A Plea For "Plain Talk"

Robert F. Turner

Once Jesus told his disciples, "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world and go to the Father." And his disciples said, "Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb." (Jn. 16:28-29)

Again (in 2 Cor. 3:12) Paul, having contrasted the Old and New Testament, and having shown the greater glory of the later, wrote: "Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech."

The days of "hidden wisdom" and the "mystery of the gospel" are past. (1 Cor. 2:7, 10, Eph. 3:3-7) The "Mystic Knights of the Sea" may keep their pagan rites and child-like secrets but God's children love the light, and rejoice unashamedly in the truth. It is with such a spirit as this that Plain Talk is introduced.

POLITICS AND RELIGION

These subjects are "taboo" in social circles, we are told. Why is it so? Is it better to repeat the latest gossip, or feed the ego with stories of yesterday's deeds? Or do we simply admit we know so little about these vital life subjects we can not carry on an intelligent discussion without becoming obnoxious?

"A Weaving Way"

Some preachers, and politicians, can not discuss their subjects calmly and factually. They must build up steam so that the stale cliches, flag waving, and stomping can take the place of substantiated truth. Maybe some reluctance to discuss religion results from such displays. You say, "If this is religion, deliver me."

And so-- Plain Talk

ONE PERFECT SACRIFICE

Steve Peeler

Whenever you think of the Day of Atonement, remember the importance of that day to Israel. Each year on the tenth day of the seventh month, God remembered all of the sins of that nation. Atoning sacrifices were connected with appeasing the wrath of God (Num. 16:41-46; 25:1-13), and it was imperative that this holy day be observed.

Consider how the observance of this day would have impacted the infant church. There were 3,000 who obeyed the gospel on Pentecost, and so many more afterwards. They were promised the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), and it became a visible reality just four months after Pentecost. The Jews were assembled for the next annual feast, the Feast of Tabernacles, observed each year on the first day of the seventh month. It lasted for an entire week. Just two days after the feast ended, the Day of Atonement was kept. The high priest carried the blood of a bull and a goat into the Most Holy Place and appeased the wrath of God by sprinkling the blood on the mercy seat.

Perhaps those Christians in Jerusalem on that day would have clearly seen the difference between the blood of animals and the blood of Jesus. Every devout Jew would have been mindful of the blood carried by the priest that day, except those who had become Christians. They would have vividly seen the distinction now made between the two covenants. Christians did not need the blood of animals. Their salvation had nothing to do with the events happening in the temple. There was a new covenant, a new altar, a new priesthood, and a new blood sacrifice. That Old Testament Day of Atonement had been superseded by an offering of full atonement.

The new priesthood was not the Levitical priesthood established by Moses. The new High Priest did not need to first offer blood sacrifices for Himself, for the new High Priest was sinless. He did not need to offer a yearly atoning sacrifice, for the blood of Jesus obtained eternal redemption! The book of Hebrews sums it up with these words: “We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore, Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come” (Heb. 13:10-14).