From Hebrews: Christ, Our Good Samaritan and High Priest
Orientation
The false assumption is that our standing before God depends on our own performance or religious striving.
- Christ is our active High Priest, not a distant observer.
- He cleanses us from an evil conscience, removing all condemnation.
- Our place is in the holy of holies, secured by His finished work.
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)
— Hebrews 10:22
Clarification
Presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice is an act of worship rooted in mercy, not a call to self-improvement or proving devotion.
- The altar is Christ's operating table for healing, not a place of destruction.
- Our reasonable service is to be placed where He can minister to us.
- This act is based on the mercy already received, not offered to earn merit.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)
— Romans 12:1
Structure
Biblical logic reveals Christ as both our cleansing High Priest and our healing Good Samaritan, ministering to us in our union with Him.
- The High Priest cleanses to give full assurance of faith for drawing near.
- The Good Samaritan heals and satisfies on the altar, which is the inn for ongoing care.
- Union with Christ in this ministry leads to His manifestation in the believer.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
— Galatians 2:20
Weight-Bearing Prose
The core assertion is that sanctification is Christ’s personal, effectual ministry to the believer. He acts as High Priest to cleanse (Hebrews 10:22) and as the Good Samaritan to heal and satisfy (Luke 10:33-34). This dismantles any system of performance. Pauline categories are definitive: our justification places us where no condemnation exists (Romans 8:1), and our presentation as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) is the logical response of worship from that justified position. The transformation by mind renewal (Romans 12:2) is not conformity to external law but the inward discernment of God’s will that flows from resting in Christ’s ministry. Any teaching that shifts focus from His ministry to our performance forfeits the assurance, rest, and true manifestation of Christ that is only possible through union with Him.
Integration
Your confidence rests entirely on Christ’s ministry, not your own. He is the one who cleanses, heals, and satisfies. There is no pressure to advance or perform. You are accepted in the Beloved, standing in the holy of holies with full assurance. This is your permanent resting place. Christ as your High Priest and Good Samaritan is your sanctification. His work is complete and ongoing. Let this truth re-anchor you. Your part is simply to be where He ministers—on the altar, in the inn—receiving from Him. In this union, He is manifested. This is the stable, grounding reality of the Christian life.