Orthodoxy : conformity to a doctrine considered to be true
There are two essential aspects to true Christianity. One is conformity to the Word of God by understanding (according to the sound doctrine) and obeying it; this is the external aspect. The other is conformity to Christ in the spirit in which theses scriptural instructions are carried out; this is the internal aspect.
Speaking of the sanctuary as the house of God, the Word recalls that Moses was faithful in all His house (Hebrews 3:2, Numbers 12 :7). He had done all according as the Lord had commanded him; all was in conformity to the Word of the Lord (as the Lord had commanded Moses is repeated several times in Exodus 40 and also in the preceding chapter). But he also had to make all according to the pattern (model) shown him on the mount (Exodus 25:40, 26:30, 27:8). So the finished form of the sanctuary was in accordance with these two things; the details of Scripture and the model shown on the mount. When we consider the different models of the tabernacle or sanctuary in the desert which men have made to help us study it, the objects vary from one author to another, according to their personal understanding of the written description. Only Moses had seen the model on the mount and could give the exact form and disposition of all these things.
As Christians we have the same two elements as above : the detailed instructions of the Word of God, now complete (Colossians 1:25), and the perfect model shown in the Lord Jesus Himself. To translate the truth practically into pour lives we need both. If we loose sight of the perfect model, the Lord Jesus, we are in danger that our souls get dry and become legal; if we get away from the Word, we can easily fall prey to worldliness, error and even false doctrines. But is the eye be single, fixed on the Lord Jesus, the whole body will be full of light and external conformity will ensue. Let us look unto Him, gaze on Him and let us be internally and externally transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18) and we shall then translate in our obedience to the Word the beautiful character of the One Who lives in us and to Whom we will be perfectly conformed in the glory (Philippians 3:21, 1 John 3:2).
NOTE: All Bible references are from the King James Version unless otherwise specified. All unsigned material is in the spirit of Ecc. 12:11. Send all correspondence, comments, suggestions to: dailysowers@tlb.sympatico.ca
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