“For we are the temple of the living God…”
2 Corinthians 6:16

Such incredible care was taken in the preparation, ordination and consecration of Aaron, his sons, and the altar for their use in the sacrificial ministry. These processes included washing procedures, proper clothes, the acceptable characteristics of the animals used, and how each of the animal’s inner parts were to be offered. These procedures and processes had to be followed perfectly when ministering in the tent of meeting. Once consecrated, the altar was most holy. Anything used in connection with the altar, whatever touched the altar, was holy and consecrated for use only on the altar. Consecrated holy things must not be used in common ways. They must be handled with reverence and care. The knife used to cut apart the ram must not be used to prepare a meal. The knife of the altar may only be used at the altar. Treating holy things as common or despising the procedures given for the altar were met with swift judgment without mercy–as Aaron’s sons discovered.

That was then. But what now–what of myself under the new and better covenant which has now been established through the superior sacrifice of Christ Himself, made once for all by His own blood? By Christ’s blood I have been made holy. Just as the implements of the altar were, I have been set apart for Christ alone–no longer given for common use. So by what process, by which procedures am I to keep myself for use only at the altar of Christ, and not defile myself by common use?

For Aaron it was clear what he was to do, and not to do. Implements used in the sacrifices were left with the altar. He did not tuck the sacrificial knife into his belt and pull it out later to cut into a roast. I, however, have no physical altar to respect. Rather, by the Holy Spirit my whole heart, even my entire body has been made the altar, and the offering includes every facet of my life–not just my religious activities. Yet maintaining holiness, separateness, and devotion to the Lord is no less necessary now than it was then. Respecting the holiness of God and upholding the sanctification of His possessions (in this case myself) is no less sobering then it was for Aaron. However, a new way of being holy, being separate, and being devoted is required.

For example, if I attempt to be holy by trying to define which things may be handled and which things may not, or which things may be eaten and which things may not, or which activities may be participated in and which may not I will surely miss the way of holiness in Christ. No doubt pursuing holiness does often include such decisions and restrictions but it does not consist in them. A massive change takes place in the new covenant. The Holy Spirit changed me from sinner to set apart one (saint). But this does not mean that I have suddenly become segregated from a list of common things. Rather, by this inward change, all outward things changed too. Not only have I been made new, but all things, to me, have been made new as well. What I once may have considered common–eating and drinking, working, hanging out with friends, reading, entertainment–all these things have been made new to me in Christ. In all things I am engaged in spiritual, holy work as unto the Lord. When I am with friends, I am an emissary, an ambassador of Christ. When I eat, I am delighting in God’s good care. When I sleep, I rest in Christ. There is nothing common for the Christian. All is made holy and I am called to glorify Christ in all. I must rid myself of illusionary distinctions and false dichotomies. There is no activity under the sun that has not been appointed for me as a holy activity, a ministry at the altar, an offering made out from the overflowing grace of God.

Lord, forgive me when I consider my days mundane. There is no day, no activity, no toil, and no task exempt from the spiritual service of worship you’ve called me to in Christ. All are ordained by your hand and I am bound to honor you in and delight myself in all things for your sake. Help me to be holy, to treat all things with reverence and awe because all things are made by your hand and exist for your great glory. Amen.

But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.”

Genesis 9:15-16

What a marvelous thing that God counts sinners as righteous based not on their own righteousness, but on the righteousness of another. Because Christ is truly and thoroughly righteous and because he took my place under God’s just wrath, an unrighteous one like me has been declared righteous. Jesus fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law and He satisfied all divine justice for me. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to me, that is, given directly, entirely, instantly and completely to me as a free gift. I am declared, counted, and credited as righteous because of Jesus.

The wonderful gift of righteousness is a gift of grace. It’s given for my righteousness, not because of it. There is no righteousness in me that prompts or merits this gift. And the gift is complete, because it was finished through Christ death’s on the cross. It is not a seed of righteousness, or a boost for gaining righteousness. Any good deeds I may do in Christ do not contribute anything to the righteousness of Christ that has been imputed to me through faith. Yet upon this competed and imputed righteousness, the Lord does begin to transform my character so that degrees of observable righteousness become evident in my daily life. It is the outworking, permeating effect of established righteousness that transforms my life. And this outworking itself is a gift of God’s grace empowered by the Holy Spirit.

While Christ’s righteousness is given instantly, its permeating effects develop slowly into observable, experiential righteousness. There is therefore a massive gulf between the delightful, complete righteousness of Christ, and the small, small righteousness that is actually observable in my life on any given day. An inner groaning persists in view of the depth and breadth of this gulf. I must face many failures of righteousness throughout my days. In view of this gulf the story of Lot is an encouragement.

When the Lord revealed his plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham pleaded to spare Sodom for the sake of a mere ten righteous people, if they could be found. But they came up nine short, only righteous Lot was found. Lot was the only one counted as a righteous in Sodom.

The Apostle Peter in his second epistle calls Lot “Righteous Lot.” He describes his righteous soul as being tormented by the gross immorality of Sodom. Lot did have an observable measure of personal righteousness in as much as he hatred the immorality of Sodom. But when you examine the story of Lot, observable righteousness is significantly lacking. Rather massive failures stand out strikingly.

I suspect that one reason Lot was in Sodom in the first place resulted from selfishness. When Abraham decided it would be better if he and Lot parted ways he offered Lot the choice of which direction to go. Lot had been greatly blessed having been taken along by Abraham. Here was a perfect opportunity to humbly thank him. For when he looked and saw that one direction seemed significantly more desirable than the other – he could have given the better place to Abraham, but he chose the good land for himself – not exactly the most gracious, generous act in the Bible.

Now when Lot saw the angelic travelers come into Sodom he immediately offered them hospitality – in which we see another observable measure of righteousness. But soon, when the men of the city come to molest the travelers, Lot offers his own daughters in place of his guests. Oiy! I do not want to be guilty, as a fellow sinner, of casting stones at Lot. But dang! Such a solution hardly seems a commendable example of righteousness.

From certain details in the story of Lot, it seems to me that he lacked respect from some people who ought to have respected and honored him. It can’t be absolutely determined from the text why Lot was so disrespected, but I get the sense that Lot was to some degree responsible for the dishonor he received. For example, the angels tell Lot to gather his family and take them out of the city. But when Lot appeals to his two future sons-in-law, they disregard him, thinking that he’s joking. I would expect these men to honor their future father-in-law. Instead they dismiss him flippantly. For me, this apparent lack of honor calls into question the observable measure of righteousness between Lot and his sons-in-law. I think it’s possible that their lack of respect was due, at least in part, to an observable lack of righteousness in Lot’s character.

Finally, at the deciding moment, as the angels were about to start destroying the city, they gave Lot the final word – “Go now!” And Lot hesitates. I can just imagine the angel’s looking at each other shaking their heads thinking, “can you believe this guy?” And Lot doesn’t snap out of it and come through in the end. He’s stupefied. The angels finally have to grab him by the hand and literally pull him out of the city.

I’m encouraged by the story of Lot not because I think I can look down on him to think “well, at least I’m not as bad as Lot.” God forbid! Rather I am encouraged because I know that I face many opportunities for faith in which I hesitate, or worse turn the other way. Yet I am counted as righteous in Christ, just as wavering Lot is counted righteous in Sodom.

I thank God for heroes in the Bible: David against Goliath, Gideon and his 300 men, the Apostles boldness in the face of persecution. But I am also deeply thankful that God’s Word also contains flawed and thickheaded saints like Lot, Jonah, and Thomas. Lot the hesitant is counted as righteous! And why is he counted righteous? Because, as it says in verse 16 “…for the compassion of the Lord was upon him…” Truly it is great compassion that has such longsuffering, unearned mercy upon those such as Lot, and me. What mercy! And this mercy is grounded in something else for which I am so thankful. God’s compassion upon Lot was not random compassion. No, it was based on the most concrete reality in the universe – God’s promises. Lot did not receive compassion because he was already righteous. He received compassion because God remembered Abraham (Gen. 19:29). God’s awesome promise to Abraham extended to Lot and thus Lot was counted as righteous because of Abraham. He received compassion not for his own righteousness, but by the gracious promise of God to Abraham. And this promise was ultimately the promise of Christ our Savior. Christ is the fulfillment of all God’s promises and because of Jesus – I stand under the unfailing compassion, mercy, and kindness of God – I stand counted righteous in Christ.

And now my spirit can pray like Lot…

“Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life…” Amen.

Zechariah 3:4

Jesus is not satisfied only to remove our filthy garments. Scouring out our deeply set stains of sin was indeed costly; it required a cross to purify, and wash us clean. Yet the removal of sin is not the final end, rather it is but the beginning of Jesus’ work. He washed us from our sins so that He could clothe us with festal robes! Jesus intends to present us to Himself in gloriously beautiful clothes. These new clothes are not simply clean versions of the same kind as our old clothes. They’re not simply clean clothes, but special festal robes. Only language used to describe the ultimate in human celebration is fit to describe the garments that Jesus will clothe us with. They are wedding clothes. Bride’s clothes – close so singular in their beauty that to wear them in a menial context would be laughable. Jesus died to purchase, purify and present us to Himself in glorious clothes – designed to display glory and honor and delight Him as bridegroom.

In heaven we will be presented without spot or wrinkled or any such thing but holy. O how the Christian soul longs to be clothed, clothed – as it were – in a house not made by hands, eternal in heavens, swallowed up by life. Jesus however is not biding his time until that day. No, He is at work as a tailor or seamstress measuring, cutting, and stitching new clothes for us even now.

How often we are exhorted to clothe ourselves in the word. We are told to clothe ourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to put on righteousness. We are to put on new life. The process of getting dressed in these clothes has already begun. The process of being clothed in festal robes starts from the moment of our cleansing. Jesus did not cleanse us just so that we would put our old filthy clothes back on. We are to put off the old self, and put on the new.

When someone goes on a job interview, or on a date, they give careful consideration to what they wear. That in which they clothed themselves will give an impression to the one they go to see. They want to make a good impression. Should not the “clothes” that Christian’s wear be worn with the same intentionality, to make a good impression? Not our physical clothes (though they might matter in some small degree) but the clothes of Colossians 3:12-14… “And so, as those who have been chosen of God, Holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; Just as the Lord forgave you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ”

O my soul, wear such clothes as these; wear them first because the lover of your soul has cleansed you and given them to you because He wants to present you to Himself in glorious raiment. Wear them also to show forth His glory – making a good impression – to the world, reflecting the greatness and majesty of the Lord.