BY RON BARTANEN â The Bible is clear on the human predicament: In Eden man alienated himself from God by sin.
Man was driven from the earthly paradise where he had first been blessed by the person to person relationship he had with his Creator. Since that time, it has been true that âAll have sinned and come short of the glory of Godâ (Romans 3:23), and consequently the verdict is, âThe wages of sin is death (separation from God)â (Rom. 6:23a). Isaiah described our situation well: ââYour iniquities have separated between you and your Godâ (Isa. 59:2).
From Genesis to Revelation is unfolded Godâs plan for the restoration of man to the Edenic status of fellowship. It is the recognition, not of man reaching out and through his efforts finding God, but of God reaching out to man through grace, wherein we have the opportunity of being rightly called the children of God.
From the time of Adam and Eve being driven from Eden, the sacrifice of animals was made, and through the shedding of their blood God established a relationship with man through their faith in God. As God selected a nation of people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel), He established a priesthood, wherein the high priest would annually enter the Holy of Holies first in the tabernacle and then in the temple, presenting the shed blood for the atonement of sin.
While such sacrifices were insufficient for perpetual cleansing of the people, they were prophetic in looking forward to the coming of the âLamb of Godâ, whose blood would be shed in behalf of fallen man. These offerings, of themselves, could ânever take away sinsâ (Hebrews 10:11). Only through Christâs offering on the cross of Calvary âonce for all,â by which He âhath perfected for ever them that are sanctifiedâ (Heb. 10:10-14).
The New Testament is plain in what God requests for us to be accepted in His presence. While Christ died for all, man is given the choice of accepting His grace by faith, or rejecting it. While we could refer to many references to such, we will refer now to the 6th chapter of Romans, wherein converts who had been dead IN sin became âdead TO sinâ, and, and as an act of faith, not merit, were âbaptized (buried) into ChristâŚinto his death,â and rising to âwalk in newness of lifeâ (6:1-4). In this obedience from the heart, we have the assurance of being âfreed from all sinâ (0:17).
Once delivered from sin, we are assured of access to God. Because Christ, as our high priest, having shed His blod and presented it to the Father in the heavenly Holy of Holies, the access to God has been bought and paid for. By faith we now have âboldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his fleshâ (Hebrews 10:19-20).
It is by Christâs righteousness, not our own, that we can have such boldness to enter into His presence. Christ is the âhigh priest over the house of Godâ, enabling us to âdraw near with a full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure waterâ (Heb. 10:21-22).
With such a relationship of nearness to God comes a personal responsibility. We are to value the faith by which we have gained this access to God. The writer of Hebrews continues, âLet us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promisedâ (10:23). In a time when it was not popular to be a Christian, they would be tempted to deny or compromise their faith.
While we in the United States have been blessed with freedom to believe and confess our faith, the situation in our country is rapidly changing. In many other countries believers are given a choice, to either deny their faith or suffer imprisonment or even death.
I read that in Finland a minister had been prosecuted for teaching Biblical truth regarding sexuality. Once a âChristian nation,â now their citizens are denied freedom. The possible jail time for this minister is 6 years in prison, according to the article.
How long will it be before our âChristian nationâ will give in to the demands of the Left, and silence our voices? In such times, let us not be found lax in our faith. Hold it fast. The tenth chapter of Hebrews is followed by the eleventhâsometimes referred to as âGodâs hall of faith.â That chapter gives numerous examples of those who have suffered much, but endured through faith, to receive Godâs promises.
In times of persecution, would our faith endure? The Hebrews writer makes it plain that as Godâs children we must stand together with other believers. We are to âconsider one another to provoke unto love and good worksâ (v. 24). In the body of Christ, having drawn near unto God, we are to be drawn near unto those of like-precious faith. We donât become Christians in isolation from other believers. We are one body, and such should be seen in the world. We are admonished, ânot forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much more as we see the day approachingâ (v. 25).
That day is, without doubt, the day of Christâs return, âthe day of the Lordâ that comes unexpectedly upon the world as âa thief in the nightâŚbut let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love: and for an helmet, the hope of salvation, for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with himâ (vs. 2, 8-9).
God intended this book for all generations, and as we see things worsen in our world, we should be looking for His coming.
How near are you to God?
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