INTO THE PRESENCE

Heb.9:11 – but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption.

There is a life available for Christians that many are unfamiliar with, Paul called it the new and living way. What could that possibly mean? It can be found in the types and shadows of the Tabernacle of Moses. As many of you know, there was a veil blocking entrance into the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle only entered by the High Priest with an offering for sin once a year. This signified the separation we all experience because of human sin, that veil pictures our flesh, the instrument used by our sinful tendencies separating us from God. Now this is the essence of what happened here, man’s flesh was torn in Christ on the cross signifying the veil is torn and we can now come into the presence of God. Here is how Andrew Murray describes this.

“The veil of the flesh has been rent; Christ has entered once for all, having obtained everlasting redemption; the dwelling of God and man has been thrown into one; the Spirit of heaven has been given to signify to us, and to give us the living experience, that the way into the Holiest has been made manifest. Our entering in, our dwelling in God’s presence in the light and nearness and holiness of the Most Holy, is a spiritual, a heavenly reality. It can only be apprehended by the tender, by the perfect conscience, which the Holy Spirit gives to him who is willing to give up all to be saved completely, by the perfect whose senses are exercised to discern good and evil. But to all who are willing to pass through the rent veil of Christ’s flesh, to die with Him as He died, and live with Him as He lived, the Holy Spirit will show it; the way into the Holiest is opened up.”

Now here is where the problem steps in, even though we have access into His real presence by His death, we can only come in by faith. We are far to accustomed to living our lives outside of the glory, that is much more comfortable to human flesh. So there are two things necessary to enter in to the experiential side of our Christian faith. First, we come into His presence by faith. It is faith in His blood that opens the door for us. Secondly, we have to get out of our own way. It is our foolish natural tendencies that keep us from the blessing of His real presence. So come to the cross, that’s where both of these truths happen. Here we see the power of His blood to come into this new way of life and then picking up the cross and dying to ourselves will bring us into the glory of His presence.