Stephen Arters - Purified to Serve - September 28, 2008

We all want to have purpose, and to know what that purpose for our lives is. It is then up to us to carry out God's intentions and instructions for each of us. This passage reminds us that we have been born again in Christ in order to freely serve the Living God. Let us respond to the High Priestly service of the Lord with service to the Lord and His people.

Hi Stephen, Thanks for

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 10/01/2008 - 01:01.

Hi Stephen,
Thanks for message. Very powerful. One profound statement you made "Conscience is our connection with God." That is something I can meditate on for days.
I have 2 question.
1. the earthly tabernacle was built to specifications of the heavenly tabernacle. Why would heaven need a tabernacle?
2. The tabernacle was divided into the holy place and most holy place. does this mean that something or someone can be holy and holier? I thought holiness is either yes or no like someone is either pregnant or not pregnant?
please comment.

Heaven is a tabernacle

Submitted by arters on Fri, 10/03/2008 - 16:51.
The tabernacle in heaven does not function the same way that the earthly tabernacle functions, as there was only one sacrifice offered in heaven, that of the blood of Christ. So it is not as if God exists only in the holy of holies in heaven. The temple in heaven is essentially the throne room of God, and all in heaven are before the throne. We don't know what Moses saw, except that the tabernacle, and the subsequent instructions concerning it's construction are born out of a reality expressed in heaven. Ezekiel likewise has a plan for a future temple, but Revelation tells us that in the new heaven, there is no temple because God dwells with men. As for the second question, i think one can see degrees of holiness with respect to places and objects. Even our sanctuary is "set apart" for worship, and yet we can use the space for other important church meetings or rehearsals. The "holy of holies" was doubly set apart for a single select task. As Christians, we are holy. That's what Paul calls people in the churches of the New Testament: "to the saints in Rome" is literally, "to the holy ones in Rome." And yet, are some believers more set apart for the work of God because they have purposed in their hearts to do so? Yes. Thanks for the questions, keep commenting.