In Leviticus 22 the priests of Israel are again instructed as to “clean living.” But notice this important distinction, one which applies to us in the Age of Grace as well.
These men were already priests unto the Lord, and these stipulations did NOT qualify them for the priesthood. Rather these stipulations were to be followed … to insure fellowship with the Lord, much closer fellowship I might say.
They were priests by birth!
As we Christians are priests unto our Lord by new birth!
Hallelujah!
But they had to be careful not to mar their sweet, close communion with the Lord, their being able to draw near to Him again and again!
Thus … any leprous looking skin (a picture of unconfessed sin) or any touching of a filthy creeping insect or dead body (a picture of failing to abstain from the world) or a host of other prohibitions in the chapter … would bar/prohibit that priest from approaching God … until that sin had been atoned!
What a Lesson for us Believers today!
Sin dampens our sensitivity to the things of God!
Isaiah 59:1-2 at least illustrates this principle: “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but YOUR INIQUITIES have separated between you and your God, and YOUR SINS have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
And in the New Testament so does 1 John 1:7-9, I believe. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all SIN. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our SINS, he is faithful and just to forgive us our SINS, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
And Paul helps the Thessalonians to see this truth. “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
Wow!
Words to live by, indeed!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Yes, you can quench your fellowship with God, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:19 anyway.
God can be “hurt” by our careless (tainted) living, Ephesians 4:30. “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
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