Friday, November 08, 2013

Let's Draw Near to the Most Holy Apartment

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
In order to understand the sanctuary service, two New Testament books about it must have their say: Hebrews and Revelation. The theme of Hebrews is "perfection of character," to become like Jesus. It's not "perfectionism," the heresy of flesh-perfection; no. But it is the clear message of overcoming self and temptation "even as [Christ] overcame." It will produce real flesh and blood people, sinners by nature, who appreciate how Christ "condemned sin" in "the likeness of [our] flesh" (see Rom. 8:3).
Romans does not mention the sanctuary; but the idea of learning to say "No!" to temptation is there (Rom. 8:3, 4, etc.; it's also in Titus 2:12, see NIV). Hebrews says, let's leave our baby-talk, get out of the cradle roll, and "leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection" (6:1). Christ as High Priest is "able to save perfectly those who come unto God by Him" (7:25). And the new covenant completely supersedes the old (8:6-13).
The "conscience" of those who believe in Jesus is to be "purged," a deep work never before fully accomplished until the grand Day of Atonement (9:14, 22, 23, 26). Let's draw near to the Most Holy Apartment, "our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" (10:22). All who have died in the past must wait until "God [provides] some better thing for us" (11:40), which is that "the God of peace ... [will] make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you" (13:20, 21).
And Revelation completes the picture of what happens when the door into the Most Holy Apartment is flung open (11:19). A great work is done by heavenly agencies never previously accomplished: a "body" of people learn to "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth," stand on Mount Zion singing "a new song" that no one else in history could learn--a people "in [whose] mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God" (14:3-5). Thus Christ can complete His work as High Priest and return as "King of kings and Lord of lords." Let's cooperate with Him!
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: August 28, 2001.
Copyright © 2012 by "Dial Daily Bread."

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