God’s Fence

God directed Israel to build the Tabernacle in Exodus as a place of worship.  Many elements of the design portray or illustrate different aspects of serving God.  They were designed that way deliberately to help people more easily understand what God wants, using physical objects to illustrate spiritual truths. 

As one approached the Tabernacle, one of the first things they would notice was a seven and a half foot tall linen fence surrounding it, preventing people from coming in except through the gate on the eastern side.  Revelation 19:8 tells us, “… the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”  In Matthew 5:20, Jesus  said, “…except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  That fence of white linen represents the minimum standard of righteousness God has set for entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.  As we saw in the previous post, the Old Testament Law described that standard.    The white linen fence represents the Law,, shutting out and condemning anyone who does not meet that standard. 

On the eastern side of the area enclosed by the fence was a large gate representing Jesus Christ.  Even those who had met the specifications of the law had to go through that gate to get in.  Romans 3:20 Tells us the same is true today.  “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”   In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  While different religions say there are many ways to God, the scriptures tell us the only way is through Jesus Christ.  

 Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  Salvation is a gift from God, and cannot be earned by our own efforts.  In fact, Isaiah 64:6 warns, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”  Even the best we can do is not suitable for God.  In fact, as Ephesians 2:10 tells us, our ability to do satisfactory work is the result of Christ saving us. 

Because Christ’s death frees us to be saved without keeping the law, many believe we can be saved without concern for God’s standards.  I Corinthians 6:9:10 tells us, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”  The Old Testament Law forbade these things. And Paul is quite specific that people who live these life styles will not be in the kingdom of God. 

People do not go to hell because they do these things, but they do them because they are not saved.    I Corinthians 6:11 continues, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”  While that may have been who we were in the past, we are no longer that person.  II Corinthians 5:17-18 explains, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”  The standard does not change, God changes the people.  If they are continuing to do these things, it implies Christ has not changed them and thus that they are not saved.   The primary reason I Corinthians 5 says we are to put such out of the church is in hopes of getting them to make sure of their salvation.     

Interestingly, the same fence that shuts others out keeps the ones who belong in, protecting them from danger.  The fence prevents them from going too far.