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I. THE NATURE OF CHRIST'S INTERCESSION, or the manner in which it is performed.

1. The intercession of Christ, in His state of exaltation, consists in His personal appearance in heaven before God. It is from Him that blessings are to be obtained; and, as the advocate requires to come into the presence of the judge by whom the law is to be administered, and the case of his client determined, so it is a part of the Divine constitution, in the scheme of redemption, that the representative or advocate of sinners should not stand afar off, but come into the immediate presence of the Eternal.

2. But the intercession of Christ consists not in a simple appearance before God in His human nature, but in His official presentation of Himself as the sacrifice offered for sinners. His sufferings alone could give Him a title to become an intercessor; and when He appeared in heaven as such, He behoved to come with His proofs and credentials of His previous qualification for the office, by "suffering unto death." As the high priest entered with the blood obtained from the previous sacrifice, so Christ entered heaven with the blood of His sacrifice. It was known in the heaven above that His work was completed, and His very resurrection was a proof of it.

3. But besides this there seems farther to be included in Christ's work of intercession, the audible expression of His desires in behalf of His people. This is the case in the several examples recorded of His intercessions on earth.

II. THE PERSONS FOR WHOM CHRIST INTERCEDES.

III. THE SUBJECTS TO WHICH CHRIST'S INTERCESSION REFERS, or the things for which He intercedes in behalf of His people.

1. Christ intercedes for those whom God has given Him, that they may be made His actually by believing on His name.

2. Christ intercedes for the preservation of His people from evil, and for their progressive advancement in holiness. The Saviour, who knows a world's temptations, is busy within the veil, and, as in the days of His flesh, is His prayer ascending — "Holy Father, keep those whom Thou hast given Me from the evil that is in the world."

3. Christ, by His intercession, obtains the pardon of the sins which believers daily commit, and thus averts the wrath of God, and maintains their peace with heaven. "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins." What a source of consolation does this open up to the frail, the offending Christian!

4. Christ intercedes for His people that they may be brought to heaven, to enjoy His blessedness, and to see His glory.

(J. Clason.)

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KJV: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

WEB: Who could bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who justifies.