You Belong Here (2)

We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. There was not a specific way to be saved in the OT and then a completely different way to be saved in the NT times. That would make 2 pathways to God, and that would contradict what Christ said in John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Those who were saved in the OT were saved by looking forward to Christ. You and I are saved by looking back at Christ. Whether they looked forward, or we look back, there is only one way.

Now how they did it was this. The people of the OT who sought to place their faith in the Lord would sacrifice animals to Him that symbolized Christ. Thus placing their trust in Him by proxy of the sacrificed animals. You and I look back to Christ and place our trust in what He did for us in the cross and the empty grave. Two peoples, one Christ, one pathway to God. Acts 4:12 “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.””

John 1:29 “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

There is not other way but through Jesus, there was no other way except through Jesus, and there will never be another way but through Him alone.

So now that that is out in the open to remember, lets speak about the process of removing the sins of the people of the OT quickly. This is what the therefore is there for.

1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” There is one God. There is one mediator. That mediator is Christ. The mediator of the OT used to be the High Priest, and the HP has been permanently replaced by the perfect and true High Priest, Jesus. For centuries, a man stand in a position of reverence as they led the Jewish people toward God. One man was tasked with making the offering for the sins of the people until the day came that the perfect sacrificial lamb gave up His life for the sins of the world. Upon His resurrection He became our perfect propitiation for sin that we might be restored to God.

You have the right, and more importantly the privilege to come before the Lord in confidence. Not because we are great, and certain not because we deserve it, but purely because He is good. He is good beyond measure, He is good beyond understanding. We are given the right only because He is God and He has the authority to do so.

The High Priest would intercede for the people. He made the petitions for the people. He offered the sacrifices for the peoples sins. To go to God was to go through the High Priest. Upon Jesus’s death the curtain ripped top to bottom signifying that there was no longer anything that would separate God from His people. Anyone who wanted to go into the presence of God no longer had to go through the High Priest in the flesh, but they would go through Jesus Christ You Belong in Church:

Yeah, yeah, we have all heard it. “Church is not a building, its the people. Church is us, we are the church.” Of course. Our bodies are the temple of the Living God, but where do our bodies go every Sunday morning? They gather together in one central location with other like-minded temples and they worship the Lord God together in unity. They are collectively together in one accord.

Say no to isolation and yes to involvement. It is imperative for God’s people to meet regularly for worship, for instruction, and for mutual encouragement. So many people have grown into the habit of giving up on the assembly of like minded Christians. They have forsaken the gathering of their brothers and sisters, and it shows in their lives. It shows in the direction of their children’s lives, in the lives of their grandchildren it is showing. Let’s not be flippant about sitting under the teaching of God’s word and allowing it to transform our lives and spill over into the lives of those around us. So many people claim to be a Christian, yet their love for the church is lukewarm. Please don’t be that way. It was not Christ’s intention. It never was. People have dropped off since the beginning of time. You hold strong. Listen, church is not perfect. It is built of imperfect people. We will never be Raymond Brown says “the church’s defects present us with the opportunity for earnest prayer, careful thought, loving discussion and united action to correct the deficiency and not run away from them.” You will not find heresy in this pulpit. The day you do will be the day you have the blessings to run as far from here as you can. That or fix the problem :) Do you think the angels will sing your hymns? Do you think they will read your translation? Do you think they will even speak your tongue? Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. I don’t know what you have done, but if you are saved then you are forgiven. I don’t know what you have don’t, but if you want to be forgiven Christ’s sacrifice will certainly cover it all. If you’re not going to the Lord often I would recommend prioritizing a change. If you’re not devoted to Christ’s bride, the church, then I would encourage a reconsideration be in order. And Always if you need help or guidance in implementing change, reach out.