Christ is not a distant observer, nor a passive figure waiting for your initiative. He is our High Priest, actively ministering to us, cleansing us, and bringing us into the very presence of God. This is not mere doctrine—it is the foundation of our assurance, our transformation, and our ability to manifest Christ Himself. If you miss this, you lose not only comfort, but the very ground of your standing before God.
The High Priest Who Cleanses—Not You, But Him
Jesus Christ, as our High Priest, takes it upon Himself to wash us—thoroughly and personally. He girds Himself and puts our feet in the water. This is not a metaphor for your efforts at self-improvement or your attempts to maintain your own standing. It is His 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)
Here is the unyielding truth: You are not under condemnation. You are not standing before God on probation, waiting to see if you will measure up. You are in the holy of holies, where nothing is expected of you but to rest in Christ’s finished work. To suggest otherwise is to undermine the very justification purchased by His blood.
The Living Sacrifice—Placed on the Altar for Healing, Not Performance
What does it mean to present yourself as a living sacrifice? It is not an invitation to religious striving or self-offering as a display of piety. Paul’s command—“present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1)—is rooted in mercy, not merit. You are dead to self-effort. You offer yourself to God, not to prove your devotion, but to be placed on the altar—His operating table.
This altar is not a place of destruction, but of restoration. Here, Christ, the Physician, works gently and thoroughly. He is not interested in outward spectacle or religious drama. He is interested in healing and satisfying you within. He ministers living water, oil, and wine—He is the Good Samaritan who finds you beaten and helpless, and brings you to the “inn” for ongoing care. Your strength is not in yourself, but in Him. This is the only way Christ is manifested in you.
The Good Samaritan—No Condemnation, Only Care
Do not miss the force of this: Christ’s ministry is not a one-time rescue, but a continual, personal care. He does not leave you on the roadside with instructions to “do better.” He brings you into the inn, where He Himself pays for your ongoing healing and satisfaction. If you abandon this truth for any system that puts the burden back on you, you forfeit the rest, the healing, and the manifestation of Christ that only His ministry can produce.
Transformation—By His Renewing, Not Your Conformity
“Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2) This transformation is not the result of your striving, but of Christ’s inward work as you rest on His altar. The world’s pattern is self-effort, self-improvement, and endless striving. God’s pattern is Christ as your High Priest, Physician, and Good Samaritan—cleansing, healing, and satisfying you so that you are renewed from within.
What Is Lost If You Miss This?
If you accept any teaching that shifts the focus from Christ’s ministry to your own performance, you lose everything: the assurance of no condemnation, the boldness to enter the holy of holies, the true rest that comes from being accepted in the Beloved, and the very possibility of Christ being manifested in you. You are left with a hollow religion that cannot heal, cannot satisfy, and cannot transform.
The Only Ground for Confidence
The reality of sanctification is not found in your resolve, your discipline, or your religious zeal. It is found in Christ’s ongoing, personal, and effectual ministry to you. He alone cleanses the conscience, removes condemnation, heals the inward man, and brings forth His own life in you. This is not a secondary matter—it is the heart of the gospel and the only basis for true Christian living.
If you would know rest, healing, and the manifestation of Christ, you must come to Him as your High Priest and Good Samaritan. Present yourself—not to perform, but to be ministered to. This is your reasonable service. Anything less is a denial of the finished work and a forfeiture of your inheritance.
