Do we need to go through some human intermediary, or hierarchy, to get to Almighty God? – No! Why not? We certainly do not want to in any way diminish the need of “meeting together” with those of like faith (Hebrews 10:24,25 NIV), nor do we want to downplay the importance of Christlike spiritual leadership (Hebrews 13:7,17). However, we need to keep in mind that “there is only one God, and there is only one mediator between humanity . . . Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy 2:5 NJB). He is “the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through” him (John 14:6 NIV).

What are some of these that are described as: “when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here”? (Hebrews 9:11). Well, for starters, “we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God,” who can “empathize with our weaknesses . . . so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV). Now “we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and living way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him”(Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT). Wow, think about that! . . .  Right into the presence of God himself, the most important and powerful person in existence, via prayer! “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Romans 5:1,2 NIV). We have guaranteed “access by faith” to Almighty God himself “through our Lord Jesus Christ”!