“HE is a propitiation.” (1 John 2:2.) The thought is not necessarily of bearing sin here; it is rather the thought of blood upon the mercy-seat: bearing sin was the scapegoat. Both, of course, present Christ in different aspects. The mercy-seat is essentially the judgment-seat, where God sits in righteousness, till the blood is put there. Dealing with respect to where we are, and bringing up to God are two very different things. When the blood is there I go up. Favor towards persons in grace, another thing quite from bringing them in by blood. The throne is one of judgment first; it is mercy or favor through righteousness. Socinians might say one thing, they would never say the other.
Our coming to Christ for every sin is the brazen altar. Brass is judgment of sin according to man’s responsibility; so we read of Christ’s feet being like unto fine brass, when He walks in the midst of the candlesticks. Gold is generally God in divine righteousness―judging of everything according to the divine presence; so Christ was “gold tried in the fire.” We have full atonement on the golden mercy-seat. The gospel brings down to us what Christ’s work did. When we have received it, and know our places as priests, we go in.
Reconciliation must be according to God’s character, in its aspect towards man who was to be brought back. Propitiation the aspect to God-ward. (Romans 3:25.) We make a difference between Christ going within the wail to present His blood, and its being rent for us to go in. Then I get resurrection. Our responsibility is according to the place we are in, in every variety of relationship―wife, child, servant, etc. The believer is responsible for another thing altogether, he is called to be an imitator of God. Of course, man’s responsibility is as a sinner, ―if Gentile; as a law-breaker, if Israelite. The cross meets all. Justified by blood, we are forgiven, and thus responsible to Him down here. Resurrection was limited to earth; ascension was needed to lead into heaven.
The existence of the temple is ignored in Hebrews, only the tabernacle is mentioned. The “holy” and “the holiest” are one now. “Let us draw near” shows plainly they were not there. Hebrews does not go beyond a certain point. It looks at a person walking in trial on earth, with a priest between him and God; a very different thing from being united to Him. In our imperfections, very blessed in its place. Ephesians takes us up past resurrection, perfect in heaven, by ascension. The burnt-offering is coming to God by death. God must be glorified about sin―voluntary offering for favor and acceptance. I do not come to worship with a sin-offering. When I come to worship, I come with the sacrifice of a burnt-offering―the recognition of sin put away; for it must be according to righteousness. We do not come up as sinners to worship; I go up as a saint to worship. (Look at yourself before you go up, to be sure you go up rightly, with purged conscience, etc.) You do not come to worship either as I; you come to worship as we. It is as accepted in Christ that we worship.
Worshippers once purged have no more conscience of sins. When I look at myself, or into myself, of course I see my flesh. Does a Christian, then, ever cease to have the character of a sinner? Does Christ ever cease to be your Saviour? No. Then you never cease to be a sinner. So in a prayer meeting, it is all well and right to come confessing sin, and to seek grace, etc.; for you come there in your actual condition. But if you go to worship with sin on your conscience, though you have failed and omitted to confess and get a cleansed conscience, when you go up to worship you take the place of those so gathered. On his return to his own closet, such an one may be led by that very fact to judge himself, confess, etc.
In 1 John 1 There are three characteristics of the Christian. 1St In the light as God is in the light. 2nd. Having fellowship with all saints. 3rd. Cleansed from all sin.
What is fellowship? Having common thought with (of?) the Father and the Son is fellowship. My place, my life, is in God’s light. I have got into the light. Well, so, instead of going on in natural selfishness, you having got into the same standing as I, we have fellowship together―communion of thought, etc.
Whenever John speaks of grace, it is the Father and the Son. Grace can only come that way. When testing man, it is God. As to the difference between “whosoever” and “whatsoever,” the first takes up the individual, the second the nature. The nature must live on the object. Priesthood has to do with God; advocacy has to do with the Father.