Jesus Didn’t Die Only To Forgive You—He Gave You This Too

TODAY'S TEACHING

Therefore, believers, since we have confidence and full freedom to enter the Holy Place [the place where God dwells] by [means of] the blood of Jesus, by this new and living way which He initiated and opened for us through the veil [as in the Holy of Holies], that is, through His flesh,

 —Hebrews 10:19-20

I don’t think we always realize what Jesus actually opened for us. We say, “Jesus forgave me,” and thank God, He did. But forgiveness was not the whole package. It was the doorway.

When Jesus died, something happened in the temple that no human hand could have pulled off. Mark 15:37-38 says, “And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.” That veil was not some thin little curtain like the one hanging over a kitchen window. It was massive, heavy, and sacred.

And God tore it.

From top to bottom.

That matters.

Before Jesus, only the high priest could enter the most holy place, and even then, only once a year with blood. One man. One day. Carefully. Fearfully. The presence of the Lord was not treated casually because sin and holiness do not mix without judgment showing up.

I remember hearing about a man who grew up thinking God was always slightly irritated with him. He prayed, but carefully, like he was knocking on the door of someone who might not want company. Then one night, sitting on the edge of his bed with a Bible open and laundry piled in the chair beside him, he read Hebrews and realized Jesus had not just forgiven his sins. He had made a way for him to come close.

He said he cried because for the first time, he understood he was not sneaking into God’s presence.

He was invited.

That’s what the Cross and Resurrection did. Jesus did not die so we could stand at a distance and admire God from the hallway. He died so we could come near, cleansed, covered, welcomed, and wanted.

As today's scripture says, with boldness we can enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way. Boldness. Not arrogance. Not carelessness. But confidence because the blood of Jesus did what our effort never could.

Still, I think many Christians live like the veil is still hanging there. Forgiven, yes, but hesitant. Saved, yes, but distant. Talking to God like we are bothering Him instead of approaching the Father who wanted fellowship with us from the beginning.

That gets me.

Because Jesus paid too high a price for us to live like spiritual outsiders.

The world still pulls at us. Distractions still dull us. Sin still clouds our hearing when we start drifting into old patterns. But the answer is not to run away from God until we feel cleaned up enough. The answer is to come back through the access Jesus already gave us.

You don’t have to earn your way into God’s presence today.

You don’t have to stand outside wondering if He’ll receive you.

If you belong to Jesus, the way is open.

So come near. Pray honestly. Worship freely. Sit with Him without performing. Jesus didn’t die only to forgive you. He gave you access to the Father, and that means you can live close to the Lord today, not someday when you finally feel worthy.

If this resonates with you, here's a short prayer you can say today:

"Dear God, I’ve lived too many moments like You were far away, like I had to clean myself up before coming close, and I know that’s not what Jesus died to give me. Thank You for forgiving me, but thank You also for opening the way into Your presence. Help me stop acting like the veil is still there when You already tore it down. Teach me to come near with faith, not fear. Amen."

God bless you! 

Your brother in Christ,

Daniel
Daily Effective Prayer

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