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The
Day Religion Died
"It is Finished!"
Author's Brief Testimony
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The
Day Religion Died
"It is Finished!"
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GWR
06
What was finished? Before
Jesus said, "It is finished, " There was no real intimacy
possible between God and humanity . The life that was given upon the
cross that day opened the door of relationship to every man, woman and
child upon the face of the earth. The sayings of the angels in the fields
near Bethlehem would now come to pass, "Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace and good will (blessings) extended toward
all men of faith." (paraphrased, Luke 2:14) If you would like
to do some interesting research in the Bible look up any references
which refer to "justification." Justification refers to the
idea of God Almighty seeing us believers as being made perfect
in the eyes of God the Father. Jesus Christ's goodness (or right standing)
was alotted for our own. One scripture to point out this application
of access to God is the first verse of Romans chapter 5, "Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus
Christ." In the hour when Jesus cried out, "It is finished," the veil of the temple was rent in two. This veil was a woven fabric curtain of great size and weight which separated the Holy Place from the place called the Holy of Holies, it was within the Holy of Holies where God would manifest physically meeting with a priest had sufficiently prepared with rituals of cleansing and with blood sacrifices. God Almighty prior in the time of temple worship manifested physically in one place for the covenant people, the Jews. Jehovah was revealed to Israel as their God and other kindred, tribes and nations, the Gentiles were excluded from fellowship and from covenant. The Messiah was him to was to come and rule and reighn as King of the Jews. This scriptural reality contradicts the beliefs of a Universalist or Deist who maintains that God has always been a God of every religion and religion. What
was finished? Until this moment, After Jesus' sacrificial death, he was seen by Mary of Magdalla moments before he was to ascend to the throne, (John 20:17) Jesus spoke to Mary saying, "Don't touch me yet, for I have not yet ascended, but go to my brothers and tell them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, unto my God and their God." (paraphrased.) Do not assume in reading that the word "brothers" applied to the Lord's friends and disciples before he made a way for them to become true adopted "sons of God." Jesus spoke with such an emphasis that when Mary was to annunciate his message, it made it very clear that there was to be a brand new kind of relationship which was to known among the disciples or believers. That we could be considered family to Jesus Christ and to his Father. Christ was now our brother. God was now our Father. Now we could actually pray the prayer which Jesus taught them, saying, "Our Father, in heaven - -." Jesus is called, "- - the first born of many brethren," in Romans 8, verse 29.
What was Finished?
When Jesus declared, "It is finished." It also brought an end to the necessity of having a priest-class whose job it was to communicate with God on our behalf. The Levites were the tribe of Israel whose soul purpose it was to minister to the Lord, to prepare sacrifices, to make atonement for sin; to declare the people free and absolved from sin; to talk to God; to hear and deliver His Word. If you were a Levite you were automatically a priest, and only a priest. Priests of the order of Aaron, the Levites were supplied with provision from the "tithes" of the people. Thus the work of God could be sustained. The priests talked with God on behalf of the people of covenant. The priests were those who were trained from their youth to know the Word of God and study the texts of Holy Law. When Jesus cried, "It is finished." it would come to pass that, " - the old things would pass away and all things became new," (2 Corinthians 5:17) The old priesthood would pass away and a new priesthood would come. Jesus himself would become the high priest over a new covenant, a better covenant. (Hebrews 8) It was to be an eternal, never perishing priesthood. He would sit at the right hand of the Glory of God, "ever making intercession" on the part of His children in the earth. He was appointed heir and ruler over all things. This appointed heir and king and high priest has all things at his command and all things under his feet. At the utterance of his name ever spiritual and physical knee will have to bow. Praise be unto our God for He is Great and His mercies are wonderful! Now at last, people who could not know God could be joined into the vine of Israel. A people who could never enter within the veil of the Holiest Place could enter in freely, being justified and purged from an evil conscience by the blood of the Lamb. (Read Hebrews 10:2, Hebrews 10:22) With the resurrection
a miracle happened! We (any and all believers) were invited to become
priests unto the God of all creation. We ourselves could enter in behind
the 'veil.' We could minister to Him. He would recive sacrifices of
praise that we would offer up. We could hear His voice. We could proclaim
the Words that He would speak to us. We could speak on His behalf. We
could speak as an oracle of God. We were given authority to use His
name, the Name Jesus which commands the Spiritual Power and authority
over every name and condition. We could study His Word we could hear
His voice (the rhema voice of God) speaking in the Scriptures, we could
know the Wisdom of God.
E
Book 1: Resources:
Understanding Home Fellowships
Frank Viola
Sid Roth
Barna's Book:
"Revolution" Sid
Roth Guest:
Guest: Jim Rutz
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