Ezekiel 42:14
When
the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into
the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister;
for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those
things which are for the people.
Albert Barnes says that "those things which are for the people"
is the outer court. There was a fit set of clothing for the priest's ministry
before the Lord and something else that was fit for ministry among the people. Every
Christian is a New Testament priest. We ought to conduct ourselves accordingly.
We ought to view ourselves as different, unique, and particular in the world
and recognize the responsibilities associated with that. We ought to "walk
worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called."[1]
It's not legalism, it's not elitism; it is purely Biblicism. God's people are
to be different than this world. When we come to meet with God, we ought to
dress appropriately, dress differently than we do when we are about our other
business.
I am interested in this phrase,
"those things which are for the
people." The Temple had been designed (and remember its
fashion was to mimic the pattern of heavenly things) with a space provided “for the people”. It was a facility
built for the worship of God, but God had provided in it, "for the people".
It would be good for us to
remember that Christ built His church both for His glory and for the sake of
people. That especially means those outside of the Christian faith. He has
designed worship, designed the church, as a means to reach and minister to the
people who are outside of the church.
Only the priests entered the
Holy place, but God made a place for the rest of the people too. Only we who
are Christians have a mansion prepared for us in heaven, but right now we have
the opportunity, even the duty, to minister to and extend the invitation to the
people outside to come join us.
Every church service should be
structured in such a way that it offers believers opportunities to worship and
others opportunities to come to Jesus Christ.
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