CR News

Mount Sion (3)

The first glorious privilege of the New Testament church in Hebrews 12:22-24 is our coming to (spiritual) Mount Sion and Jerusalem (22), as we saw in the last News. The second blessing of the New Testament church and economy involves the angels: "But ye are come ... to an innumerable company of angels" (22). This is speaking of elect, godly angels, not Satan and his demons. This "innumerable company" of angels is far more than those at Mount Sinai. We come to them; we are not like the Old Testament church standing at the bottom of Mount Horeb quaking in our sandals! Coming to the angels is not prayer to them or through them. That would be idolatry. We and the angels worship Almighty God, as His creatures and servants.

Godly believers and angels in heaven and earth are united under the same Lord, namely Jesus Christ, as Paul teaches in Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1. Both saints and angels are animated by the same holy zeal; they in heaven, sinlessly and perfectly, and we on earth, weakly and imperfectly (but truly). Both groups are busy looking into gospel mysteries, for even the angels are so engaged (I Peter 1:12). Hebrews 1:14 teaches that the unfallen angels are ministering spirits who serve our salvation.

Our third glorious privilege in the New Testament economy is that of membership in the one true church of all the elect of all ages: "To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven" (12:23). The "general assembly" carries the idea of pilgrimage feasts. New Testament believers do not, and will not, literally observe the feasts of Passover (and unleavened bread), Pentecost and Tabernacles in the earthly Jerusalem. We go on pilgrimage and assemble together before God as we pray, fellowship together and assemble in worship through Christ our mediator and by faith. Thus Zechariah 14:16-21 is not teaching that, in days future to us, all believers will go up to Jerusalem annually to sojourn in booths made of branches of trees and to listen to the jingling of horses’ bells. Christ and His New Testament economy is the fulfilment of the Old Testament types and shadows (Belgic Confession 25). We are called the "church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven" (Heb. 12:23) because of our preeminence by grace alone, for we are united to Jesus Christ, the firstborn, who has the preeminence in all things (Col. 1:18), according to the decree and purpose of God.

The fourth glorious privilege recorded in Hebrews 12 is that we have access to the one true and living God: "and to God the Judge of all" (23). What a privilege to come to the Triune and glorious Jehovah, our only creator, governor and redeemer! But why is He here called "the Judge of all"? At Sinai, through His holy law, God judges Israel (and all the world) guilty. At Sion, God is our judge who justifies us, declaring us perfectly righteous in Jesus Christ by faith alone. Let us approach Him in thanksgiving and praise with awe and reverent boldness!

Fifth, we have fellowship with saints who are in the intermediate state, that is, believers who are dead as to their body but who now live and reign with Christ in heaven: "and to the spirits of just men made perfect" (23). This fellowship with glorified saints is not, as Eastern Orthodoxy would have it, through icons of the fathers. Contrary to Rome, we do not have fellowship with saints in purgatory (there is no such place) or with deceased saints as intercessors (they have no such function). We have communion with glorified saints because, like them, we are united to Jesus Christ our head through whom we receive the Holy Spirit as members of His body. Together we consciously worship and serve the Triune God as one great chorus and band of willing servants. This also opposes the heretical teaching of some Anabaptists who believe in soul sleep between death and the general resurrection.

The sixth and crowning privilege of the New Testament church and economy is that we come to Jesus Christ (and not merely Moses): "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel" (24). Considered in themselves, the Old Testament sacrifices could not forgive a single sin (10:1-4), but the cross of Christ purchased pardon for all the elect people of God in both Old and New Testament days (9:14-15), making Him "the mediator of the new [and better] covenant."

The "blood of sprinkling" does not indicate that all the blood that was formed in Christ’s human body during His 33 years on earth is now in His body in heaven (for one thing, His human body is not large enough for that) nor in some vat in heaven, as some fundamentalists reckon. The "blood of sprinkling" refers to the application of the blessed benefits of our Saviour’s redemption on the cross: justifying, sanctifying, cleansing and renewing us by His Holy Spirit.

Abel’s blood, wickedly shed by Cain, cried out to God for punishment (Gen. 4:10). Christ’s blood speaks of the better things of the new covenant: our ransom and reconciliation, our adoption and acceptance with God, and our covenant fellowship and heavenly inheritance.

Do you see the glory that is yours, believer? By a living faith, you are come to the everlasting church and city of God, the unfallen angels, the saints in heaven, the justifying Jehovah and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! So what are you going to do? Go back? Back to a Christless Judaism or the godless world or the purposelessness of evolutionism or some pagan religion or your old life of sin? No! Persevere in holiness, continue with Jesus Christ and His spiritual kingdom! Don’t merely stay in the faith by the skin of your teeth! Press on gladly and enthusiastically, grateful for rich salvation in Christ! With all your heart and with your family serve the Lord Jesus and His church. Don’t go back, keep going forward to Mount Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem!

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Additional Info

  • Volume: 13
  • Issue: 7
Stewart, Angus

Rev. Angust Stewart (Wife: Mary)

Ordained - 2001

Pastorates: Covenant Protestant Reformed Church of Ballymena, Northern Ireland - 2001

Website: www.cprf.co.uk/

Contact Details

  • Address
    7 Lislunnan Road
  • City
    Ballymena
  • State or Province
    Co.Antrim
  • Zip Code
    BT42 3NR
  • Country
    Ireland
  • Telephone
    (01144) 28 25 891851
back to top

Contact Details

Denomination

  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Reading Sermon Library
  • Taped Sermon Library

Synodical Officers

  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Synodical Committees

  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Emeritus Committee
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Contact/Missions

  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Classical Officers

Classis East
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Classis West
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.