Have you sinned against the Lord?
From Thomas Watson’s “Body of Divinity”
Of comfort to believers. Christ is at work for you in heaven; he makes intercession for you. Oh! But I am afraid Christ does not intercede for me. I am a sinner; and for whom does Christ intercede? ‘He made intercession for the transgressors.’ Isa 53:12. Did Christ open his sides for thee, and will he not open his mouth to plead for thee? But I have offended my High Priest, by distrusting his blood, abusing his love, grieving his Spirit; and will he ever pray for me? Which of us may not say so? But, Christian, dost thou mourn for unbelief? Be not discouraged, thou mayest have a part in Christ’s prayer. ‘The congregation murmured against Aaron;’ but though they had sinned against their high priest, Aaron ran in with his censer, and ‘stood between the dead and the living.’ Numb 16:6I, 48. If so much bowels in Aaron, who was but a type of Christ, how much more bowels are in Christ, who will pray for them who have sinned against their High Priest! Did he not pray for them that crucified him, ‘Father, forgive them’? But I am unworthy; what am I, that Christ should intercede for me? The work of Christ’s intercession is a work of free grace. Christ’s praying for us is from his pitying us. He looks not at our worthiness, but our wants. But I am followed with sad temptations. But though Satan tempts, Christ prays, and Satan shall be vanquished. Thou mayest lose a single battle, but not the victory. Christ prays that thy faith fail not; therefore, Christian, say, ‘Why art thou cast down, O my soul?’ Christ intercedes. It is man that sins, it is God that prays. The Greek word for advocate signifies comforter. It is a sovereign comfort that Christ makes intercession.
