TWELVE
LETTERS
Letter Seven
The True Place of Worship
My Dear______:
In this letter I propose to inquire,
Where is the Christian's place of worship? I need scarcely remind you that the
term "place of worship" abounds on every hand; and while I fully admit that
what is meant thereby is simply the place where believers and others congregate
on Lord's-days, yet it is of the first importance in divine things that words
should not be used which convey a wrong impression, or which falsify the truth
of God. Our only resource, therefore, is to obtain the answer to our question
from the Scriptures.
Let me, then, direct your attention to the
following passage: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the
holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and [having]
an High Priest over the house of God; let us draw near," etc. (Heb. 10: 19-22,
etc). Now, we have in this scripture, to speak generally, three things - the
blood of Jesus, the rent veil, and the High Priest (literally, the great
priest) over the house of God; and it is on the foundation of these three
things that we have the exhortation to draw near for worship. If we examine a
little the significance of each, the answer to our question will be unfolded.
First, then, we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood
of Jesus. It is evident, if you trace down the argument of the apostle, that
the blood of Jesus is brought in as a contrast with "the blood of bulls and
goats" (v. 4). Indeed, the whole point of the first part of the chapter is the
efficacy of the former in contrast with the impotency of the latter. The fact
that the sacrifices under the old dispensation were offered year by year
continually, is adduced to prove that the worshippers were never really purged,
so as to have no more conscience of sins; for in the repetition of the
sacrifices there was a remembrance again made of sins every year (vv. 1-3). And
the reason of this was that "it is not possible that the blood of bulls and
goats should take away sin" (v. 4). Thus the multitude of sacrifices of all
kinds did but demonstrate their utter powerlessness, though appointed by God in
view of the One Sacrifice which was thereby foreshadowed.
Having then
shown this, the apostle now brings out in sharpest contrast the value of the
sacrifice of Christ (read carefully from the 5th to the 14th verses) ; and he
sums it up, and states it, in one sentence: "By one offering He hath perfected
for ever them that are sanctified." The offerings under the law never made the
worshippers perfect. By one offering Christ has perfected us for ever. This
truth is so vast and comprehensive that it needs to be meditated upon again and
again, in order in any measure to be apprehended. For it implies, not only that
I have now no more conscience of sinsif I am under the value of the sacrifice
of Christbut also that I never need have any more conscience of sins in the
aspect here presented; that through the efficacy of that precious blood I have
a title now, and ever shall have a title, to the presence of God that nothing,
in short, can ever deprive me of place which it gives me in His own immediate
presence; for by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified. Through that sacrifice therefore I have received a perpetual
qualification for access to God.
The second thing is the rent veil.
The blood Christ has given us the title to approach; and in next place we have
"a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that
to say, His flesh." Here again we have a contrast with the old dispensation.
Thus in chap. 9 we read "Into the second" (i.e., into the holy of holies,behind
the veil) "went the high priest alone once ever year, not without blood, which
he offered for himself and for the errors of the people: the Holy Ghost th
signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest,
while as the first tabernacle was yet standing." etc. (vv. 7-9). The people we
therefore entirely excluded; and this was because, we have seen, it was not
possible that the blood bulls and of goats should take away sin. It would
consequently have been certain death, by the judgment of God, had any one
beside the high priest ventured inside that awful veil (Lev. 16:1, 2; N 15,
16). But no sooner was the sacrifice of Christ consummated than the veil was
rent from top to bottom (Matt. 27: 51); for by His death He glorified God in
every attribute of His character concerning the question of sin, and by that
one offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified, and th veil was
therefore rent to signify that the way was now made open into the holiest of
all. "For that which rent the veil in order to admit us has likewise put away
the sin which shut us out." It is thus now the privilege of every believer, on
the ground of the efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ, to enter at all times
into the holiest of all - he has boldness to do so by the blood of Jesus.
But there is a third thing indicated, which may be briefly noticed
before calling your attention to the full consequence of these blessed truths;
viz., "an high priest over the house of God." And where is our high priest?
"Every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same
sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this Man, after He had offered
one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God; from
henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one
offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (vv. 11-14). We
thus learn that our High Priest is seated at the right hand of God, and that
this attitude is owing to the fact that His sacrificial work has been
accomplished; and hence His presence in heaven is a witness and a proof of the
abiding efficacy of His work, and consequently a perpetual encouragement to His
people to enter boldly into the holiest of all - inside the rent veil.
Such are the three immense facts - the blood of Jesus, the rent veil, and the
high priest over the house of God, to which the Holy Spirit directs our
attention before exhorting us to draw near (v. 22). And the place to which we
are invited to approach, or into which we are urged to enter, is the holiest -
the holy of holies. That is the place which was typified by the holy of holies
in the tabernacle in the wilderness, the place into which Christ, as our
Representative and Forerunner, has already entered (Heb. 4: 14; 6: 19,20). Our
place of worship therefore is in the immediate presence of God, the scene of
the ministry on our behalf of Christ, as the High Priest. True that we are down
here on the earth as strangers and pilgrims when we think of priesthood. But
this earth can never be the scene of our worship; for we have "boldness to
enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus," and there alone can worship be
rendered or accepted. Nay; if I would do homage even to the King, I must go to
the place where he sits in state to receive it. Much more, if I would worship
God I must do so in the place where He sits on His throne, and into which, for
this very purpose, He has, in His ineffable grace, given me a title to enter at
all times through the precious blood of Christ. There above, therefore, inside
the rent veil, in His own immediate presence, and in no other place, must His
people worship. And what a marvellous privilege it is, what inexpressible
grace, which He has bestowed upon us, that we should enjoy constant liberty of
access before Him to bow there in adoration and praise!
"Within the holiest of all,
Cleansed by His precious
blood,
Before the throne we prostrate fall,
And worship Thee, 0
God!"
Having this truth clearly before us, you will see, I
am sure, that to speak of a place of worship on earth would tend to obscure the
teaching of Scripture and to undermine our privileges. I do not forget that in
many cases, as I have said, very little is meant by the phrase; but, on the
other hand, in many others it means a great deal, and begets the idea of sacred
and consecrated buildings. The Jews had a "worldly sanctuary" (Heb. 9: 1), one
that was erected by divine direction, and according to a divine commandment.
But to erect a "sanctuary," or a "holy" building, now, is to take Jewish
ground, and to ignore the fact that "we have such an High Priest, who is set on
the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the
sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man."
There cannot therefore be a place of worship on earth; and to call a building
by such a name is, unconsciously as it may be done, to overlook, to use no
stronger word, the believer's place and privilege, and to misrepresent the
truth of Christianity.
It may be necessary to allude to one more point;
viz., that all believers alike have the same privilege of access into the
holiest. The Scriptures, or rather the Scriptures that deal with church truth,
know nothing of a sacred order of men, as distinct from their fellow-believers,
who enjoy special privileges, with a title to approach God on behalf of others.
All believers are alike priests, and all therefore have the same qualification
for access to God as worshippers. The passage we have alluded to in the Hebrews
(10: 19-22) is decisive upon this question. Mark its terms: "Having therefore,
brethren." All alike are addressed, and all are reminded that they have
boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Again the apostle
says: "Let us draw near"- associating himself with all whom he addresses;
because, in truth, he and they alike were on the same footing before God as to
worship. It is especially necessary to hold fast this truth in this day of
revival of sacerdotalism and its superstitious claims. The two things are
connected. If you have an earthly place of worship, you must also have an order
of priests; and these two things combined constitute a denial of Christianity.
Hence it is incumbent upon us to contend earnestly for the truth once delivered
to the saints.
But we must not be content with the doctrine on the
subject. The question for our souls is, Do we know what it is to draw near, to
worship in, the holiest? I would press this point very solemnly; for nothing
short of this will satisfy the heart of Him by whose precious blood it is we
have received such an unspeakable privilege. Let us then be satisfied with
nothing less than the enjoyment of it. If we had seen Aaron, on the day of
atonement, lifting the sacred veil to enter into the awful presence of a holy
God, we should have been impressed not only with the solemnity of the act, but
also with the wonderful position of favour and nearness to God which he
occupied by virtue of his priesthood. All believers now are in that position.
May,we then know increasingly what it is to be found inside the rent veil, that
we may apprehend more fully the efficacy of that one offering which has brought
us into God's presence without a spot upon us, and without a veil between.
Believe me, dear ______,
Yours affectionately in Christ,
E.D.