Hi . . .,

Thanks for sending me the copy of what you wrote to . . .   I think it’s a good answer. However, I note that you included what appears to be a quote regarding the sanctuary gospel message. That statement sets out clearly the Protestant view of salvation, but it is NOT based on the ceremonies of the sanctuary. Here are the words you quoted:

• This doctrine is found in the sanctuary service (a picture of the plan of salvation given to Israel).  In the morning and evening sacrifices there was no prerequisite for repentance on the part of Israel.  This was a picture of John 1:29, the sacrificial "lamb that taketh away the sin of the world"   Something must have been accomplished by this "Lamb" otherwise why not just let the sinner repent when he brings his lamb?   Could this be the true picture?  Where we see (John 3.16),  the sacrifice is provided without any human effort or action, and  then   we see the sinner responding by faith because he  "beheld" the lamb paying the price the sinner deserves.  He then brings his lamb as a personal response to what has already been accomplished.  His response does not accomplish or even establish the gift which is already given, but evidences the individuals faith, repentance and new birth because of the death of the lamb. Here is the secret of success in the Christians experience. He beheld the lamb slain!

There are many who think that the daily lamb sacrifice covers the sins of the people, but it does not.

They (or it, because one was burnt after the other), were "whole burnt sacrifices" as described in Leviticus chapter 1 in which ALL was burnt. These depicted the continual (24 hour) dedication, first of all of Christ, and then of the believer who thought on them. They had nothing whatsoever to do with sin offerings! When the MALE lamb was placed on the altar there was also a "meal (meat) offering" of fine flour, oil and incense associated with it. In another place this is mentioned: "And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering". Numbers 29:28.

In the quote above it is written, "Something must have been accomplished by this "Lamb" otherwise why not just let the sinner repent when he brings his lamb?" What was accomplished was the morning and evening dedication of his new life and goods, and the recognition that Christ had done the same.

Did you notice in the text from Numbers that a GOAT is mentioned as a sin offering? That’s because a lamb was NOT normally used as a sin offering in the sanctuary. Contrary to what many have thought, it was GOAT, and a FEMALE one at that, which was used in a sin transfer offering!

Leviticus 4:27-31

There is mention of a lamb in the next verse if he cannot get a goat, but it is still to be a female, therefore it does not represent the Son of God. "And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish". Leviticus 4:32. Whether goat or sheep, "female" represents the offerer as the "wife" of Christ. It is a male goat that represents Christ. By offering a female the penitent is recognising that he deserves to die but the Son of God has saved him from that fate.

Another point we should note is that each confession (the laying of the hand on the head of the sacrifice) had to be of a specific action. It was NOT sufficient to say "Lord, I’m a sinner" for that describes a "state of being". What was required here was a heartfelt abhorrence of the action that the person had been doing.

{Steps to Christ 38.1}

True confession is always of a specific character, and acknowledges particular sins. They may be of such a nature as to be brought before God only; they may be wrongs that should be confessed to individuals who have suffered injury through them; or they may be of a public character, and should then be as publicly confessed. But all confession should be definite and to the point, acknowledging the very sins of which you are guilty.

Rather than being burnt on the altar, the body of a sin offering was EATEN by the priest to show that the sin which it now contained had passed to him as the representative of the Son of God.

Leviticus 6:

In certain circumstances, such as the GOAT used in the Day of Atonement ceremony of cleansing, the body was burnt OUTSIDE the camp. "And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung". Leviticus 16:27.

Why a goat in preference to a lamb? A lamb is easily led (in comparison to a goat) and prefers to be with a group, a flock. But a goat is independent and often "ornery" and prefers to fossick on its own, therefore it is a fit emblem of a sinner who has gone away from God to "do his own thing".

So where in all this is the picture of the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world?

John 1:29

First, we need to agree that Christ has offered to be our Saviour, and for those who accept the gift and are reborn, He exchanges a portion of His life for their past life. That covers all the living that went on before.

Then day-by-day He forgives and cleanses them of any new transgressions which they repent of, and confess. It is written, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". 1 John 1:9. But this can only be done for those who are His children – not for those who stay with Satan in his rebellion.

So there are two things that need to be dealt with:

One is made up of a sinful nature, and the other is comprised of actions. Both are borne by the Son of God at different times and are treated differently in the plan of salvation. One is pictured by a lamb, and the other by a goat. We need to distinguish between them if we would be wise regarding God’s plan.

The LAMB is pictured by the Passover ritual, for it is written; ". . . Christ our passover is sacrificed for us". 1 Corinthians 5:7. By that ritual God shows how the Son of God comes into our lives and how the old life goes to Him to bear. We ingest one AFTER the other is removed. (See ALL of Exodus 12.)

Concerning those there is nothing in the Bible except the Passover ceremony. This was not performed in any part of the sanctuary originally (later the Jews incorporated it into one of their temple services), but it was meant to be held in the homes and tents of the people to show that conversion (rebirth) can take place anywhere a person desires it. But there is nothing in that service which shows the "natures" being transferred into the sanctuary (or out of it), even though we know that Christ bears them.

So what will happen to them on the real Day of Atonement?

He will still have them!

So not all the effects of sin had disappeared.

That body which He showed to Thomas is the same body He has today, and will have for eternity. Therefore retaining the "old" lives of His followers is not the same as carrying the results of the sins which they have committed in their "new" lives. Remember that there are two problems? He solves one by putting it on the head of Satan; He solves the other by keeping it within Himself. Because He is God He can do this, but it is like a cancer within Him. It can be contained, but not removed. It is "death" and cannot be released to pollute the universe again.

He is indeed our Saviour forever!

This has got rather long, but I believe it is important. We were raised up to explain the cleansing of the sanctuary to the world, and we cannot do that without first showing clearly how it gets polluted. If you would like more on this you could try this site.

For an in-depth, full on study, try this one,

http://www.oocities.org/weprotest.geo/Sanctuary/title_page.html#.

Conclusion:

The real Day of Atonement will deal with the deaths associated with the sins committed by Christians, but their past lives will be held forever by the Son of God as part of the deal He made with them regarding conversion. So when He appears the second time without sin, it is because He has been cleared of the deaths for actions of sin. This lifts a great load from Him, but He remains as our Saviour for all eternity.

In the love of Christ,

Ron