The Torn Veil

Now, a person’s Last Will and Testament is not actuated as long as that person is alive. It only comes into effect upon the person’s death. Jesus’ New Testament, The New Testament of His blood, came into force at His death. Upon His human death, Jesus became our High Priest, the only one who had full access to God. He was both the High Priest offering the Sacrifice, as well as being the Perfect Sacrifice for Sin. The Sacrifice was no longer a temporary, symbolic animal sacrifice, but the permanent sacrifice for all time and for all people, the sacrifice that paid our sin debt.

All this happened in those same few moments. Matthew records the testimony of the centurion and those guarding the crucifixion site as, “Surely he was the Son of God.” This crucifixion had been centuries in the making, a critical event in God’s Plan of Salvation. When Jesus declared “It is finished”, and gave up His spirit, God put a major exclamation point on this event when He immediately tore the veil.

With our sin debt paid, we now have full access to the Father through Jesus. Using my previous military example, the Admiral’s door was still only accessible through the Executive Officer, Jesus, who now holds open that once impenetrable door, inviting us in. The physical Temple Veil was no longer needed, and God wasted no time in removing it. But woe to those who tried to enter through any other door, or without the approval of the Executive Officer.

Because of our sin, we don’t deserve such access, but God created us to be in relationship with Him. To live in His presence. He created us to live in a world of harmony for our benefit. But humankind’s sin necessitated that barrier separating our sinful nature from the presence of His holiness. But as a God whose nature is Love, His Plan of Salvation was to offer us a way to reconcile us to Himself, a way to eliminate that Veil of Separation. And that plan finally came together when Jesus died, when the Veil was no longer needed.

Our access to God even allows us a stronger relationship with God. John Wesley felt that there were four aspects to such a relationship. Relationship with God is our responding to Him and Him responding to us. Secondly, relationship with God means also having relationship with others, encouraging each other on to love and good deeds, continuing to meet, together, in worship and fellowship. Thirdly, relationship with God is also in seeing Nature and others working around us and with us. God created us as part of His creation, meant to be working together harmoniously as God’s creations. Just as the Hebrew word Shalom is more than peace, it’s the mind, body, and spirit working together in harmony that knows His peace, relationship with God is working harmoniously with each other and with Nature, allowing us to see God working in us, for us, around us. The fourth aspect of Wesley’s aspects to relationship is seeing ourselves in working together with God, nourished by being in His Presence. Access to God means having this full relationship with Him.