More Than a Door

If you come here from Studylight.org and you have been following the discussion titled the same as this post, then this will be a repeat for you. I'm sorry. However, I have noticed how many do not seem to understand the difference between sanctification and justification, a topic I have studied for more than five years now, off and on.

I won't post the whole discussion, and I'll only post my part of it.

More than a Door...

Well, it is tempting to say, 'If you don't move away from the door, other people can't get in!' But, that isn't the case because the Cross is not the door. Jesus is the door. Joh 10:7 Then Jesus again said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you that I am the door of the sheep. Joh 10:8 All who came before Me are thieves and plunderers, but the sheep did not hear them. Joh 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in, and will go out, and will find pasture.

The key here is that Jesus was not the door before He rose from the dead. Matthew 27:51 And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared, Mat 27:52 and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose, Mat 27:53 and coming out of the tomb after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. Rom 4:25 God gave Jesus to die for our sins, and he raised him to life, so that we would be made acceptable to God. The point is that Jesus is the perfect sacrifice, but that was to satisfy the Law. When God raised Jesus from the dead, that is when we moved from the Law (which had no strength to change a person’ s character or heart) to Grace (which is a higher standard of living). Do not confuse entrance into God's physical presence with relationship. Jesus became the Door into the Father's presence when He rose from the dead. When Jesus died on the cross, the first part of God's plan was fulfilled. Payment. When Jesus rose from the dead, the second part of God's plan was fulfilled. The sting of sin AND death were plucked and were no longer a threat to the believers in Jesus and what He did. 1 Corinthians 15 Through Jesus, the OT saints were escorted into the Throne Room of Heaven. Before Jesus rose from the dead, there were no human souls in the Father's presence. They were in Paradise, to be sure. They were with Abraham and all other OT saints. Luke 16 When Jesus rose from the dead, He lead Captivity Captive, opened the Door to Heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Those who's graves were opened and walked the earth AFTER Jesus's resurrection, went with Him to Heaven into the Presence of God. He was the Door, He is the Door and He will be our Door. He is the great I AM.

They were not free to go into God's presence the second Jesus died on the cross. The Father did not invite them to come into Heaven before Jesus got there. Jesus brought them into the Father's presence. No one could go into His presence until they had been changed as Jesus was changed into His glorified body. He was the first fruits of the resurrection. No one was changed until He was. No one ever had a glorfied body before Jesus did. 1Co 15:50 And I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood is not able to inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 1Co 15:51 Behold, I speak a mystery to you: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed. There is still a mystery surrounding that.

Oh, not what the glorified body can do. We'll eat and drink and think and be there. No beaming up, Scotty, but we'll be instantly transported. And we won't look the same as we do here. No one recognized Jesus until He spoke or told them who He was. It is an exciting thing to look forward to, eh? Paul goes on to say, 1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1Co 15:54 But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the Word that has been written, "Death was swallowed up in victory." Isa. 25:8 Isa 25:7 And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering which covers all people, and the veil that is woven over all nations. Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory! And the Lord Jehovah will wipe away tears from all faces. And He shall reprove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for Jehovah has spoken. Yes, the veil was rent in twain, but death still held reign until Jesus rose from the dead.

That is the second part of the whole plan. Jesus had to be raised. The same power that raised Jesus, saved us from God's wrath. That same power, thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen and Amen. If Jesus had never been raised from the dead, our sins would have been paid for, but we would still be constricted and restricted by the Law. The power of the law is weak and it doesn't change hearts as Jesus does. Only Jesus' resurrection brought victory over sin AND death. See?

The ripping of the veil is not the invitation from God into Heaven. The ripping of the veil is physical. It was a Spiritual symbol in a physical manifestation, a physical sign to humans that we have direct access to God. But more directly, it was a destruction of the Jewish worship and ceremonial practices. It was a signal that the Shechinah was no longer in the Temple. Look at Zech 11:10 & 12 and Hosea 5:14.