by Roel Velema
Vision always demands cost, limitation and rejection. Every new light from the Lord will be met with suspicion and reproach. The battle over justification by grace through faith was a battle over life and death. The battle over total truth, which includes sanctification by grace through faith, will take the same course. Total truth – Christ as us – is the fullest revelation of the New Testament and will prove to be the battle of all battles. Participation in this battle is for the ones who want to stand in the gap, but who are hardly or not to find (Ezek. 22:30). What is the point?
There are two types of ministry in the Old Testament, 1) ministry to the house of God (Ezek. 44:14), and 2) ministry to the Lord Himself (Ezek. 44:15). The difference is that the first ministry is related to wool and the second one to linen (Ezek. 44:17). Contrary to linen, wool leads to sweating. In the antitype we come to the end of sweating once we come into His rest (Hebr. 4:10,11), as He lives His life after we entered the phase of fathers (1 John 2:12-14).
Service to the house may call many to be consecrated to the Lord, be much blessed, be noticed by many, may put someone in the spotlight, but ministry to the Lord makes us prisoners of Christ (Eph. 3:1). As prisoners He keeps our leash short and we live caught by Him from which there is no escape. Are we willing to pay this price?
Let us remember that we should not lose heart but be thankful for those who are publically affirmed by all their service to the house. However, the Lord places more value on who we are than what we do. Those who served the Lord Himself in the Old Testament will be in the antitype the vessels of great use … AFTERWARD. Paul’s greatest service were the letters he wrote in prison as a mighty seedbed on behalf of the Church.
