Leviticus. 16
THE question is more and more, What is Christianity?
The Old Testament was a shadow. The veil is now rent. The veil signified that the way was not yet made manifest.
There are two points-the difference between Judaism and Christianity. There is responsibility in my Adam state, and responsibility in my new state.
What am I to come to? The thing that cleared the sins also opened the way for me to go to God myself-two distinct things; one, grace meeting responsibility; the other, the purpose of God.
In Romans we get nothing of purpose except in one or two places; you get responsibility in Romans. In Ephesians you get purpose, and almost nothing about responsibility.
Ques. Is there such a thing as going into the holiest till we are out of the 7th of Romans?
Ans. No. The place I get as a Christian is in the presence of God Himself. My responsibility is another question. It is what I ought to be, and the law is a perfect measure of that. God's purpose about me is quite another thing. God never says under the law that I have an evil nature; I may find it out through the law.
In this chapter (Lev. 16) we get the two things-the Lord's lot, the veil rent, and I go into His presence in virtue of His nature. The scapegoat is our responsibility.
Ques. Did Adam enjoy a Sabbath before he fell into sin?
Ans. No.
Ques. Can I be with God according to what God is?
Ans. There it is Christ's work. That is the condition proper to the Christian. Christ perfectly glorified God on the cross, so I am in a far better place than if I were innocent, for I have all the value of Christ glorifying God (John 13). All that God is, He was perfectly glorified in on the cross. The divine nature in Christ did not screen Him on the cross, but led Him to bear sins. But there is more than sins put away. Gad was perfectly glorified on the cross (John 17:4)
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth. It is its nature. In the blood carried into the holiest I get God glorified in His nature. In the cross I get every question of good and evil brought to an issue and settled. God against sin-the devil in his hour and power of darkness-man's wickedness-the perfect man in Christ.
John 3:14-16. At the Reformation they got justification by faith, but they left out too much man's need. In Col. 1:21,22,23, we get perfect security, but perfect dependence. The wilderness is no part of God's purpose. It is a part of His ways. So I have need to be kept constantly.
In 1 Cor. 1:6-9, we have God's faithful love. While the apostle shows they were to be kept blameless, till the day of Jesus Christ, he goes on and blames them all through for everything. He would not go and see them, etc. Men speak of perseverance, but what we get in Scripture is not man's perseverance, but God's.
In Romans we have man walking down here. In Colossians risen, but still walking down here. In Ephesians we are in heavenly places. There is no " If" in Ephesians)
was God's purpose to bring His people into the land. The wilderness was not in His purpose, but when they were in t the way, He cared for them.
Ques. After getting out of the condition described in the 7th of Romans, can one get back under it?
Ans. No. Sometimes persons do nothing but say they are lost, and friends then try to convince them that they are not lost. It would be better to tell them you are glad they have found out they are lost. It is a question of the tree, not the fruit.
The Red sea is death and judgment, Pharaoh and his host. The Red sea and Jordan coalesce-the wilderness being no part of God's purpose. Across the Red Sea is the 7th of Romans. (Laul was in the 7th of Romans three days till Ananias came.