When The Heart Turns to the Lord, The Vail Shall Be Taken Away - Part 1177

For the benefit of those who are new to the faith, let me start by saying the Word of God exists of an old covenant (based primarily on the Law and Ten Commandments) and a new testament which was ushered in through Jesus shedding His precious holy blood on the cross.

Today, we are looking at Paul's writing in the second chapter of II Corinthians. Therein, Paul is sharing that no longer are the commandments of God written in tables of stone, but rather, written not by ink but with the Spirit of the living God in the fleshy tables of the heart. (II Corinthians 2:3)

To emphasize this point, we look at the transition of Apollos. He is described as a certain Jew born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures. He had come to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing at that time, only the baptism of John. (John's baptism was of repentance for the remission of sins, where he was a forerunner to Jesus the Christ). And Apollos began to speak boldly in the synagogue, whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him, who, when he was come helped them much which had believed through grace. For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ. (Acts 18:24-28)

And it came to pass that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples, he said unto them, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" And they said unto Paul, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." And he said unto them, "Unto what then were ye baptized?" And they said, "Unto John's baptism." (Acts 19:1-3)

The John referred to in this passage was the son of Zacharias, to whom the Word of God came unto him in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins -- as it is written in the book of Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness -- Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Luke 3:1-6)

As a consequence, a multitude came forth to be baptized of him. Some mused in their hearts, as to whether John was the Christ or not. John clarified that perspective for the mockers. He said, "I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner, but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable." (Luke 3:16-17; Matthew 3:11-12; John 7:39; John 20:22)

He then told those to bring forth fruits of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, "We have Abraham to [our] father, for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." (Luke 3:8)

Returning to Paul and Apollos, Paul said unto him, and several of the disciples with him, "Unto what then were ye baptized?" And they said, "Unto John's baptism." Then said Paul, "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is on Christ Jesus."

When Apollos and those that accompanied him heard this, they were immediately baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:3-5)

And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied, and all the men were about twelve.

What we are witnessing here is the transitioning from the old covenant to the new testament, which was purchased by the blood of Jesus. When He died, the vail was rent in two from top to bottom. Heaven opened up and peace and goodwill was declared unto all men.

"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those [sacrifices there is] a remembrance again [made] of sins every year. For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats take away sins." (Hebrews 10:1-4)

Let's read that again. It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats takes away sins. Neither is it that sacrifices offered year by year, or confessions made week by week can make the comers thereunto perfect. Why not?

Because "wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He saith, "Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, "Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God." (Hebrews 10:5-7)

Above when He said, "Sacrifice and offering and burnt offering and [offering] for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein], which are offered by the law." Then said He, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second -- by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all]." (Hebrews 10:8-10)

"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:11-14)

"And for this cause, He is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament -- they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament [is] of force after men are dead; otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, "This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you." Moreover, he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry, and almost all thing are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." (Hebrews 9:15-22)

As a consequence, it was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these -- for Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands [which are] the figures [or copies] of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place every year with blood of others, for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world -- but now ONCE IN THE END OF THE WORLD HATH HE APPEARED TO PUT AWAY SIN BY THE SACRIFICE OF HIMSELF." (Hebrews 9:23-26)

You see, the law was only a shadow of good things to come. And the law could never -- even with the sacrifices -- make the comers perfect in their salvation. Thus, God Himself provided a way of salvation for you and I. He was made flesh and dwelt among us -- so that we could understand how very much He loves us. (I Timothy 3:16; John 1:1-18; Isaiah 9:6)

So that we can be who God intended us to be from the very beginning. So that we could look to Him -- Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down a the right hand of God, until His enemies shall be put under His feet. And then we will be given a new name in which to worship the King of kings and Lord of lords. But I digress.

Seeing that we now have such hope, we should rejoice in the epistle of Christ that has been written in our hearts.

Not as Moses, which put a vail over his face that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished. Not like the Jews whose minds were/are blinded -- that even until this day, remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament, which [vail] is done away in Christ.

"But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away." (II Corinthians 3:12-16)

What does Paul write next -- to ensure there is no confusion about the Godhead? He writes: "Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (Ii Corinthians 3:17)

Peter (standing with the eleven on the day of Pentecost confirms the same). This same Jesus that you/we crucified in our hearts before repenting and coming before Him with a sorrowful heart, He is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:35-42)

JESUS -- He is both Lord and Christ. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

The same Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ who invites us to come to His feast -- "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believes on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake He [Jesus] of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet [given], because that Jesus was not yet glorified." (John 7:37-39)

But now that Jesus has been glorified, we can have forgiveness of sins available from the one and only Mediator of the new testament. Jesus -- the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. He tore the vail of the old covenant from top to bottom, ushering in this current dispensation of grace.

No longer is there a need for a priest to confess our sins to because Almighty God Himself reached out to us in love, willingly shedding His blood once and for all -- so that we could be washed clean from all of our transgressions. (Isaiah 9:6) Yes, He was manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) Yes, He was in the world even though the world knew Him not. (John 1:10) And yes, He even came unto His own. (John 1:11)

But we have been given a second chance.  Reach out to Jesus today. Be baptized in His precious name -- the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:37-42) Receive His Spirit into your heart whereby He can fill you with His joy and peace that surpasses all human understanding. Desire spiritual gifts.

And "consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Stand in the offering plate.