The veil to God’s presence was torn by God Himself when Jesus gave up His life for us. Our sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west so that we can enjoy an intimate relationship with God.
“”Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and He was buried, and He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures…And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!”” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 17)
But the opposite is also true: if Christ HAS risen, we are no longer in our sins! Because we are no longer in our sins, we can have boldness in the presence of God. The word boldness in the Greek is parresia, and it means “freedom in speaking, openly, without concealment, with free and fearless confidence!”
“Now where there is remission of these [sins and lawless deeds], there is no longer an offering for sin. THEREFORE, brethren, having BOLDNESS to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh…”” (Hebrews 10:18-20)1
Our sins have been remitted. In other words, they have been let go as if they had never been committed.2 Therefore, there is nothing required of us to make ourselves accepted by God, and there is nothing else that we could do to add to our acceptance. We’ll never be more accepted, and we’ll never be less accepted. Given that fact, we can enjoy the Holy of Holies – the presence of God – with cheerful courage and no reservation. The Hebrews to whom this was originally written would know the scandal of this statement. How could anyone but the high priest go into the Holy of Holies and not be immediately exterminated by the judgment and righteousness of God? And furthermore, how could anyone go into the presence of God without the offering? Even the high priest wouldn’t make it inside the curtain empty handed!
Even when we sin, we are still the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are still holy. NOW we are in the presence of God. NOW God lives in us. God cannot be in an unholy place. He has found a permanent dwelling place in His new creation! And, by the way, God will not share His permanent holy dwelling with a demon. This is why a believer cannot be possessed by a demon. Jesus has taken possession of His home in us!
The old way was deadly. The new way is a living way. Jesus’ flesh – the body prepared for Him – was torn for us so that the way to the presence of God was opened forever. Today the more we enjoy the Presence, the more our minds and our bodies are renewed and refreshed. It’s a fresh and life-giving way!
(from page 318 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
2G850 (aphesis), Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, website: http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G859&t=KJV, accessed 6-11-14
