If you have known Christ the Lord, you ought to have known the kind of ministry He holds. It is a ministry characterized by the will, purpose and power of the God almighty. God who decided to give even more grace to mankind has appointed Christ with a ministry that has greater reach and success. For Christ to fulfill His vision He prepared all things for Him besides preparing Him for the work He would appoint to Him. His work is not like anything any man has ever done on this earth. It comprises of far more love, grace and access to God than man has ever known. It makes matters easy for man to live with God. God in His infinite wisdom gave him the provision to dwell with Him, because of the work Christ performs. For this reason, it is said, “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises” (Heb. 8:6).
His ministry was not like that of the Old Covenant. If it were so, many of us would not have survived this long. Furthermore, those who are alive would be living according to the flesh offering sacrifices for the sins committed in the flesh. This would mean we do not have a perfect conscience. But when God prepared Him to offer Himself in the place of animals for our sins, He obtained a different ministry. God Himself changed His mind toward men who live in the flesh. So, by preparing a better covenant built on better promises He gave Christ a more excellent ministry. (He needed Christ to deliver a better covenant). By these two, men who believe in Jesus survive their journey on earth. No longer did God impute a covenant of the flesh, but in the covenant of His Son began to fulfill His desire. So, grace has been even more readily made available to all who seek Him. The fact that Christ is the mediator of a better covenant means He deals with those who claim Him by the principles existing in it.
To this truth many churches must arrive taking advantage of the time God provided them; for they are apart from Christ. Any man or church operating on their own understanding is without the Mediator. For the Mediator ministers only when the covenant of God is accentuated. He is given to men to obtain God. Those who come to God by His work no longer looks to another or has the need to do so, since God puts His laws on their minds and writes them on their hearts. Then, He works on the covenant of God in them for eternal results. Hence, His ministry is more excellent. Through it God keeps His better promises. It is described by the following: “In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength” (Rev. 1:16).
Christians must alike come to grasps concerning His ministry. The fact that He was seen as holding seven stars is a sign to the kind of work He, who lives forever, continues to perform. We know the stars are the angels, who minister the believing. The appearing of a sharp two-edged sword from His mouth is His word with which He teaches, justifies, judges and blesses people that claim Him. His face shining like the sun in its strength shows the kind of power He holds. He reveals to His people beginning from the will of God to the things pertaining to life. Unless and until the churches allow Christ to perform His ministry toward them, God does not bring upon them His better promises. The reason is simple. In the times past He did not find the opportunity to give them to men while the covenant of the flesh (Law) was still standing. Even so will be the case with the churches that rely on their own understanding. But belief in Christ’s ministry avails them His promises, since He now has the opportunity to be merciful to their iniquities and forget their sins. For the Spirit made Paul say, “yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him” (1 Cor. 8:6).
See, the covenant and everything caused by it are from God, but they are all because of the presence of the Mediator. Salvation is by Christ, but not without the better promises of God. When Christians aim is to exist for God through Christ, they fear depending on their own understanding. For they realize it leads to the loss of God’s laws in them. And everything pertaining to God and godliness is misinterpreted, mismanaged and mistreated. But when all things are from God by Christ, we have only one objective. It is to live for God through Christ, i.e. our whole attitude is to be filled by them. Whether to possess the heavenly things or the earthly, our mind must submit to God. Then, we permit Christ to perform His ministry toward us. In it there is unending grace and mercy, since it is based on the promises that never fail.
God is willing to deal with men more kindly than He did with His Israel. He is willing to offer greater mercy and take them in, if they are willing to turn to Him. Hence, He even appointed Christ with a more excellent ministry. And, God is granting time to the churches to forsake their own understanding and come to His knowledge. Therefore, you have been called to obey Christ and serve Him truthfully. You will see the purpose of existing for Him through Christ. “And they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas already’” (Luke 19:25). To the one who obeys Him, more will be given him. And God has given you the Christ that serves you. This knowledge many preachers of the gospel in specific and Christians in general do not realize. But, you utilize Him according to your faith which is found on the laws of God and revel in Him. God appointed to you His will, so fulfill it under the ministry of Christ. He trusts you to give Him glory in any circumstances. This is the greatest credit to you and it yields praise both from God and from men. So, remember this everlasting covenant as you serve Him. “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here’” (Zech. 3:7).
His ways are in His laws and they are written on your heart through the work of Christ. The consequence is beyond greatness. He places you in places of honor. By honoring you He reminds people the service you do for Him and them. You provide justice and righteousness to people in the Spirit of Christ. You will move in and out freely among the men that God gives you. This, God will make it happen, since He has made you clean by His covenant. Many having not realized this do not regard the covenant God is willing to make with them; they miss His blessings. But God made Christ the mediator of the New Covenant that you have regard for His covenant. Where His covenant exists there is more mercy to forgive iniquity and all the more reason for you to turn men to God. Do not ponder as to how God keeps His promise of blessing and honoring you. But know that if you have the Mediator of a better covenant to serve you, there is a more excellent ministry to make all things possible. “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).
When you believe what you have read, you know that to have Christ’s ministry as the provision from God is all you need. It will make sure that all things flow from God into you and to you. You have sought Christ and not any man. The Father will be pleased to provide you and to trust you with the things He gives you. His mercy will protect you at your shortcomings and in doing so, the covenant He made with you for His glory will not be broken. Believe that Jesus Christ has a more excellent ministry in His hands, a ministry that makes peace between you and God; a ministry that guides provides and makes you wise for His service. For this reason, this statement is true: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place” (2 Cor.2:14).