“The iniquity of the holy things” (Exodus 28:38)

Your worship is acceptable to God only if Christ is your Lord and Savior. “He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). This was symbolized by a gold plate which said “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” worn above the face of the high priest. “Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord” (Exodus 28:38).

 What does God see in our public worship? Hypocrisy, formality, irreverence, wandering of heart and laziness? Yes, and more. Pride, selfishness, carelessness, unbelief and tradition for tradition’s sake is the bulk of what we offer to God despite the songs we sing like “I surrender all” and “Oh, how I love Jesus”. Our private devotions are no better. Laxity, coldness, neglect, sleepiness, and vanity are only the tip of the hypocrite iceberg. 

 A minister once wrote, "My parish, as well as my heart, very much resembles the garden of the sluggard (Proverbs 6:6-9); and what is worse, I find that very many of my desires for improvement of both, proceed either from pride or vanity or lethargy. I look at the weeds which overspread my garden, and breathe out an earnest wish that they were eradicated. But why? What prompts the wish? It may be that I may walk out and say to myself, 'In what fine order is my garden kept!' This is pride. Or, it may be that my neighbors may look over the wall and say, 'What a beautiful garden!' This is vanity. Or I may wish for the destruction of the weeds, because I am weary of pulling them up. This is laziness" 

 So even my desire for holiness may be polluted by selfishness. Under the greenest sods worms hide themselves; we don’t need to look hard to discover them. Thank God when the High Priest bore the iniquity of the holy things he wore upon his forehead the words, "HOLINESS TO THE LORD", and praise the Lord, while Jesus bears our sin, He presents before His Father's face not our remaining corruption, but His own holiness. Oh Lord, help me remember to glorify Christ, our High Priest with the eye of faith!