In this lesson we want to continue our fellowship concerning the enjoyment of the peace offering. We have seen that God's portion of the peace offering is mainly of two things: the blood and the fat. We have to realize that these two things are of great significance. This is because the Bible reveals that our relationship with God is always based upon three of His attributes: the righteousness of God, the holiness of God, and the glory of God. According to the whole Bible, the relationship we have with God must be based upon or built on these three divine attributes.

The whole book of Romans was constructed with these three elements or attributes. The first section of Romans is concerning justification, and justification is according to God's righteousness. Then the second section of Romans covers the matter of sanctification, and sanctification is by the holiness of God. Then Romans has another section concerning glorification. We have been justified; we are now being sanctified; and some day we will be glorified with God's glory. Romans is constructed with God's righteousness, holiness, and glory because it is a book that shows us the real relationship between God and us. This relationship is based upon and built on God's righteousness for justification, God's holiness for sanctification, and God's glory for glorification. When these three things of God are taken care of in a good way, then there is no problem in our relationship with God.

All the offerings in their reality are for our relationship with God, so in these offerings, the crucial items to God are the blood and the fat. The blood meets the requirements of God's righteousness and holiness, and it also maintains God's glory. Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The cleansing power of the blood keeps God's glory from being insulted by sin. Instead of expressing God in His glory, man expresses sin and his sinful self. Hence, man falls short of God's glory. This falling short of God's glory and expression is sin. The blood cleanses us from every sin (1 John 1:7) and thus maintains the glory of God.

Then there is the need of the fat on the positive side to satisfy God's desire unto God's glory. The fat is to satisfy God's desire, whereas the blood is to meet His requirements. The fat signifies Christ's inward riches for God's satisfaction according to His glory and up to the standard of His glory. God's satisfaction issues in God's glory. This implies that the fat fulfills God's purpose. The fat is the inward riches of the cattle offered as a sacrifice, and this signifies the riches of the inward life of Christ. This life satisfies God the Father and fulfills God's eternal purpose.

Also, this life has the abundance of riches which preserves the inward functions, typified by the liver and the kidneys. The inward functions are all preserved, protected, and covered by the riches of life. According to our own experiences, we can realize this and testify to this. If we are short of the riches of life, our inward functions become rough, numb, and dull. The more riches of life we have, the more our inward functions become so tender, fresh, new, and living. This shows us that the riches of the inward life of the Lord Jesus preserved His inward functions for them to be so tender and fresh to the Father. This all satisfies the Father's desire unto His glory.

Thus, we can see that by the blood and the fat of the peace offering, God's requirements are taken care of and God's desire is satisfied. Then nothing insults God's glory, but instead God is expressed in His glory. Actually, the blood and the fat should be the essential elements of our service today, with the blood taking care of all God's requirements and the fat taking care of God's desire unto His glory.