Keep the Veil Ripped by Roberts Liardon

By Roberts Liardon

Keep the Veil Ripped


by Roberts Liardon


 


             


 "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the did rent;"  (Matt. 27:51)


 


We are all familiar with the veil that hung in the Old Testament temple as a separation between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.  The veil of separation alienated man from the very presence of God.  Why was there a veil?  It was there because the Old Testament person could not stand in the glory of God.  Only the High Priest could enter beyond the veil and he could only do it once a year.  The High Priest would go through rites of cleansing and purification as he prepared himself to enter into the holy of holies.  This day on the Jewish calendar was the most important day of the year as the High Priest offered sacrifices on behalf of the Jewish people. 

 

The Most Holy Place was the place where one man had access to the glory of God.  That one man had to prepare himself in a very special way as he entered into this holy place.  If not, he would die.  When Christ died that veil was rent in two symbolizing that there is now free and total access into the presence of God for all irregardless of their condition.  No longer are there secret processes for a single man to get into the glory. 

 

I realized something that when I taught about being in the glory and being in the Spirit, that there was something that I missed in my teaching.  As preachers we often give the impression that in order to be in the Spirit and to experience the glory, we must discover the secret staircase to the presence of God.  We give the impression that the glory of God is for only certain people who have reached that special place and they are the ones that hold the keys.  Through our preaching we have made it a difficult process for people to experience God.  Some of this we get from the Catholic mystics.  In Madame Guyon's writing on experiencing the presence of God she lays out a whole process that one has to go through in order to experience God in the way that she has.  


 


The veil is ripped

 

We forget that Christ solved the glory issue for the whole human race, once and for all.  There is no secret passageway into the throne room reserved only for those who have resolved the maze.  This is Old Testament theology and does not belong on this side of the cross.  In the Old Testament only the High Pries could go beyond the veil and enter into the presence of God.  Also, in the Old Testament only a very few people ever got the anointing or had the Spirit come upon them as we know it today. 


As we step over the threshold into the New Testament we discover that the veil is torn and that all now have access to the presence of God.  In Christ the ways of the Old Testament have been cancelled.  In his letter to the church in Galatia Paul tells them, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  For we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:15)  This is good news for all men and women.  Paul is saying that when faith has come through Christ, then we are released from being taught by the law of the schoolmaster.  The theology of the Old Testament is removed and replaced with a new theology and a new way of entrance into the glory of God.  The theology of Moses is replaced with the Gospel of Christ. Law is replaced with grace, made possible through faith.  Christ fulfilled all of these things and destroyed the power of judgment and law for us. 

 

Christ has taken care of the law and the prophets and the judgments - wiped them out as He fulfilled them in Himself.  He has declared, "You'll not hurt my kids or my people any more."  The ministry of Jesus has removed the chastisement due you-a sharp, harsh discipline, a rebuke, a scorching. The prophet Isaiah prophetically saw this as he wrote, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isa. 53:5)  I can hear people saying that chastisement makes me a son?  This chastisement is not a punishment for our sins.  It is really a part of our training.  The experiences of life are making us into sons.  To view it in any other way is to resurrect an image of the bad God. 

 

Christ is the only one that has taken that punishment and through Him we have been delivered from the chastisement of harsh and strong disciplinary scorching.  He did that for you.  Jesus and the Father will never deal with us in harshness and anger with strong harsh rebukes.  Isaiah reminds us that Christ has dealt with the penalty of sin.  Now access is granted to us into the loving presence of God.  He has replaced chastisement for peace.  We now have peace with God as the Apostle Paul declared. 

 

So let it go.  Quit hanging onto the rod and the pain of punishment.  Let Christ's life work for you and work with the Father as his friend in a loving relationship. 

 

The veil is torn and now you have free access to God.  You are free to get in.  That veil was ripped from the top to the bottom.  It was ripped once and for all so that you have access to the most intimate part of the Father.  It has been ripped so that whatever Kathryn Kuhlman you can have.  Her friendship with the Father and her relationship with the Holy Spirit; is available to you.   God does not have favorites.  You have the same access to the Father's heart as anyone of your spiritual heroes. 

 

There are no seven secret steps to the Spirit of the Lord.  There's only one.  It is through the ripped veil. If the veil is ripped then we need to get rid of this spiritual paranoia and the heavy-duty emphasis on works.  Let's cross over the veil into God's open arms.  The only requirement for access comes from the writings of James.  "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you."   (James 4:8)  If you want to experience what Paul and Peter and John and Kathryn Kuhlman and Smith Wigglesworth and others have experienced then draw near.  Don't let bad theology keep your from entering in.  The only requirement I have is to draw nigh which means I have to approach.  I have to take my first step and go forward. 


 


Needle and thread and tollbooths

 

Now how do you go forward?  Here's the problem.  The veil was ripped but before you know it we get out our needle and thread and start sewing it back.  Christ split the veil and then religion and people start sewing it up.  Here comes the needle and thread.  "You can't go into the Holy of Holies because you've not prayed for fourteen thousand hours."  "You can't go in there because you're divorced."  "You can't go in there because you're not a real born-again person yet."  "You can't go in there because you smoke and drink."  "You can't go in there because you don't pray in tongues."  "You can't go in there…" 

 

That's not what the Word says.  Let every drinker get in there.  Let every crazy person get in there.  Let every human being with all their 'worries and woes' get inside of that glory of the Lord and let that healing power of God can change your life.  You don't change so that you can get in.  You get in so that you can change. 

 

 Religion has set up a tollbooth on your way to God and you can't pass unless you pay the price.  We have alienated and isolated people so that they cannot get in.  Jesus responded to this attitude when He told the Pharisees, "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in."  (Matt. 23:13)  Religion has kept millions of people throughout church history from what Christ did for them when He split the veil. 

 

A way is open for all no mater who you are or what you have done.  Good, bad and ugly.  Everybody come on in for there is a place for you.  Put away your needle and thread. Tear down those tollbooths.  Stop trying to do what Christ has already done for you.  And go straight to Him.  Walk straight through the crowd of those who say you can't go in.  .  Come to God in spite of all the red requirements of religion.  Your life will not be changed by needle and thread or the religious tollbooths.   The veil was ripped for you.  All you have to do is draw nigh to God.  Get close to Him.  Right now take that step and you will see the glory of God.  

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