Sardis 24
How you think of yourself as a child of God is imperative to overcoming the things of this world and having the kingdom of heaven coming within you. Look at what Jesus says to the saints in Sardis:
“Wake up and strengthen all that remains before it dies, for I haven’t found your works to be perfect in the sight of my God. So remember all the things you’ve received and heard, then turn back to God and obey them.” (Rev 3:2-3)
To “wake up” means to become conscious of. Jesus tells the saints that they are asleep, meaning they have forgotten and become dead to the works of righteousness which is theirs by grace through faith in Him. He is encouraging them to remember their beginning and how they got saved in the first place, which was by faith not by keeping the Law of Moses.
Therefore, since we have such a hope, we speak very boldly, not like Moses, who kept covering his face with a veil to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of what was fading away. However, their minds were hardened, for to this day the same veil is still there when they read the old covenant. Only in union with the Messiah is that veil removed. Yet even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. As all of us reflect the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, we are becoming more like him with ever-increasing glory by the Lord’s Spirit. (2 Cor 3:12-18)
The reading of the Law, or the Old Testament, causes a veil to cover your heart which causes you to feel separated from God. This is not the Lord’s desire because He removed the veil so that you could have a face-to-face relationship with Him, just like Moses did. The reading of the Law of Moses makes you conscious of sin, which puts you to death. However, by the reading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the forgiveness of sin through His blood, you come alive.
Notice that the issues are found in the heart and not in outward behaviour. The Law of Moses demanded the killing of innocent animals to cover the sin of the people. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. But no matter how many animals were sacrificed to protect the people from sin and death, it could not change the condition of their hearts and minds. They were still trapped in the realm of sin and death.
The blood of Jesus, which is the Law of the New Testament, however, has the power to cleanse the conscience of the believer and totally change the inward condition of their heart and mind. The blood cleanses your conscience from sin, in other words it delivers you from the power of sin and death and brings you into the power of the cross, which is your freedom from sin and death. This is a big deal!
The Father does not want any veil to stand between you and Him. Jesus came to remove that veil through His own body so that you could have free access into the very throne room of God, without any “I am not worthy” conscience and have wonderful and joyful times in His presence. This joy is linked to the knowledge of your eternal righteousness in Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Yours is a wonderful inheritance and you have access to everything God has done for you in eternity, right here, right now. Don’t let Satan steal another day, another moment. Stand up and tell him to his face that “You are good enough for God, in fact you are perfect before Him just as you are!”
The Father loves you!
Yvonne
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Very lovely verse