Over the last year I have realized that we make too much of the crucifixion of Christ. Now before you get ready to crucify me yourself for that statement let just hear me out.
First what was the whole reason God made man? For relationship based on love and not obligation. Now in order for God to have this kind of relationship he created man with the ability to choose. There is much more about man that puts us above the rest of creation, but the ability to choose is why God made us this way. So God could have a companionship relationship with one that did so because they loved him not because they had to.
Now when Adam and Eve sinned this severed the tie between God and man in a spiritual nature. Now the perfect relationship between man and God could not be the same. Now it was not as much that they had come to understand sin. As it was that they made a choice between God and knowledge. They chose knowledge. This brought spiritual death, it severed the close relationship between them (Adam and Eve) and God.
Now this did not preclude that others down through time did not have a close relationship with God. Many did, Enoch was the first of many that would continue to have a personal relationship down through the OT. Mankind as a whole would not come to this relationship, they would instead be carried away by their own lust and pleasure.
Now God used these times as examples to us in NT time to learn from.
1Co 10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
1Co 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
Now much has been made of the shedding of blood, and I don't want to take away from that. But I will ask this question, if it was as important as Christianity has made it out to be would not God have addressed it in more detail than he did from the beginning. Adam and Eve covered themselves with leaves and God made coverings out of animals skins.
Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves
Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
Now much is made of the fact that God used animal skins to make clothing for Adam and Eve, then the story of Cain and Able, to push the point of the requirement of God for blood sacrifices for sins. And while this is true we forget sometimes that the sacrifices were only used for sin offerings after the commandmets that were given to Moses. Before that they offered sacrifices as a offering of worship to God.
Now all of this was to lay the foundation of where I want to go with this study. Most of what I have said is common knowledge but I wanted to reiterate things.
Now when God gave Moses instructions for the tabernacle he gave him specific instructions as to how things were to be set, and the order things were to be done. This was important, now God did not leave things to opinion here, he is specific. These instructions can be found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. There are many examples of how the tabernacle was set up you can verify this.
Basicly there was on outer court with one way into this court, as one would come into the court the first thing you faced was the alter of sacrifice. This is the point I want to drive home. The alter of sacrifice is the first thing you find when you come into the tabernacle of God. At this alter was where the animal (Sheep, bull, goat, etc) was slain and burnt. This area was nasty. There was blood, suiete or ashes, bits if animal fur, or wool, feathers etc. The priest were instructed that some parts of the animal were to be saved others burned outright. So this place was a butcher block. As I write this I can see much more study into our personal life and our walk with God.
Now beyond the alter of sacrifice is the brazen laver, this is where the priest washed up. The brazen laver was made of mirrors if you please so he could see himself and get every thing clean.
This brings the priest to the tabernacle itself. The holy place
Heb 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
Heb 9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
The point to this is to point out the work that Christ performed as the sacrifice that would take away the sin of the world.
Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Was a once for all time sacrifice. Never to repeated again
Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the age hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
What does this mean to us? That by one offering Jesus paid the penalty for all sin for one reason to bring the way back to the relationship God had with man in the garden.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Jesus said I am the door, and I am the way. We liken this to the way to salvation, yet what did he mean?
John 14:6 Jesus say he is the way to the father. In
John 10 Jesus speaks as being the door.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Speaking of the door he does not speak of salvation but coming into the fold (his kingdom) that we can find pasture. Speaking of the way, again he does not refer to salvation rather coming to the father. This is where we need to put the emphases. On relationship with God.
Now I say this because in many performance based religions the emphases is on staying save as opposed to moving into communion with God. We still look to the future in belief of a time when Jesus will sit on a literal throne on earth. Let me give a scripture the writer of Hebrew gives.
Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.
Paul speaks of those in Corinth that were not ready for the meat and they were still fed with milk because they were not spiritual.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
The point to all of this is God came to earth for one reason, to reconcile us back to him. To bring us back to the place where we can be a friend of God.
2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
We have this one caractaristic, of being able to love by choice. We are given this one life to give this love to one another and to God.
God created us in a special way, to have the capacity to love. When we leave this life this capacity will be gone in the way it is now. Too many of us are wasting this time to know and love God as a friend. And have this personal relationship with him that only mankind can have while in this life.
Godsdrummer 
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