The Laver constantly meets the needs of those who come to it
But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin] 1Cor1:30AMP
This week I am continuing in our series of the Four-Fold Gospel, the foundation of the C&MA. Leon has written about Jesus, our Coming King (the crown), and Jesus, our Saviour (the cross). Today I am writing you about Jesus, Our Sanctifier, (the Laver).
The Alliance Statement of Faith says:
It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly,(22) being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service.(23) This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion.(24)
[22] 1 Thessalonians 5:23, [23] Acts 1:8, [24] Romans6:1–14,
When I first looked at the denominational symbols that adorn our main sanctuary, I always thought the Sanctifier symbol was some sort of goblet or cup and I struggled to understand the significance. What I have since learned is that the “laver” is actually modeled after the bronze basin, or laver of the OT Tabernacle where the Priests washed their hands and feet prior to entering the Holy Place. This repeated act of cleansing is a foreshadowing picture of the cleansing or sanctification of us by Jesus.
The Laver was a highly polished brass or bronze basin made from bronze mirrors given by the women who worked at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and was constantly filled with fresh spring water. The mirrors, once a highly prized item, that were once used for self-glorification were now used for the service of God as a reminder the of the necessity turning from the worldly values and things, and the need of purifying oneself before approaching a Holy God.
As the priest looked into the bronze basin, it reflected back to Him the blood, dust, soot, and grime of his daily work and the need to be cleansed and in right condition before approaching the Holy God, to be set apart for the Glory and service of a Holy God which came with a stern warning. Two times in Exodus 30:17-21, the Priests are warned to cleanse themselves before approaching the Holy Place or they would die. The cleansing is a serious thing to God and He knows we are unable to do it in our own power.
Bronze in the Scripture speaks of the judgment of God, and the ability to withstand the fire of testing. The water, a symbol of life, cleanliness, and a fresh start refers to God and His ability to refresh us. The Bible uses water as one of the symbols of the Holy Spirit. Together, the Holy Spirit, pictured as the water in the bronze laver, and the Word of God, pictured as the mirror, symbolize Christ as the One who purifies us from sin and makes us righteous; we are made holy through Christ’s Spirit. God uses both the Holy Spirit and His Word, Jesus, together in our lives to cleanse us and to bring about sanctification.
Just as the priests went back to the wash basin often, we too are invited to return to Jesus often. As we look into the Laver, the Word of God, it reflects back to us and the Holy Spirit, the water, gently shows us ourselves … when we see our failures, our shortcomings, our stumbling blocks, we want to fix it…We want to be cleansed and our tendency is the “try harder” approach in our own power but it is fruitless, we are powerless to overcome on our own. Through prayer and confession, we receive empowerment by His Holy Spirit, Jesus is making us new!!
For many western Christians it is difficult to see evidence that they are “set apart” for God, or that their lives are separated from sin. Many never live a Spirit-filled life for they are unwilling to giving up, to surrender, to yield to the Spirit in them and therefore, are hounded by the very things Jesus died to set them free from. In the humble act of surrender, we acknowledge our strong desire to be victorious over sin but also our powerlessness to do so. We need to embrace the Holy Spirit’s role in sanctification process, to be washed, made new, consecrated for the Lord’s service. Once we surrender control to the Spirit of God, the risen Jesus is able to be our Sanctifier. …as we die to our flesh and begin abiding in Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit we will be transformed.
Jesus is our Sanctifier, setting us apart, making us pure and holy for God’s Glory. Sanctification is a process of the now and not yet. Yes, we are positionally sanctified, set free from sin by the blood Jesus shed when we accept Him as our Saviour but, in order to be fully sanctified in this life, have victory over sin, and live as God’s Holy people, we must choose to partner with the work and leading of the Holy Spirit in us… to meet Him regularly at the laver where we are repeatedly being cleansed from the defilement of the world, day by day and hour by hour, moment by moment.
Pastor Kirk of First Alliance Church, Ohio describes the difference between Saviour and Sanctifier this way:
“Jesus is our Sanctifier. He has set us apart to live holy lives. Sanctification is a process of becoming like Christ as we surrender our will to God’s and arefilled with the Holy Spirit who produces fruit in our lives.
It could be said that in contrasting Jesus as Saviour and Sanctifier…
Saviour: Deliverance from penalty of sin
Sanctifier: Deliverance from the power of sin
Saviour: Freedom from death
Sanctifier: Freedom to live
Saviour: Release from the guilt of the past
Sanctifier: Equips for the temptations of the future
Saviour: Christ’s righteousness is imputed (credited) to us
Sanctifier: Christ’s righteousness is manifest in us
Saviour: Jesus lives in us
Sanctifier: Jesus lives through us”
In conclusion, the Laver speaks of the sanctifying power of the Word of the living God and the leading of the Holy Spirit to set us apart as sacred, purified, and consecrated people of the Most Holy God. Living Spirit-filled lives that produce abundant fruit in and through us as we become more like Jesus. There is so much more that could be said….it is worth doing a deeper study on the significance of the Bronze Laver and Jesus, our Sanctifier…you will not be disappointed. I would be happy to recommend a few articles I happened across in my preparations for this blog. Fascinating indeed.
My encouragement to you is to ask the Holy Spirit in you to reflect to you any areas where purity is needed and then ask Him to cleanse you, fill you and set you apart for His glory and your wholeness. It is never too late for a fresh start my dear friends…Surrender, accept, and abide…there is no other way
Also, I want to remind you of the lovely Advent service Encounter and Oasis is planning for you on November 30, 2025. Details on the website https://www.mycac.ca/events/oasis-service-2
I hope to see you there!
Fondly,
Melody
