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Christ’s Blood and Righteousness Purify Our Worship,
Nobember 12
Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High
Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the
heavens.
Hebrews 8:1
, NKJV.
Christ Jesus is represented as continually standing at the altar, momentarily
offering up the sacrifice for the sins of the world. He is a minister of the true
tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. The typical shadows of the Jewish
tabernacle no longer possess any virtue. A daily and yearly typical atonement is no
longer to be made, but the atoning sacrifice through a mediator is essential because
of the constant commission of sin. Jesus is officiating in the presence of God,
offering up His shed blood, as it had been a lamb slain. Jesus presents the oblation
offered for every offense and every shortcoming of the sinner.
Christ, our Mediator, and the Holy Spirit are constantly interceding in human-
ity’s behalf, but the Spirit pleads not for us as does Christ who presents His blood,
shed from the foundation of the world; the Spirit works upon our hearts, drawing
out prayers and penitence, praise and thanksgiving. The gratitude which flows from
our lips is the result of the Spirit striking the chords of the soul in holy memories,
awakening the music of the heart.
The religious services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent confession of sin
ascend from true believers as incense to the heavenly sanctuary; but passing through
the corrupt channels of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood,
they can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity, and
unless the Intercessor who is at God’s right hand presents and purifies all by His
righteousness, it is not acceptable to God.
All incense from earthly tabernacles must be moist with the cleansing drops of
the blood of Christ. He holds before the Father the censer of His own merits, in
which there is no taint of earthly corruption. He gathers into this censer the prayers,
the praise, and the confessions of His people, and with these He puts His own
spotless righteousness. Then, perfumed with the merits of Christ’s propitiation,
the incense comes up before God wholly and entirely acceptable. Then gracious
answers are returned.
Oh, that all may see that everything in obedience, in penitence, in praise and
thanksgiving, must be placed upon the glowing fire of the righteousness of Christ.
The fragrance of this righteousness ascends like a cloud around the mercy seat.—
;
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments 6:1077,
1078
.
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