Proclaiming the Lord's death (part 2)

  2.   As often

The second important question that we all need to take into consideration is the question of how often should one partake of the bread and the wine which symbolizes and represents the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ and which reminds us of His sufferings and death. First and foremost, the word often denotes, many times, on different occasions, or whenever. So, the important question we should all be asking ourselves is, how often should one remind him/herself of the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ? And is there an appointed time? So, is it once a year, once every three months, once a week or daily?

We should also bear in mind the fact that, it is by partaking of the bread and drinking of the wine that we demonstrate our appreciation and remembrance of the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ as the scriptures clearly states; “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

So, the multi-million question to all believers is, how often should one partake of the body and blood of Jesus Christ to keep us in remembrance of Him? One thing for sure is that; “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

And so, the question is, has God revealed to us through His servants as to how often are we to eat of the bread and drink of the cup? Is there an ordained and appointed time to offer to the Lord the food for His offerings? Please, remember that the Old Testament was as shadow and copy of the reality for when Moses was about to build the tabernacle, he was instructed saying; “And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain” (Exodus 25:40).

And with reference to the priesthood the apostle Paul wrote; “who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain" (Hebrews 8:5).

So, the example that we have from the Old Testament as to how often one should remember the Lord’s death is stated as follows: “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, 'My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time” (Numbers 28:2).

So, the Lord has ordained specific times for His people to offer to Him the food for His offerings which are; daily morning and evening as a thanksgiving offering. On the seventh day weekly Sabbath as a peace and fellowship offering, on every new moon commemorating the beginning of a new month and on the annual Sabbaths commemorating and ascribing to the Lord the glory due to His name for what He did for humanity on that particular day.

And so, we have been duly instructed saying; “These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day ---besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:37-38).

Please note carefully that, the main reason or objective for having a holy convocation is to offer to the Lord the food for His offerings and that it is besides or in addition to, the observance of the Sabbath, in addition to one’s gifts, vows or freewill offering which one decides to give to the Lord and the reason for that is optimal.

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To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Proclaiming the Lord's death

1. Proclaiming the Lord’s death

The apostle Paul in giving instructions to the church in Corinthian said to them; “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes “ ( 1Corinthians 11:23-26).

I don’t think that many believers have taken time to study and ponder on three very important aspects of these instructions and allow the Holy Spirit who is our teacher to guide and instruct them. The three (3) things that we need to take into consideration and meditate on are:

a.      In remembrance of Me

b.     As often

c.      Proclaim the Lord’s death

So let us deal with each one separately;

1.     In remembrance of Me

Although the word remembrance can refer to a variety of meaningful contexts but in this context we are dealing with it is referring to the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ in which the bread represents the broken body of Jesus Christ and the wine represent His shed blood.

And so, the Lord’s instructions to us with regards to His suffering and death for humanity is; “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." And with regards to the shedding of His blood for the redemption of our sins He said; “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

And so, the question is, if one wishes to show and express his/her appreciation to Jesus Christ and be reminded of what He did for us humanity how should one express this sentiment? Is it not by following the Lord’s instructions which clearly states; “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." And, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." So, what is so difficult in this simple instruction that one is unable to understand and put into practice?

To be continued

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Lucius Joseph
 

Are we guilty of vain worship (part 3)

2.     Are you appearing before God without presenting to Him His food for His offerings?

Remember what is written in the Psalms. “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name; bring an offering and come into His courts” (Psalms 96:8).

But what sort of an offering are we supposed to bring to the Lord when presenting ourselves before Him?  Well, this is what the Lord said to Moses, “This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day – a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the Lord by fire (zeal)” (Exodus 29:38-40).

This pleasing aroma with all its paraphernalia in the Old Testament is called the burnt offering. It consists of the Lamb, with its grain and drink offering which was a copy and shadow of the reality. The Lamb is figurative to Jesus Christ Himself, the grain offering is figurative to the broken body of Jesus Christ in the form of the Unleavened Bread, and the drink offering is figurative to the shed blood of Jesus Christ in the form of the wine. This is the expression of Christ’s love for us who “Gave Himself up for us, an offering, and a sacrifice to God as a sweet- smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:2).

Concerning this offering, the Lord said to Moses, “For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly (continuously, often) at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the Lord. There I will meet you and speak to you; there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by My glory. So, I will consecrate the tent of Meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests. Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.

They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God” (Exodus 29:42-46).

As clearly shown, this offering is the prerequisite, the pass code so to speak, to present one’s self before God, before He speaks to His servants, before the place of meeting is consecrated, and before the Lord takes residence among His people.

The Apostle Paul expressed a similar sentiment when he wrote; “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way open for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22).

In concluding religious directives, the apostle Paul gave the following instructions; “The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so, Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through His own blood. Let us, then, go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore” (Hebrews 13:11-13).

This offering is of paramount importance. It is the offering which the High Priest is appointed to offer on behalf of man’s sins, and it is the offering which only can cleanse the worshiper from a guilty conscience, and present him/her holy, blameless, and irreproachable in the sight of God (Hebrews 5:1; 8:3; Colossians .1:14, 22, 1John 1:7).

This offering is so important to God that He instructed Moses saying; “Give this command to the Israelites and say to them; “ My offering, My food for My offerings by fire (zeal), My pleasing odor, you shall take heed [be careful] to offer to Me at its due season” (Numbers 28:1-2).

Not only can it be confirmed that Jesus Christ is indeed that fragrant offering and sacrifice to God, but Jesus Christ also confirmed the fact that He is the bread of God which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. (John 6:33).

The irony of truth is, since no one can say “I have no sin” or “I have not sinned:” No one therefore can present him/herself before the Father without a sin offering being offered on his/her behalf. This offering is not offered automatically, but by the individual’s free will. (Leviticus 1:3-4).

The appointed times to offer to God His food, the bread for His offering, His sweet-smelling aroma has not been left to chance, or left in limbo as to how often is often, but it is clearly defined as morning and evening for the regular daily offering, on the seventh Day Weekly Sabbath, on the New Moons, and on the annual Festivals which the Lord regards as My Feasts (Read Numbers Chapters 28 and 29).

A common mistake make by most believers is that, they do not realize that forgiveness, and cleansing of sin, are entirely two different processes that are intertwined to each other.  It is written; “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Understanding spiritual things are not beyond man’s comprehension since, “What may be known about God is plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities –His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

If a person who spills milk on the floor broke the glass, begs for forgiveness, and grants forgiveness, will he/she be automatically negated from cleaning the messy floor? Absolutely not! Without picking up the broken pieces of glass, clean the floor with water and detergent, the floor remains unclean and hazardous. In like manner, confession without the application of the blood of Christ through the cup of the new covenant which Christ instituted on the night before He was led to be crucified, there is no forgiveness and cleansing.

Also, an offense or a transgression is not resolved simply by acknowledging one’s guilt and confessing to a Lawyer. The matter is resolved only when it is brought before the Magistrate or Judge, where the lawyer intercedes or pleads on behalf of the offender.

In like manner, sins are not forgiven and cleansed unless Jesus Christ intercedes on our behalf. He does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. But like every high priest He is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices on behalf of our sins, and this offering is the bread of God and the cup of the new covenant of His blood which only can satisfies the will of God.

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph 

Are we guilty of vain worship (part 2)

Here are four areas to prove to ones’ self whether or not he/she is worshiping God in vain.

1.     Is there any biblical truth to support and validate the day and occasion we appear before God to worship?

Remember, those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and truth. For example: The Lord says; “When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts?

Bring no more futile [vain, worthless] sacrifices; incense [prayer] is an abomination to Me, the new moons, the Sabbaths and the calling of assemblies – I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your (not My) New Moons, and your appointed feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them, when you spread out your hands, I will hide My face from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:12-15).

The Lord also says: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.” So why should we observe the seventh day of the week and not any other day?

“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11).

We have also been duly admonished saying: “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore, the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed" (Exodus 31:13-17).

Also, “I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God” (Ezekiel 20:19-20)

" For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me," says the LORD, " So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD” (Isaiah 66:22-23)t

One should therefore take into consideration the fact that truth is the word of God as we have been duly admonished saying; “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” And,” Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (Psalms 110:160; John 17:17).

And since Jesus Christ who gave those instructions is the same yesterday, today and forever, if anyone is doing anything contrary to what is written is it not worshiping God in vain?

To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

ARE WE GUILTY OF VAIN WORSHIP?

I pose this question with no malice intent to cause offense or condemnation. I recently came to this realization and conviction through the study of the inspired word of God, and therefore my intent is to provoke the desire for a deeper study of the matter, peradventure the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we may know how to truly worship Him in spirit and truth.

Let me state from the outset that, the question of vain worship is by no means related to false worship, neither does it pertains to one’s free gift of eternal life and salvation. For as every believer should know, it is by grace we have been saved, through faith – and this not from ourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.

However, we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. We need to stress on these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

One of the good works God prepared in advance for us to do is, to worship Him; that means, expressing our relationship to God in reverence, gratitude, awe and adoration.

For example, it is stated in the Psalms, “Oh come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand."

“Ascribe to the Lord O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord Glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the Glory due to His name; bring an offering and come into His courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him all the earth” (Psalms” (Psalms 95:6-7; 96:7-9, Ps, 29:1-2).

It is imperative that the matter of vain worship be thoroughly examined by all true and sincere believers, because the worse indictment which is labeled on those who worship the One and only true God is that of worshiping the true God in vain.

Jesus, quoting from the prophet Isaiah said to the Pharisees, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written; ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men; for laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men.” And He said to them, “You have let go the commandments of God and are holding on to the traditions of men” (Mark.7: 6-9).

True worship in our new dispensation is defined as, “The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John. 4:23-24).

As believers we have been given the prerogative to judge ourselves; for if we judge ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

Let us therefore judge ourselves as to whether or not we are worshiping the true God in vain.

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To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

Man is the offspring of two Adams.

From the first Adam, man inherited a sinful corrupt nature, which according to scriptures, “Is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; It is hostile towards God, not subject to His laws, nor can it ever be: and, it is a temporary physical existence (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans.8:7 James 4:14; Hebrews 9:27).

On the other hand, man inherited from the last Adam, spiritual life which is eternal, with a holy righteous nature which is in harmony with God, and subject to His laws.

The nature of the new man which is one of true holiness and righteousness were imputed upon man at the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At His death, He bore our sins and paid the price of sin in our stead. For, we judge thus: “That if one died for all, then all die. And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2Corinthians 5: 14-15).

At the resurrection of Jesus Christ, mankind became a new creation: he was created in righteousness and true holiness: For it is written: “Blessed be, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (2Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24). 1Peter 1:3).

Mankind inherited righteousness and true holiness from Jesus Christ at His resurrection. For, “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” We are the offspring of both the first and the last Adam. Jesus Christ is the vine and we are the branches (John15:5 Acts; 17: 28).

Because of God’s great love with which He loved us: Even when we (mankind) were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6).

Jesus Christ the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true—even in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1John 5:20).

The conflict of two desires:

The desires which reside in man’s flesh, and the desires which reside in man’s spirit are in conflict with each other as we have been duly instructed saying; “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Galatians 5:16-17).

Those who live their lives according to the desires of the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh. They sow to the flesh, and will of the flesh reap corruption (Romana 8:5; Galatians 6:8).

On the other hand, those who live their lives according to the desires of the Spirit, set their minds on things above, the things of the Spirit, they sow to the Spirit and will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (Romans 8:5; Colossians 3:1-11; Galatians 6: 8).

Everlasting life is the immortality of the body, which is the reward for holy and righteous living. It is written; “Having been set free from sin and, having become slaves of God (practical righteousness), you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” The permanent dwelling place, our inheritance for the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:18, 22; 1Peter 1: 3-4).

It is imperative therefore that, we take the life in the spirit literally and practically and not metaphorically. Because the life in the spirit is as literal and practical as that of the flesh and we should learn how to exercise and nurture the life in the spirit as we do with the physical life : For God has overlooked these times of ignorance and has now commanded all men everywhere to repent.

Are we striving to be clothed with immortality?

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Love in Jesus’ name.

Lucius Joseph

 

How can one sustain his/her holiness?

Holiness is sustained if, “Indeed we continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which was preached to every creature under heaven” (Colossians 1:23).

The gospel which was preached to every creature under heaven is, “The hidden mystery of Jesus Christ, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ”. But now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith” For, “Had the rulers of this age (Satan and his demons) knew; they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory” (Ephesians 3:4, 9; Romans. 16:25-26; 1Corinthians 2:8).

Holiness is sustained by, “Having a walk worthy of the calling (be holy) with which we have been called,” and having daily confession and communion with God as we have been duly instructed saying; “as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." (Ephesians 4:1; 1 Peter 1: 15-16; I John 1: 7-10; 2:1-2; Matthew 26: 27-28).

Holiness is a counterpart of righteousness. Like righteousness, it is, “He who practices holiness is holy, even as He (Christ) is holy” (1John 3: 7).

We have been admonished to; “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12”14).

But the crux of the matter is, how does a person attain holiness? Holiness is the fruit or the result of righteousness as we have been duly instructed saying; “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.’

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Romans 6:16-23).

So, the question is. What is this act of righteousness that when practice produces holiness and results in everlasting life which is immortality of the physical human body? This act of righteousness that produces holiness is not man’s own righteousness which according to the prophet Iasiah is as filthy rags. Nor is it the righteousness according to the law because it is said plainly that; “by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20).

So then, what is this act of righteousness that when practice produces holiness and makes one righteous even as Christ Himself is righteous? The act of righteousness that produces holiness is exemplified in the Old Testament which is the copy and shadow of the reality and it is stated thus; “Then Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of meeting. They shall eat those things with which the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them; but an outsider shall not eat them, because they are holy” (Exodus 29:32-33)

In like manner, in our New Testament dispensation it is by eating of the things by which the atonement was made which is the sacrificial body and blood of Jesus that one becomes holy and this state of holiness is a daily requirement for the new creation as prophesied beforehand saying; “that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life” (Luke 1:71-75).

Remember, we are to, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord,” “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Hebrews 12:14; Romans 6:18;22).

So as one can clearly see, it is by being a slave to the act or practice of righteousness that one becomes holy and results in everlasting life which is the immortality of the human body.

So, the question is. are we slaves of righteousness? And remember that, this act of righteousness is not our own righteousness which is as filthy rags before God, neither is it from doing the deeds of the law, for by the deeds of the law shall o flesh shall no flesh be justified in His sight, but by practicing the act of righteousness which makes one righteous even as Christ Himself is righteous.

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

So the question is, are we slaves of righteousness?