Jesus As Our Forerunner

“That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” CH 6:18-20.

Have you ever heard of Jesus as your forerunner? It is more likely that you have heard of Him as the One who has gone the way instead of you. But if Jesus is called “forerunner,” then there must be those who follow after, otherwise it would be a meaningless title. He consecrated the way for us so that we should follow Him; and, as we have previously read, the veil was His flesh.

We “have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” What is this hope that we have laid hold of? It is to be set free from sin in the body so that no more sin comes out of our body, but only the virtues of Christ, the fruits of the Spirit. If we have begun on this way, we shall not be put to shame, because Jesus, as the son of Man, has consecrated the way for us. The resurrection from the dead proves that He is within the veil. Therefore our hope is firmly anchored, and there is no doubt that it will succeed for those who believe and are upright.

Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” CH 4:15. (We could also say, “without failing,” or “without giving in.”) “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” CH 4:16. If He had sinned, if He had given in, if He had failed in the hour of temptation, then we could not have this boldness and this glorious hope that He can give us grace so that we do not give in and do not fail in temptation—in other words, that we overcome in everything. It is when we must suffer that we are tempted. That was how it was with Jesus too. “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” CH 2:18. This is the hope to which we have fled for refuge, sure and steadfast. Our forerunner is also a merciful High Priest who intercedes for us.

When we are tempted, we see the sin that dwells in our flesh, and this gives us an opportunity to put it to death. That is why James writes, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (many translations: temptations), “knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:2-3. Many people consider temptation to be the same as sinning; but if that were the case, how could James exhort us to rejoice? On the contrary, we who believe in victory win the crown of life in the trials [temptations], just as we read in James 1:12: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8. In 1 John 3:4-8 it is written: “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” This is to do what we know to be sin. In other words, we fall in temptation. “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” If, then, He is able to do His work in us, we stop committing sin. Further on it is written, “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” That is to say, everyone who abides in Him stops committing sin. They know Jesus, who is their merciful High Priest, who gives grace for victory in time of need.

“He who sins is of the devil.” To sin, or commit sin, is not the same as to fall in sin. We never “commit” a fall when we are running. To fall is to have an accident, but a person who commits sin remains in sin. He is of the devil. “My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 2:1-2. It is clear, however, that if a person does not have the mind to stop sinning, he cannot get comfort from the fact that Jesus is the propitiation for his sins. No, such a person is of the devil.

To have sin is not the same as to commit sin. John does not contradict himself. If I say that I do not have sin, that is the same as saying that I do not have a flesh with lusts and desires, that I cannot be tempted, that I have no will of my own to put to death. In that case I am a liar and the truth is not in me.

Many people say that we are tempted from without, thus putting the blame for their own evil on others. James, however, says: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” James 1:14. One has not sinned when one puts to death the desire which draws and entices. If, however, the desire conceives so that it captures and overcomes my mind, it gives birth to sin which, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Then the person tries to hide his fall. He does not come to the light so he can be cleansed, and sin ripens and brings forth death.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Rom. 8:1-2.

It is not written that Jesus came in a sinful flesh. No, it is written “...in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.” Rom. 8:3. Had Jesus lived according to the flesh, He would have had a “sinful” flesh. On the contrary, however, God gave Him light and condemned sin in the flesh. Jesus was faithful in the new covenant and sacrificed Himself in an eternal Spirit. This was the new death which destroyed the power of the devil. Therefore the sacrifice of animals for sin was no longer necessary. “He takes away the first that He may establish the second.” CH 10:9. “The second” was to do the will of God in His body. It was in that body that Jesus had His development, His education, and it was there that He became the forerunner, for us, who are to be “conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Rom. 8:29.