The Golden Chain - Robert J. Wieland
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the Ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, picking<br />
up the pieces after we fall, promising us a pie-inthe-sky<br />
salvation after we die or after we are<br />
translated. His High Priestly ministry consists of<br />
forgiving us continually after we continually sin—<br />
which is wonderful indeed. But Hebrews says He<br />
can and must do more than that!<br />
In fact, the bottom-of-the-cliff ambulance is the<br />
Roman Catholic view of Christ's (and Mary's!)<br />
"intercession." Only after we get rid of this sinful<br />
flesh and enter into a fleshless realm known as<br />
Purgatory will it be possible for selfish, sensual sin<br />
to be "purged" from us. And the conclusion is that<br />
if Christ had truly "taken" upon Himself "the<br />
likeness of [our] sinful flesh" with our hot blood,<br />
then He too would either have been forced to give<br />
in or be "exempt" from our temptations. In other<br />
words, Satan wins the controversy— he has<br />
invented something that even Christ could not have<br />
"overcome" if He had taken our fallen nature and<br />
been tempted as we are.<br />
What kind of triumph would it be to declare<br />
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