Through the Curtain
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:19-25 (English Standard Version)
Hebrews has always been one of my favorite books. I was looking through it today and rediscovered what I loved about it. It skips a lot of the more “basic” theology and digs in straight to the meat. Who was Jesus, and why is he important to us? What did he bring to the table, that others had not?
Jesus brought us through the curtain into fellowship with God again. He united the two again. He gave us hope for what had been lost. And he gave us freedom. From here on out “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 English Standard Version.) Furthermore, nothing can seperate us from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:29-31.)
I know what some of you are thinking, and no this doesn’t mean we go on through life unchanged. We are changed to new creations. If you have truly had that enlightenment or salvation (depending on what you want to call it) experience, you can’t go back! And why would we?
Once we are through that curtain, we are with God. Still distinct, mind you, but as the journey continues the lines start to blur. Where does Zach end and God begin? The two are united inseperably. We become one with God.
As Saint Athanasios said, “God became human that we might be made god.�
August 17th, 2006 at 22:48
You have stated it so beautifully and succintly, that there is nothing to say, nothing to edd.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:46
This is a favorite of mine, “God became human that we might be made god.�
Seeing through these eyes, there is nothing that doesn’t make sense.
August 18th, 2006 at 12:37
We are not God. God is God and we are sinful man. He created us for fellowship with Him, but we made choices against Him.
We are sinful, but we are given a chance to be saved through the blood of Jesus. And yes, according to 2 Cor 5:17-”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”-we are new creations when we decide to follow Christ.
But we are separate and distinct and still woefully human.
And that is what makes the whole thing so amazing, that God would choose to use us despite our humanity. We are cracked vessels.(2 Corinthians 4:7-”But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us”). Paul stated it in Romans 7:21-24–”So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”
And the answer is right after that in verse 25-”Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
We worship a risen Savior and we follow Him as best we can and all the while we struggle.
But God, who is distinct from us and will always be, uses us anyway because He created us and He loves us! Glory be to God!