“(Christ)…with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:12
When the Apostle James wrote to believers who were disbursed abroad, scattered over the then known world, and many of these in the midst of “various trials,” he addressed the essential issues which needed to be embraced in order to draw near to God, with the certainty of the promise, “…and He will draw near to you.” (4:8) The message of God to all of these believers through the Apostle James was one of practically living the Christian life, knowing Christ increasingly, the testimony of His Life in them being revealed wherever God had sent them. Jame’s objective was to put in the hands of these believers, so different in their calling, gifts, and circumstances, the keys by which God would meet them, and work through them. In doing this James would begin addressing these matters by speaking of joy, and how essential that joy was to all else. The perspective James would give would be that of heaven, along with heaven’s provision. And so, he begins: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (1:2,3) Why would James begin with such a perspective in the face of trial and suffering? It is because that with God, there is always a higher objective and purpose which God has in allowing difficult and trying circumstances which may not be understood. Faith rejoices in the Lord Jesus, delights in Him, knowing that nothing comes to the one who belongs to Him, but that the Lord knows of it, and allows it, so that in it the believer can meet Him afresh, anew.
What makes such an attitude of joy possible? It is first and foremost the certainty of access to God, to Christ. It is also based on the certainty of being able to draw near to God in the difficulty, with the Lord drawing near to the believer. In other words, the difficulty or trial, is God’s opportunity given to the believer to know Him, prove Him, and discover ever increasingly that He is God, a very present help in time of trouble, but also, one’s Life, Light, and Love. To face the trial, rejoicing in the Lord, is to express the faith that, “…all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) In the trial, Christ is waiting to be sought, known, and proven to be all that He has declared He would be. The trial is God’s open door that He gives to the believer to receive from Him all that is needful, in order to testify to the world of God’s faithfulness and love.
But where does the assurance come from concerning being able to draw near to God, knowing that He will draw near to the believer? The assurance comes when we see the glorified Christ, taking His own precious blood into the holiest of all, into the heavenly temple of God, there to present it to the Father in behalf of every believer. This He did once for all, never to be repeated or improved upon. Christ’s perfect sacrifice, obtaining for every believer an “eternal redemption,” is now and forever presented to God the Father by the Son who has become forever the High Priest of God, the Mediator between God and Man, and the perfect Intercessor for the redeemed soul. From the moment of the new birth of the believer, Christ never ceases to BE our Security, constantly interceding for us, having presented for us His precious blood, that which makes us acceptable at every moment to the Father.
James the Apostle writes to the scattered believers in every place at that time concerning drawing near to God so that they would do so and prove the blessedness of Christ drawing near. Christ waits to be sought, and found, by those who will seek Him with clean hands and pure hearts, by faith.
Dear Father, Draw near to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.