Inner Sanctuary

Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.

—Hebrews 6:16-19 NLT

Hope in Jesus is an anchor for our souls. His hope leads, through that Old Testament curtain that has held us back from inner communion with His Spirit, into the intimacy of His presence. Once held in bondage to sin, we now cross from death to life because of His act of the ultimate forgiveness—His life paid as a ransom for our sin. With that one payment, He became the perfect sacrifice that would defeat sin forever and set us free. His gift at Calvary not only fulfilled the law; He set us free from the failure of never being good enough to live up to all of its precepts. His forgiveness empowers us to walk in newness of life in communion with His Spirit. “Christ has truly set us free,” Paul wrote. “Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Galatians 5:1 NLT). Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, has paid the price. His love calls for our repentance, and with that repentance we are set free to soar in His grace.

Do you struggle to pass from the bondage of sin to life? Do you struggle to be “good enough” to enter His presence?  Condemnation that your sin brings keeps you from that inner sanctuary. His conviction draws you toward freedom. He wants to set you free from sin’s control and judgment. There is nothing you can do to earn His forgiveness. “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant” (Romans 5:20 NLT). God’s law revealed our sin, but His love has paid our ransom. When you come to Him repenting of sin, you receive His mercy to cleanse and the power of His grace to walk away from that which has claimed your life. God has promised freedom through the love of His Son, and He has given His oath. He will not change His mind, because He is unchanging. He never lies. He speaks truth.

The love of the Savior has accomplished your freedom, but, perhaps, you are trying to earn His forgiveness. Perhaps you don’t realize that your ransom has been paid, and the bars to your prison are just waiting to open. Are you ready for His freedom? Turn from what has claimed your life, and accept His promise of new life. Leave the old behind, and take the hand of the Savior who leads you, from death to life, straight into the inner sanctuary of His presence.

© 2017 Lynn Lacher

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