The heart of the Christian, though he may occupy a place of significance and service in his local community and be working busily in the mainstream of civic life, must remain as holy, as separated to God, as was the Tabernacle.

It is possible to be a dedicated Christian and at the same time to be a person of competence in secular affairs. Many Christians of deep personal consecration have demonstrated that an overcoming Christian can do a superior job in the world's business, having the commendation of Christians and non-Christians alike. Joseph and Daniel are Scriptural examples of devoutness toward God coupled with secular competence.

But when God calls a saint out of the work of the world and into the work of the Kingdom, or whenever the demands of worldly employment require that the believer engage in unholy behavior, then the saint is to waste no time trying to win the favor of the world but is to move quickly and diligently into the path that the Lord is emphasizing to him or her.

There is to be no compromise along this line.

The Hebrew Laver and Christian water baptism are related in meaning. Water baptism represents the fact that the new Christian has agreed to die to the world and the filthy lusts thereof. After a person accepts the blood of the cross as the redemption-payment for his sins, he must be baptized in water to show that he is willing for his old unclean nature to be crucified with Christ.

The convert must renounce completely in his heart the world, giving up all for Christ, being ready and willing to die physically for the faith if necessary. Such renunciation of the demands of the world was true of the adoption of the Christian faith by the person of the first century, and it remains true for the twentieth century. Christ and His Gospel never change.

Water baptism means this: the believer does now, without reservation, finally forsake and renounce the world that he may cleave to Christ with his whole heart.

There are few things as final as death, and water baptism means death to our first personality.

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:16)

The Laver signifies the cleansing of the believer that he may minister as a priest before God. The position of the Laver at the entrance to the Tabernacle shows that every person who would minister to God must be spiritually clean.

For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord: (Exodus 30:19,20)

Perhaps washing is an appropriate concept for us Christians to consider today. The priests had to wash their hands (symbolizing deeds) and their feet (symbolizing the path of life) whenever they went into the Holy Place to minister to the Lord. Since each of us Christians is to be a minister to the Lord, we need to keep in mind that our thoughts, words and actions must be holy at all times.

To be continued.