The Shadow and the Body

The Shadow and the Body

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.”

In the old covenant all offerings and gifts were presented outside the body (Heb. 9), but they could not make those who served God, perfect according to their conscience. They were imposed until the time of restoration. Heb. 9:10. When Jesus came He said, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.” “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.’” He sacrificed His body to do God’s will, which means that He did not do His own will. John 6:38. In order to do this, He had to find the sacrifices in His body. Heb. 9:14. These sacrifices could take away sins—which the blood of bulls and goats could not do. That was impossible under the old covenant, but it has now become possible in the new covenant. “He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

We have been taken out for sanctification to be conformed to Jesus’ image, to be His brothers—that is, once we have submitted to this will and have thus become Jesus’ disciples. Rom. 8:28-29. “Because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died . . . .” Then we have given our body to God as a living, holy, and acceptable sacrifice, so that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died for us and rose again. 2 Cor. 5:15.

We do not have a High Priest who cannot have compassion with our weaknesses, but One who has been tried in all things as we are, yet without sin. The trials we have are a result of the sin that entered in through the fall, and that sin is covetousness. Then the law came and said, “You shall not covet.” Covetousness is something that is hidden; therefore the law was powerless. However, what the law could not do, God did when He sent His Son in the same flesh in which covetousness dwelt, so that the requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Rom. 8:3-4.

He did not suppress covetousness so as not to live according to it, but He put it to death. This death is called the “dying of Jesus,” which we must always bear in our body, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 2 Cor. 4:10-11. The sacrifices that were brought in the body could take away sin. That is the gospel, and we cannot partake of the gospel without obedience. Thus Jesus abolished the sacrifices that were required according to the law, and He established the doing of God’s will. He who lives according to the flesh shall die. In Hebrews 5:7-9 we read how He fought in the days of His flesh to be saved from death; and when He was made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him. Here we can see that no one can partake of the salvation with which Jesus came without obedience.

Jesus came not only with water for the forgiveness of sins as John did, but He came with water and blood; it is the Spirit who bears witness because the Spirit is truth. 1 John 5:6-11. “You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.” Heb. 12:4. Therefore they had not experienced any growth as believers. Ch. 5:11-14. In other words, they had not come to the testimony of the Spirit that they were children of God. Rom. 8:13-17.

The Bible uses the expression, “And if Christ is in you . . . .” (Rom. 8:10), and “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation.” “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest in the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh . . . .” Heb. 10:19-20. If we are to come to this boldness in the blood of Jesus, then the dying of Jesus must work in our body just as it did in Jesus’ body. Jesus has consecrated this way through the veil by obedience. When the Father gave Him light over sin in the flesh and condemned it, Jesus became a sacrifice; and He gives grace to everyone who wants to follow Him on this new and living way. Jesus is a guarantor of this better hope (so we can draw near to God), as well as for this salvation to the uttermost—because He ever lives to make intercession for us. Heb. 7:19-25.

Therefore Paul could testify and say, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” After he has enumerated a long list of the works of the flesh which are evident, he says, “Of which I told you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal. 5:16, 21.

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” Heb. 9:27-28.

This tells us that He came the first time to take away the sins of many. But when He comes the second time He will not come for the purpose of forgiving our sins, but to fetch those who have partaken of the salvation for which He came the first time, and are now eagerly awaiting Him.

God be praised for this heavenly calling, and for the abundant grace He gives so we can partake of this salvation. And God be praised that His wrath is not meant for those who through grace and obedience have partaken of His salvation. 1 Thess. 5:9.