This morning’s devotions took me to Exodus 25-28. The detailed building of the tabernacle takes up many chapters, and no small bit is ignored. All the way from the outside to the inner courts has instructions from God. He knows what He wants constructed, and the Israelites will have the presence of God living with them from that day forward.
When I was in the 3rd or 4th grade we built a small replica of the tabernacle and all the altars and the ark. It is one of the most memorable experiences from my primary school days. I can still picture the tabernacle sitting on the back table in the classroom, and I spend hours building and painting the little accessories. A lot of care went into that project.
What does that mean for us today? As I’ve been learning, much of the Bible explains itself, and being able to know what is descriptive and what is prescriptive can give us the clarity of what God wants from us. Today we live in the New Testament age, but the Old Testament is just as important in explaining the purpose and prophecy of Jesus. He was there in the beginning of the Word, and is there at the end. As part of the Trinity, His Word in Genesis to Revelation reveals His purpose and plan for this world.
Today’s tabernacle is housed in the body/soul/mind of the Christian. This simplified explanation is in 1st Corinthians, chapter 6. The Apostle Paul details the sins that defile the temple of the Holy Spirit (vs 19-20), reminding us that God bought us with a high price, and that our bodies are not our own, but one with Him. How often do we take care of our bodies? I’m not talking about exercise and food, but of the defilement that sin brings on our bodies. Little, and big sins, defile the temple of the Holy Spirit, and chapter 6 is pretty clear that unrighteousness keeps us from God’s kingdom. I think the seriousness of sin is ignored today, and the slippery slope of permissiveness and cheap grace has the modern Christian believing that a loving God would never punish those He loves with eternal banishment.
If that is what you believe, then maybe it’s time to get back into the Word. Jesus was both loving and condemning. His Word is clear that willful sin will keep us from Him for eternity. Our lives as Christians should be visible to the world. Our lives are a reflection of His love and grace…and forgiveness. If we continue to live lives of sin, then we need to question whether or not our salvation is true. If we truly understand that He died for our sins, and it was an act of love to keep us from eternal punishment, then it will bring us to our knees in repentance.
Daily repentance.
A daily walk with His Word will reveal those sins we still struggle with, and will give us the tools we need to overcome them. He is there every step of the way.