character, however he's also best in this glorious holiness. The intercession of Christ is a holy intercession. it's a perpetual intercession. it be an authoritative intercession. or not it's a loyal intercession. it's a legal intercession. it's a private intercession. it be a particular intercession. it's an entire intercession. it's a compassionate intercession. it's all of that completely. I feel the biggest misconception is not to hold close the fulsomeness of it all. As complete as we see Jesus's justification via his demise and being, and as complete as we see his resurrection guaranteeing our blessed resurrect ion, so finished we should see his intercession—that he will preserve us and bring us into the daddy's presence, and will now not leisure unless he can say, here am I, Father, and all these whom Thou hast given me. There may not be one empty chair in heaven, as some of the Puritans put it. His work might be finished. His intercession might be totally effective. So compliment God for the intercession of Jesus!
Matt TullyWhat a gorgeous photo that's. i needed to examine this amazing quote that you just include on your publication, after which ask a question. Robert Murray M'Cheyne (he lived in the early 1800s) wrote: "I need to analyze Christ as an intercessor. . . . If I might hear Christ praying for me within the next room, i might now not fear 1,000,000 of enemies. Yet the distance makes no change; he is praying for me." I just found that marvelous—at any place we're all sitting presently, Christ is literally in the subsequent room praying for us. so as a ultimate question, are you able to share personally in regards to the difference that this doctrine has made to your life? You shared that it be your ambition to train this as widely as that you could, but how has this impacted your lifestyles?
Joel BeekeYou're going to make me cry now. It has impacted me in a mega way. I won't go into details right here, however i've been through some fairly heavy trials in my life and also within the Christian church. with out the intercession of Christ, I do not know the place i might be today. That reality that M'Cheyne is speaking about has turn into very actual for me. it be now not popular, and that i desire it were extra actual, but there had been instances in my life—and more than just a few—the place i've been simply crawling on the floor. Thirty-seven years ago at my 2nd church I had shag carpeting. Do you bear in mind these ancient shag carpets? i would be pulling at these shag carpets just crying out to God for mercy, simply determined for his support. however in those instances I've skilled that I could entirely accept as true with that Jesus is praying for me. after I got here to my wits end and will barely say the word Lord and will barely form any coherent content ma terial to my prayers, i might just call out, Lord! Lord! He become taking the intent of my coronary heart and turning these into understandable prayers in the ears of the Lord, his Father. I felt reinforced at such instances. Samuel Rutherford put it this fashion, "greater let thy prayers be devoid of words than thy phrases devoid of coronary heart." I wish I knew more of that too, but I do understand some thing of those groanings inside that the Spirit indicts. every now and then they arrive out as words, from time to time they just come out in sighs and groans. but in the back of it all stands our precious Redeemer interceding for us. or not it's like Bunyan put within the Pilgrim's growth. there is a beautiful picture where satan is making an attempt to put out the fires of grace in the Pilgrim, however there is Christ standing on the different aspect of the wall pouring oil onto the fireplace and preserving it all alive. Matt, if it weren't for the intercessions of Christ, i mig ht have given up a few times in my lifestyles. i'd have left the ministry. I believe i might have deserted every thing. but figuring out he is praying for me, realizing he's pouring that oil on there, knowing he is retaining alive the flames of hope and faith and love, that he is retaining me in the hands of his hands in order that he'll not ever let me go, that he's there on the correct hand of the father always, all the time, at all times holding and interceding for me—here is my lifestyles. this is my life.
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