16:1-34 - God is ‘holy‘.
We cannot ‘draw near’ and ‘come’ to Him without a ‘sin offering’
(1-3). We cannot bring ‘a sin offering’ to Him. We can only bring our
sin: Our righteousness is ‘like filthy rags’ (Isaiah 64:6). There is a
‘way’ for sinners to ‘draw near’ to God: Christ is the true and living
Way (John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19-22). In verses 20-22, we have a great
picture of Christ bearing the sin of the world: ‘Bearing shame and
scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood… Full atonement, – Yes it is! Hallelujah! What a Saviour!’ (Church Hymnary, 380). Atonement has been made for us…We have been
cleansed from all our sins (30): What a perfect atonement! What a
perfect Saviour! – ‘God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Galatians 6:14).
17:1-18:23
- We are to be devoted ‘to the Lord’ (17:4-6,9): ‘You are not your
own; you were bought with a price’ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Underlying
Christ’s atoning death, there is this principle: ‘the life… is in the
blood… I have given it for you… to make atonement…’ (17:11). Christ has
shed His blood: He has given His life that we might have life. God
looks upon His Son, crucified for us: He ‘has commanded the blessing,
life for evermore’ (Psalm 133:3). We confess our sin, acknowledging
that ‘without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins’
(Hebrews 9:22). With grateful thanksgiving, we rejoice in our Saviour,
‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29).
‘Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power…’ (Mission Praise, 671).
18:24-19:37
- Holiness and love – the two belong together (19:1-2,18,34). God calls us
to live a life of holiness, a life of love. Through His Spirit – the
Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love – , He enables us to live this life. We
need His promises. We need His commands. Take them both together –
not one without the other! Promises without commands – We take God for
granted, we presume on His blessing. Commands without promises – Our
‘obedience’ becomes a legalistic thing which has nothing to do with the
Gospel of grace. We are to ‘be holy… before Him in love‘
(Ephesians 1:4). ‘The holiness without which no one will see the Lord’
(Hebrews 12:14) is to be accompanied by the ‘love’ without which we are
‘nothing’ (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). The Lord has redeemed us: By His
grace, we shall ‘be holy… in love’ (19:33-37).
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