Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, was crucified for us on the cross. The sacrifice of His body being torn and His blood spilled paid for our sins.

(51) At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split
(52) and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

Matthew 27:51-52 NIV

The temple at Jerusalem was split into two halves, the first half was called “The Holy Place” and contained the table of shewbread, the menorah candle and the altar of incense. The second half was the “Holy of Holies”, within was the Ark of the Covenant and two cherubim. The cherubim stood on either side of the Ark and their wings touching over the top of the Ark, their other wings stretched to the walls on either side. God dwelt with His people between the cherubim, above the Mercy Seat of the Ark.

Once a year, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people. Before entering into the presence of God here, the High Priest had to make atonement for himself. If the High Priest was not right with God when he entered, he would die.

As Matthew 27 tells us, after Jesus died on the cross the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. Why? The tearing of the curtain symbolized Jesus making a way for us, as believers, to have direct access to God. We no longer need a High Priest to intercede for us. Jesus is our great High Priest and sits at the right-hand of the Father, making intercession for us. This is the privilege that Jesus bought for us with His blood.

The veil was torn “in two from top to bottom”, symbolizing that it was the Lord that tore the curtain. He made a way for us to come directly to Him!

If we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we can enjoy a one to one relationship with God!

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God told us that if we call to Him he will answer:

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

Jeremiah 33:3 NIV

In the New Testament James tells us that we should pray for each other and that our prayers are powerful:

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:16 NIV

This privilege of being able to talk directly to God and being heard by Him is all because of what Jesus did on the cross.

The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

Proverbs 15:29 NIV

The only way we can be righteous is through God’s Son, through Jesus. Jesus’ sacrifice allowed us to exchange our filthy robes, marred by sin, for His robe making us pure and spotless before God.

In the Old Testament, Moses came down from mount Sinai and brought God’s commandments and law with Him. God’s commandments and law detail His faultless requirements for being righteous before Him. Righteousness before God is like an exam where you have to score 100% and can only take it once. God’s requirements are so strict that even evil thought is considered as wrong as the actual act. In short, we cannot in our flesh live up to God’s standards.

The commandments and law highlighted the fact that man cannot faultlessly obey rules, we cannot work our own way to righteousness.

Thankfully, we do not need to work our own way to heaven. Being righteous before God just requires us to accept His Son’s sacrifice and to follow Him.

(16) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:16-17 NIV

Following Jesus requires us to understand the above two verses beyond the English translation. The word translated “believe” is the Greek word “pisteuo” (pronounced “pist-yoo-o”) which means “to be persuaded” and “to trust in”. We not only need to “believe” (in the English sense) in Jesus, we also need to place our trust in Him and to follow Him. Remember, Satan “believes” in Jesus.

Admit that you are a sinner.

Believe that Jesus is the Son of God, accept what He did for you on the cross and sacrifice your life to trust in and follow Him.

Confess your faith in Jesus.

Seek the Father’s will for your life.