Immanuel Church members gathered for Wednesday service on November 29, continuing in the study of the book of Hebrews. The main passage was in Hebrews 7:1-25, speaking of Christ who saves completely because he is our High Priest forever, interceding for us and working in us continually with the power of eternal life if we draw near him.

The author of Hebrews returns to Melchizedek speaking of him as greater than Abraham, Aaron and the law, as the type of Christ, the King of righteousness and peace. The point of the whole passage is in verse 25 – to see in the greatness of Melchizedek the foreshadowing of the greatness of Christ, to know him as Christ who not only bears our sins and removes the guilt so we can receive forgiveness and acceptance from the Father, but as one in whom there is power of life that overcomes the death and nature of sin completely.

The law was external, it could command but couldn’t produce in us what it required, it could restrain but couldn’t inspire. The law was carnal and so was the priesthood of Aaron who had to give sacrifice for the sins over and over again. And so even though the law is good and holy, it could not bring us to perfection (vs 11), it could only prove the need of righteousness in our life and at the same time our helplessness to attain it. Therefore a new law and a new priest was needed and was promised, one that can save completely, one that has the power to write the law of righteousness on our hearts, that could change our own nature and save us from the power of sin by the power of eternal life.