“And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not He that made that which is without make that which is within also?” Luke 11:39-40. 

The law, any law, whether it be the Mosaic Law, a Scriptural doctrine that man has made into a law, or some man made scheme to add righteousness or give dominion over our sin nature will only clean the outside of the cup while the inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

The Mosaic Law was righteous and given to man to reveal their unrighteousness.  Man’s self righteousness would not accept their revealed unrighteousness, therefore they added to God’s Law and exalted themselves.  Is this striking a cord with anyone else?

“I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. ²² Though ye offer Me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. ²³ Take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.” Amos 5:21-23.

The Pharisees had exalted the rituals and ceremonies and neglected for what purpose they were actually intended, atonement for sin which enabled communion and fellowship with God.  All of the rituals and ceremonies were given as a type and shadow, a symbol, of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Sadly, still today the laws are given which exalt the ceremony and neglect the Sacrifice.  The cups are cleaned on the outside but the inside remains ravenous and wicked.

“But He that enters in by the Door is the Shepherd of the Sheep.To Him the porter opens; and the Sheep hear His Voice: and He calls His Own Sheep by name, and leads them out.” John 10:2-3.

Hear me when I say this, “the porter”, the Law or the Doorkeeper, opens the door to  the only One Who kept the Law perfectly, Jesus Christ .  HE is the One Who fulfilled the Law and has entered in through the Door, calling His Sheep by name and leading them out.  Those feasts, festivals, rituals and ceremonies are the symbol of the One Who has entered through the door.   The porter (the Law) doesn’t open the door to those who enter in through the symbol but only through the Sacrifice, Jesus Christ.

Discern Who or what is being exalted.  Although the religious mention the name of Jesus in the ceremony, discern the reality of Who or what is actually being exalted, the ceremony or the Lord Jesus Christ.  Is the cup clean from the outside?  Jesus Christ is calling His Sheep out…do you hear Him?

-Donna Clark Warren