No rituals or works will do, only through Jesus can we come into God’s presence!
As a strong message to the Jews who were moving toward faith in Jesus, but not there yet…the writer of Hebrews contrasts the old covenant with the new covenant – “For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear what was being commanded, ‘If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.’ And so terrible was what appeared, that Moses said, ‘I am full of fear and trembling.’ But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.” (Hebrews 12: 18-24)
God gave the law to Moses from Mount Sinai. God’s presence on the mountain included thunder, lightning, thick clouds, and a very loud trumpet sound. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because God descended upon it in fire, and the mountain also trembled violently. The writer of Hebrews is contrasting the difference in the old covenant given through Moses, and the new covenant in Jesus Christ.
Mount Sinai was only accessible to Moses as he was God’s mediator for the people of Israel. However, Mount Zion, God’s heavenly abode, is accessible to all who come to God through Jesus Christ. No one could please God through following the old covenant, because it could not be done. Jesus alone came and perfectly fulfilled the old covenant and then established the new covenant through His blood that He shed for our redemption.
We learn from Galatians 3:10-14 – “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse, for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to do them.’ Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’ However, the Law is not of faith; rather, ‘He redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us – for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree – in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
Christ’s death was a death of substitution for sin and satisfied God’s justice. He literally purchased believers from their slavery to their sin and from the sentence of eternal death or eternal separation from God. Justification (being placed into a right relationship with God), has never come from keeping the law. Justification by faith and justification by law are completely different.
Unfortunately, so many false prophets and teachers bring people under various Old Testament laws. The law in its totality has been fulfilled by Jesus, as new covenant believers we do not need to be lured into believing we need to keep any laws or rituals of the old covenant. If you are in a religion of legalism, think about what these verses from Colossians teach us – “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily, and in Him you have been filled, who is the head over all rule and authority, in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you being dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him, having graciously forgiven us all our transgressions. Having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us, He also has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them in Him. Therefore, no one is to judge you in food or drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day – things which are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Galatians 2: 8-17)
If you are a Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Adventist, Church of Christ believer, Hebrew Roots follower, Muslim, Hindu believer, Jewish believer, Buddhist, New Ager, or anyone who believes that you can through your own effort and dedication merit God’s favor, consider what the Bible says that Jesus has done for us in giving His life for our sins and how He wants us to trust in His merit. He was crucified and rose from the dead. He lives today! Only through Him can we have eternal life with God. He said that He is the way, the truth, and the life! Eternal salvation is through knowing Jesus through faith, repenting of our sins, and allowing His Spirit to transform us from the inside out. Won’t you consider Jesus today, and what He has done for you! If your religion is wearing you out…come to Jesus and rest in Him!
