All believers coming through the "curtain" (the “First Vail”) are "called to be saints," but only those who obey the call and YIELD themselves sacrifices (fulfilling their covenant of sacrifice), "make their calling and election sure."
Thus this first vail represents clearly our death to the world. The flesh is left outside, voluntarily given over to death and destruction, while we as new creatures in Christ, go beyond this vail, and enjoy a newness of life.
Thus we fill two pictures: our earthly nature has been given up, deprived of life, and is being taken without the camp to be destroyed, while our new nature is at the same instant within the first vail, not as men, but as members of the High Priest's body. We are not only dead with Him, but also alive with Him. "We are buried with Him by baptism into death" (Rom 6:4), "wherein also ye are risen with Him." (Col 2:12) The natural body is no longer we, for "we are not in the flesh, but in the spirit." (Rom. 8:9).
We claim then that our going through this first vail represents the death of the natural fleshly will or mind, and that our entering the inside of the Tabernacle represents our entrance to the condition of the spiritual or new nature.
"For ye are dead," (as men) "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above; set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth, for ye are dead." (Col 3:1-3) For God "hath raised us up, (in the spirit of our minds,) and made us sit together in heavenly places (spiritual conditions) in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 2:6)
Progressing in our new nature we come to the second vail, but we cannot go through this vail until the flesh has been entirely destroyed-- represented by the burning of the body of the sin-offering without the camp.
VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER:
But remember that the flesh of "the goat of sin-offering" (the “Lord’s goat”) represents the fleshly bodies of all the members of Christ, and its destruction ("burning") requires all of this gospel age. Though Paul's body was yielded up and destroyed long ago, he must wait; he cannot enter through the second vail until all we who are fellow members of the same body, likewise have the body of flesh destroyed, for "They without us shall not be made perfect." (Heb. 11:40)
Thus it is confirmed that none of the saints as of yet are in heaven, gathered to Jesus in the air (the earth’s atmosphere) yes, but not taken to heaven yet.
Consider for a moment what it will be for us to be made perfect.
Would it be the perfecting of the fleshly nature?
Heavens, no! We gave that up to destruction as a sacrifice, before we passed the first vail, and the life that we now live and seek to have perfected is the spiritual, divine life.
Having begun in the spirit and progressed thus far, could we be perfected through the flesh? Certainly not, we now have the "mind of Christ," "the spirit of Christ," "the spirit of adoption," "our new nature," and enjoy it much. What we lack of being perfect is a spiritual body in harmony with our "spiritual mind," new nature. And this is what we are waiting for, this condition of perfection. "When that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away." Now we are in part natural, but the natural part will soon give place to the body which God has promised us--a spiritual--like unto Christ's glorious body. "I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness."
We have seen that there are two stages to the second birth; first, the begetting of the spirit when we get our new life in the old body, where it develops at the expense of the body (this took place following our consecration and baptism into Christ death as illustrated by our passing beneath the first vail); second, our birth by the resurrection, when we shall be "born from the dead (this takes place at the successful completion of our sacrifice when we passed beyond the Second Vail)."
So now, we see the same general lesson taught by the two vails of the Tabernacle. To enter the presence of God--the plane of spiritual or divine life--both of these vails representing the flesh must be passed. The first being the death of the will, the second being our actual death, the death of the flesh, the sacrifice must be totally consumed nothing can be held back. Once a sacrifice has been placed upon the Lord’s altar it cannot be taken back it must be totally consumed in death ere we gain the prize. As the Lord so states it: Be thou faith until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev 2:10)
If you believe that you are going to be raptured away and somehow miss this final stage of our sacrifice, then you have been deceived. As our Lord so stated, “Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." (Matt 16:25)
Beloved brethren, you have all come in through the outside "gate," (by faith) through the curtain, you are believers in Jesus, know of his having ransomed us. You among many have been called to be saints and heirs of God. Are you making that calling sure?
Have you made the covenant to die with Jesus- -"The covenant of sacrifice?" If you have are you doing according to your covenant, walking in newness of life, obeying the law of your new nature--Love? If you are, I need not ask, I know that the result is the crucifying of the "old man."
If you are within the first vail, thank God and take courage, remembering that to "keep your body under," you must have all the spiritual strength and light to be derived from the UNLEAVENED BREAD and THE GOLDEN CANDLESTICK. Let us press on close up to the second vail, and there at THE GOLDEN INCENSE ALTAR offer an offering acceptable and of sweet savor to God through Jesus Christ.” (R153)
