“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (Heb. 12:22-24).
In the Old Covenant, God taught His people to think about holiness in terms of space. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were barred from going back into the Garden. When Moses saw the burning bush, He could only draw near to God when He had taken off his sandals. And when the tabernacle and temple were constructed, Israelites had to be careful that they did not draw near if they were in a state of uncleanness, only the priests could go into the holy place, and only the High Priest could go into the Most Holy Place one day a year. Holy space is fiercely guarded by God.
In the New Covenant, holy space is centered in the bodies of believers. Peter says, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up into a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices” (1 Pet. 2:5). Paul says, “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:19).
So who are you? Why are you here? You are here because you were bought with a price, because you are not your own, because you belong to God, because you are the holy people of a holy God. You do not belong to your past. You do not belong to your sin. You do not belong to your pain, to your regret, to your success, to your accomplishments. You belong to Jesus. You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Therefore, set your minds on things above where your life is, where Christ is seated in all glory and honor and majesty for you.
So you are summons now to draw near with boldness, to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.
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