And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Luke 23:45
When Jesus died, the Temple curtain tore in half. That might seem like a random sentence, but it has incredible significance.
“The curtain” was the barrier between God and regular people. It meant restricted access, where even the highest regarded religious elite had to jump through hoops of ritual and over huddles of cleanliness to get near the inner circle of the presence of God.
Then, Jesus.
When he died, so did religion. (When I say “religion” I mean trying to be good enough and earn God’s approval.)
The curtain tore. No more barrier. No more proving ourselves. No more posturing. No more pretending we’re okay, let alone “holy.”
Jesus’ death represented the death of our struggle to overcome sin. We can’t. He did.
Access granted. You can be as close to God as any other human in existence. In fact, God’s inviting you to walk that path.
If you want to talk with me more about this concept, come to a First Dinner in Orange County this weekend.