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

Your worship is acceptable to God only if it’s offered by the anointed Priest. Our Anointed Priest is Christ. “He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25). In the Old Testament, this was symbolized by a gold plate which said “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” worn above the face of the anointed 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”. 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.

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 to His father, not our remaining corruption, but His own holiness.