Multitudes have a meagre view of the plan of salvation, its goals, and its methods of operation. Let me illustrate. Suppose a wealthy philanthropist conceives a plan to help people who have broken the law. One project he sets up is a large fund to pay for traffic violations. Anyone convicted in the courts can appeal to the agent of the fund, who will pay the fine. Notice that he does not set aside the law, but while recognising its authority, he provides a way to meet its penalty.
Let’s watch the plan in operation. The state police stop a man driving ninety miles an hour and bring him into court. The judge lectures the offender and imposes a stiff fine. The speeder turns his ticket over to the agent of the philanthropic fund, the agent pays off, and the man goes free. As the “good news” gets out, more and more speeders gratefully avail themselves of the millionaire’s provision. This is about all that multitudes see at Calvary—Somebody has paid off, thus they don’t have to pay. They are “free from the law.”
Back to our illustration. We visit the court again, and a state trooper brings in a traffic violator charged with driving one hundred miles an hour. The judge asks, “Aren’t you the man who was in here last week for doing ninety?” “Yes, Your Honor.” “I shall double your fine,” the judge says. Again the agent for the fund pays off, and more “good news” spreads.
Now tell me, if the millionaire keeps paying for all the speeders who appeal to him, what is he doing to the law? Of course, making a mockery of it! If the judge continues to accept that program, is he not making the law of no effect? Someone might say, “The fines are all paid.” But the purpose of a penalty is to enforce the law so that people will stop breaking it. If Christ’s death were to pay for my sins so that I could keep sinning, then He would be an accomplice to my sin. If God as Judge would accept that, He would be annulling His own law. But neither Jesus nor His Father are in any such business. That is why the blood is sprinkled in three places.
The slaying of the sacrifice took place in the court. Here the penalty was paid in full for everyone—those who lived before the cross and those who have lived afterward. Christ died for all men. Why? So everyone can have the opportunity to repent, receive forgiveness, and be saved. Sin is so heinous that men can’t even have the opportunity for salvation unless Jesus pays in full for their transgressions.
But Justice cannot accept that offering unless Christ promises to do more than give them a second chance. And here we come to another part of the plan of salvation represented by the blood sprinkled in the holy place. Justice says that the blood cannot be applied to anyone’s debt unless and until he surrenders his sin. You notice that in the illustration the judge did not say to the generous millionaire, “Unless the accused is willing to quit his speeding, I will not accept your payment. Instead, I will put him in jail.” That is what he ought to say, isn’t it? That is what justice demands.
And that is what God requires, and He does so for the peace and order of the universe. Every time a speeder races down the highway he endangers the lives of hundreds of people. His example teaches disrespect of law, leading others to break it. The law must be upheld. us, Justice has something to say before the atoning blood can be applied to the sinner’s record in the books of heaven. Justice asks, “Has this sinner repented? Is he sorry for the sins that he has acknowledged, sorry enough to give them up?” If so, Justice concurs with Mercy, and the blood is sprinkled in the holy place to cover the sins.
“Praise the Lord,” the penitent exclaims, “I am free! The Sinless One has taken my place and suffered my death. He has removed my transgressions to the temple above, and there He intercedes for me.”
But why is it necessary to sprinkle the blood in the most holy place? Justice demands that the final forgiveness of sin must wait until the man who has begun to quit sin is completely finished with it. Someone may say, “I don’t like to be on probation. I want everything settled forever right now!” Everything is settled as long as you stay under Jesus. But what will happen to sins that have been transferred to the sanctuary through the blood of forgiveness in cases where people don’t continue with Christ until their transgressions are blotted out? All their sins will return upon them.
Some people dislike this doctrine. They say that since Jesus died on the cross for everybody, everybody is saved and merely needs to hear the good news. “Come to the altar and confess Christ, believe that He died for you, and it is all settled—settled for eternity,” they insist. “Now of course it would show your appreciation of His love if you would keep His precepts, but that has nothing to do with your salvation. You have been saved. And once saved, always saved. You can know you have eternal life right now and cannot lose it, because Jesus died in your place.”
However, the sprinkled blood on the mercy seat tells us that no man’s sins are finally pardoned and blotted out until they are out of his life. Somebody says, “That looks hard!” But think it through. Which sins would you like to have Christ overlook and take to heaven?
Would you want a person smoking under the tree of life? How about allowing someone to get drunk every Saturday night? Unthinkable, isn’t it—people staggering down the golden streets? “Oh,” you say, “nothing like that will ever happen!” Tell me, then, when are people going to quit smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol—on the trip to heaven?
We expect people to quit some things down here in this world. Can a robber be saved? Yes. The thief on the cross was saved. He quit stealing, didn’t he? True, his experience didn’t last very long, but it lasted all the rest of his life! For (don’t miss this) sin is not so much an act as an attitude of rebellion. Our rebellion must be cured before Christ can blot out the record of our transgressions in heaven’s books.
A person may avoid some outward sins because he doesn’t want to suffer the consequences or because he desires others to think well of him. But all that doesn’t give him a place in heaven. The selfish heart will always find something to rebel about. So the Scriptures say that to offend in one point is to be guilty of all. He who wilfully transgresses one commandment shows he would break all ten if he wanted to. His attitude is rebellion.
Someone asks, “What about it when I fail again and again?” That is why the blood has not been sprinkled yet in the most holy place. With all my faults and failures I can come again and again and ask God to forgive me, and He will sprinkle His blood to cover me. But someday He will sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat, and the sanctuary will close. He does not intend this to scare me into obedience. Jesus will wait till the last one has come with his burden of sin. Don’t think He will get impatient and say, “I have waited long enough.” The fact that He has tarried so long shows that He would wait forever if it would do any good.
The reason that He finally makes the atonement on the mercy seat, blots out the sins of His people, and puts the sins that haven’t been overcome back on those who continue with them is that the righteous have reached the point where they will remain righteous forever. But he who is filthy has reached the point where he will continue filthy still. Because the saints have parted with their sins forever and the sinners have no desire for cleansing, probation closes. Then comes the period of demonstration, the great time of trouble. God’s children reveal the power of His grace by loyally obeying even to the point of threatened death. The wicked exhibit their rebellion, finally attempting to murder every saint. Then the whole universe will say, “Enough!” Christ will come to destroy the impenitent and take His people home. R&R WDF
