The holiest of hearts, the holiest of rooms
We had no right to come inside, until we found the tomb
Now we are not alone, and from your gracious throne
You gently call us home to enter in
Enter in, come into in My Presence
Enter in, come boldly in My Name
I open up the door to life forevermore
Leave all you were before and enter in
The name of the song is Enter In, and like today's reading in Hebrew 9, it instructs us in the "better system" that is in place because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The old covenant was ordained by God - and it was good. But it had one important limitation. Hebrews 9: 9 says that "the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them."
The way of the old covenant was primarily external. With the list of rules and required mediators, God was far off and unapproachable.
But in Christ Jesus, God came near. The curtain was torn, giving us unlimited access to the Most Holy Place. Under the old covenant, a person could perform all of the external requirements of gifts and sacrifices, but still suffer from an unclean conscience. The book of Hebrews tells us, as believers, that our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean (Hebrews 10:22).
Because of that cleansing, we can now enter in to the presence of God. We don't need another priest - we have Jesus. We don't need another sacrifice - we have Jesus. The entrance to the Most Holy Place is permanently open - because of Jesus.
Are you afraid to enter in? Is your faith life still primarily external, with comfort in rules and ritual? No matter what you "do", is your conscience still unclean? If the answer to any of those questions is yes, take it before the Lord in prayer.
Jesus' sacrifice was complete, and it was for you. You don't have to stay in the outer courts any more, or even in the Holy Place. It's time to enter in....all the way in.
The way of the old covenant was primarily external. With the list of rules and required mediators, God was far off and unapproachable.
But in Christ Jesus, God came near. The curtain was torn, giving us unlimited access to the Most Holy Place. Under the old covenant, a person could perform all of the external requirements of gifts and sacrifices, but still suffer from an unclean conscience. The book of Hebrews tells us, as believers, that our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean (Hebrews 10:22).
Because of that cleansing, we can now enter in to the presence of God. We don't need another priest - we have Jesus. We don't need another sacrifice - we have Jesus. The entrance to the Most Holy Place is permanently open - because of Jesus.
Are you afraid to enter in? Is your faith life still primarily external, with comfort in rules and ritual? No matter what you "do", is your conscience still unclean? If the answer to any of those questions is yes, take it before the Lord in prayer.
Jesus' sacrifice was complete, and it was for you. You don't have to stay in the outer courts any more, or even in the Holy Place. It's time to enter in....all the way in.
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