November 9 - The Goal of our Salvation
The blood of Jesus accomplished what the blood of the Old Covenant could not do, i.e. the cleansing of the human spirit. The blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of the defiled person with the ashes of a heifer, could only sanctify and purify the flesh. However, the blood of Christ, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without blemish to God the Father, thus purified our human conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
This is the goal of our salvation, not merely to get cleansed but to live out our calling to serve God. The Trinity is involved in our salvation: the Holy Spirit, the blood of Christ and the acceptance of the Father are all active in our redemption of the spirit, soul and body. All of us are then set apart, sanctified, purified and prepared for the good work of serving God.
From a system of dead works, we are given new life to have a new and purified conscience. The conscience, being a function of our human spirit, is the key for us to serve God. When we are saved by Christ, our spirit comes alive and our conscience are cleansed by the Holy Spirit, opening the path into the Holy of Holies to serve the Father. From then on, doing things for God is no longer a way to pacify our conscience. Our service to God must come from a spiritual relationship of serving God and do whatever pleases Him.
Christ appeared the first time to die for our sins so that we can believe in Him and be saved. He is coming back yet another time to complete our salvation. In the meantime, we serve God and live out our calling. Our major concerns are not even our sinful past or how much we have done for God. We no longer live under the need for dead works and the fear of judgment. Going through the torn veil into the presence of God offers such a freedom that was not known in the old dispensation.
Many are still operating in fear, seeing God as Judge but not the Father who loves us and has given His own Son for us. We need the Holy Spirit to pour God’s love into our hearts so that we may comprehend the work of Christ on the cross. Yes, we are no longer slaves but we are children of God with inheritance. We serve Him out of love and not obligation. Only when our conscience is cleansed can we dare to approach the throne of God.
Ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse you conscience now so that you may serve God with gladness. May your spirit rise to meet with God each day, to go into His presence and enjoy Him. From attending to Him, you may then find out what your destiny is. Serve Him not with dead works but from a living relationship to a living God.
Ps 119:145-152 Ezek 20:1-49 Heb 9:11-28 Prov 27:11