Who Can Enter The Holy Place
Who Can Enter The Holy Place?
Many Christians readily accept that all who confess the name of Jesus can rightfully lay claim to His body. In other words,Guest Posting all Christians can share in the fellowship of the assembly.
Is this assumption correct? Are we Christians indeed entitled to partake of the blessings emanating from the death and resurrection of a course in miracles or are there conditions laid down which ,unless we conform thereto, preclude such blessings and privileges even though we proclaim salvation through Jesus Christ?In order to differentiate between TRUE discipleship and FEIGNED discipleship (that is verbally laying claim to salvation but failing to conform to the prescribed scriptural code) it would be appropriate to refer to Jesus’ parable of the sower (Mark 4):
part of the seed fell in good soil rendering an excellent crop: part fell on rocky ground where the seed sprouted but the plants soon withered when the sun came up as the roots had not grown deep enough: a third portion fell among thorn bushes which grew up and choked the plants and a fourth portion fell along the path and the birds cam e and ate it up. This parable serves as an example that not all Christians can lay claim to salvation.
Salvation transcends this temporal world and therefore does not imply participating in the blessings of Christ for this life only. In other words some Christians maintain that, in order to be successful in this life, sharing in the blessings contained in the Word, they only have to confess the name of Jesus , yet Paul says: “If for this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable.” ( 1Cor15.19) Fact is, if we desire abundant life in Christ Jesus (containing not only God’s blessings but participating also in His glory (having our names written down in the book of the living – Rev 20.12
We have to follow Jesus Christ and this of course entails much more than merely confessing His name and claiming to be reborn.
ARE THERE CONDITIONS PRESCRIBED FOR ENTERING THE HOLY PLACE?
Access to the Holy Place signifies participation in the body of Christ. Before the Holy Place could be entered, it was necessary for the priest to pass through the courtyard and conform to the ceremonial laws. In the Old Testament (the shadow of the New Covenant Heb. 9) Moses was instructed to erect a Tabernacle according to God’s pattern, His plan. The Tabernacle stands as a sign of God’s presence in Israel. It further serves to unite God’s people and was therefore the central place of worship where Israel not only obtained atonement for their sins but also participated in the blessings of the Living God: spiritually, physically and personally. It was the general meeting place and the courtyard contained the bronze basin (ex 30.
17-21). The priests had to cleanse their hands and feet before they could bring their burnt offerings. The courtyard further contained the altar of burnt offering (Ex 27) where Israel’s offerings to the Lord were received and done. This bronze altar was equipped with 5 articles enabling the priest to offer the sacrifice: pots, shovels, bowls, forks and fire-pans all made of bronze. In order to understand the meaning of the courtyard and its equipment, we must realize that it is in the courtyard where both Israelites and foreigners could meet (Lev 22.18 Lev 17.7-9). Yet in the Holy Place only the priests and the Levites were permitted.