First Cornerstone of Salvation

1. Jesus Christ our Wisdom and Power
Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of our wisdom and power because according to the apostle Paul, “We do however speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing; No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.’
“None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written; “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him, but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit” (1Corinthians 2:6-9).
What exactly is that secret wisdom and power of God which He destined for our glory?
The secret wisdom and power of God which He destined for our glory is, Jesus Christ who because the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death, so He yielded His life for atonement for sin, and open the life gate that all may go in.
According to the apostle Paul “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written; “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise: the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
He then posed the following questions; “Where is the wise man? Where is the Scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolishness the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom: it pleased God through the foolishness of what we preach, to save those who believe.”
How exactly do we preach the message of the cross, which is to those who are perishing foolishness, and to those who are being saved the power of God?
To preach the message of the cross is not just a verbal exercise, it involves a demonstration of the message of the cross. The secret mystery which was revealed to the apostle Paul is this; “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1Corinthians 11:23-26).
The apostle Paul said; “Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1Corinthians1:18-25).
We are integrated into this corner stone in view of God’s mercy, by offering our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (as priests in order to offer to the Lord His food for His offering) this is our spiritual act of worship.
The church has been given the responsibility to make known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places the manifold wisdom of God, which for ages past was kept hidden in God. The apostle Paul clarified this by saying; “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things;
This mystery the apostle Paul said, “Was according to the eternal purpose which God has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in Him” (Ephesians 3:8-12). 
The apostle Paul endorsed the source of our boldness and confidence to the Father by saying; “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His flesh, 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).

How does a person becomes holy

It is stated quite clearly that, man's redemption in Christ Jesus was foreordained before the foundation of the world, and the main objective was that, we should be holy and blameless before the Father in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:4-6).

But how can we fulfil God's objective by being holy and blameless before Him! A status we are expected to uphold not just for a period, but for all the days of our life. For, we are to remember the holy covenant, the oath which the Lord swore to our father Abraham, which is, 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.

There is only one way by which one becomes holy, it is through the body of Christ. For it is written; “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, blameless and above reproach in His sight” (Colossians 1:21-22).
Now, if the reconciliation in the body of Christ to present us holy, blameless, and irreproachable in the sight of God was administered once and for all at the cross, everyone without exception would be holy, for He died for all. But we know that this is not the case, for we are not all holy. So how are those who are holy, becomes holy through the body of Christ’s flesh?
According to the scripture one becomes holy by partaking of the things by which the atonement was made, therefore, in our new dispensation one becomes holy when he/she partakes of the bread and wine which represent the sacrificial body and blood of Jesus Christ: For it is written; “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 29:33).

Another very important consideration in attaining our main objective in our redemption in Jesus Christ is that, before all the people The Father must be glorified.

But how is the Father glorified before all the people? The Father is glorified before all the people because the time to draw near is a time appointed and ordained by God for His people to have a holy convocation and to offer Him the food for His offerings. For thus says the Lord; “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.” Every festival gives glory to God for His plan of salvation for man ((Leviticus 23: 2, 4, 37-38).

It is the offering of the food for the Lords offering at the appointed time that both sanctifies those who draw near, and give glory to God, For thus says the Lord; “Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. The world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved” (1Chronicles 16: 28-30; Psalms 29: 1-2; Psalms 96: 7-10).

It is at the presentation of the offering which we bring when we come before the Lord, in order to worship Him in the beauty of holiness, that He is glorified: it is by rejoicing and praising the Lord and coming to Him through Jesus Christ the Son, that we give glory to Him for the great things He has done. For thus says the Lord; “This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet you to speak with you. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory. So I will consecrate the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. I will also consecrate both Aaron and his sons to minister to Me as priests. I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the LORD their God” (Exodus 29: 42-46).

Truly, the only medium by which one can draw near to the Father is as the apostle Paul stated it; he said; “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10: 19-25).

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." May the eyes of our understanding be enlightened!

Copyright © 2012 by Lucius Joseph

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Why so many conflicting religions

Conflicting religions

I often asked the question, why should there be so many religious denominations, with so many divergent and conflicting ideologies! Causing so much confusion in the body of Christ when there is in fact only One true God, One Lord Jesus Christ the only Mediator between God and man, who by no means the author of confusion, but to the contrary One of peace?Bearing in mind also that there is only one truth, one faith, one way to the Father for which believers have been admonished saying, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 3-4).

The root cause of this dilemma is straight forward and quite simple. There is only one faith which was once for all delivered to the saints, but ungodly men have done the following causing the majority of those who professed to believe in Jesus Christ to follow them. They have:

1.      Turned the grace of God into lasciviousness

This means that they have taken the grace of God which is His unmerited favor, His forgiving mercy, His gifts and talents, eternal life etc. things mankind could not have attained on their own, and turned this around taking it as a license to gratify the lust of the flesh.

For example, these ungodly men are misleading themselves and others in believing that they are not subject to the law. But let us allow the scriptures to clarify this sensitive issue. The scriptures for example state the following:

“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14)

What does that mean! Does this mean that one can continue sinning? Or in other words continue transgressing the law of God, since we are not under law but under grace?

The answer to this question is simply this, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?  What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!”  (Romans 6:15)

Being dead to sin is figurative to, not allowing sin to reign in our mortal body, that we should obey it in its lusts, and that we should not present the members of our body as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, which is to transgress the law of God.

Another important question one should ask is why are we not under law? The answer to this question is thoroughly explained in the apostle Paul`s letter to Timothy which reads, “knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for man slayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust” (1Timothy 1:9-11).

Therefore, those who are not under the law are those who are already living within the confines of the law, and so the law is not made for the righteous because he/she is already practicing righteousness, as it is written. “Little children let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins (transgressing the law of God) is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning: For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1John 3:7-8).

Yes, we know that, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, but it is by the law one can know what sin is, as clearly stated by the apostle Paul who wrote; “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet" (Romans 7:7).

Therefore, the big question is, do we then make void the law through faith? The answer is: Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. The irony of truth is, the source of our salvation, our calling, our faith, our justification, our forgiveness, our consolation, our holiness and our righteousness have been imputed to us through the grace of God, and therefore, if it is by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! The truth of the matter is, having been set free from sin, by removing the heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh, by having the laws of God placed in our mind and written on our hearts, by transforming the natural carnal mind which is enmity against God and not subject to the law of God neither can it ever be, and replacing it with a spiritual mind which now understands the things of the Spirit, we now become slaves of righteousness.

Even though we have been saved by grace, there is a code of conduct by which we are to live in harmony with God and with one another. God is not the author of confusion and therefore, will not permit anyone to do what seems right in their eyes and to walk after the imagination of their own heart. There is only one way which leads to life.

This is one of the main reasons why there are so many divisions in the body of Christ: Ungodly men turning the grace of God into a license to disobey the laws of God in order to gratify the flesh.

Copyright © 2017 by Lucius Joseph

All rights reserved

How literal is conversion

Conversion is a term that is widely used in the religious circle, but I wonder how many people have taken the time to ponder on the significance of conversion, and what actually transpires at conversion, and whether it is a real and literal process.
To the majority of people, conversion is simply a change from one belief to another, a change from lack of belief to having faith, or the act of turning away from sin to God. But is there something more practical and literal that takes place at conversion which is openly manifested in the life of the individual who is converted?
I therefore beg to ask the question is the plea to be converted figurative, metaphoric or is it a literal and practical exercise? To better understand the significance and profoundness of conversion, let us look at some practical examples.

1.      From pride to humility

Jesus Christ said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).

2.      From serving idols to serving the One and only true God

As alluded to by Peter who admonished the people saying; “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21).

3.      From slaves of sin to slaves of God/righteousness

Let us look at some of the admonitions given in regard to this area of conversion;

a.        “Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13).

b.      “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? (Romans 6:16).

c.        “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18).

d.      “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” (Romans 6:19).

e.       “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness” (Romans 6:20).

f.       “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 6:22).

4.      From a natural/carnal mind to a spiritual mind

It is stated quite explicitly that; “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit: For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (Romans 8:5-7).

It is stated also that; “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one” (1Corinthians 2:14-15).

This area of conversion also brings about a conversion of how the individual actually lives and walks in his/her daily life, for we have been admonished saying; “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil 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).

 And so the admonition continues, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors --- not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:12-13).

This conversion is so significant and practical that the converted individual is expected to; “No longer should live the rest of his/her time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles --- when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries: In regard to these, they think it strange that we do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of us” (1Peter 4:2-4).

5.      From being citizens of the kingdom of darkness to becoming citizens of the kingdom of light

Necessitating a redirection of our loyalty and primary focus, for this reason we are to; “Give thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14).

Now since this conversion has been effected, the converted has been instructed saying; “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth: For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-11).

6.      From a spirit of fear, to the Spirit of power, love, and sound mind

Here again is a literal conversion that takes place in the life of one who is truly converted, for it is stated quite clearly that, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2Timothy 1:7).

With a truly converted individual, it is no longer the individual who exercises the power, but the Holy Spirit who dwells in him/her. Like the apostle Paul wrote saying; “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Also he said; “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Philippians 2:13-16).

From mortal and corruptible to immortal and incorruptible

The final conversation will be our final victory as it is written; “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed ---in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.`

“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory: O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:50-58).

Therefore, with all these examples, conversion cannot simply denote a change from one belief to another, or from a lack of belief to faith, and not even simply turning from sin to God. It is much more profound than that.

To be continued

Copyright © 2018 by Lucius Joseph

What defines the church

The most popular concept which people have regarding the church is that it is a religious ceremony where people come to sing songs of praise, pray, listen to a Minister or Preacher delivering a sermon, collecting the offering, and having fellowship with one another. People encourage others to go to church, and take pleasure in inviting others to church, the ideology is, people go to church.

The other concept of church is the building or site where religious activities are held, so people generally use the term, I am going to the church. Unfortunately, this is the premise on which most people have built their concept of what church is. But let us with an open mind prove all things and hold fast to what is good. What is the Church?

The word church is associated 0nly with those who have been redeemed; and refers only to groups of Christians assembled for worship. Even in the wilderness where Moses told the Israelites that; “God will send you a prophet like me from your own people. He was in the congregation in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us” pertained only to God’s chosen people, and anyone who joined them had to abide by their rules. (Acts 7:37-38).

The whole meaning and concept of church has been profaned, corrupted, maligned, and compromised in order to gain popularity and commercial benefits. The church is not a forum for whosoever will may come, The forum for whosoever will may come is done in the outer Court, in our lectures, Bible studies, crusades, evangelistic campaigns, but not in the Inner Court.

The Inner Court is the place where, only those who have accepted the message, and are baptized, are added to, by being baptized into one Spirit, and it is the Lord who adds to the church those who are being saved. The titles which are assigned to the church is a clear testimony of the core and nature of the church. It has been assigned such titles as, The bride of Christ; The Body of Christ; Body of believers; Church of the first born; Church of the Living God; City of God; Flock of God; God’s Building; God’s husbandry; Habitation of God; Household of God; Israel of God; Kingdom of God’s dear Son; Lamb’s wife; Mount Zion; People of God; Spiritual house; Temple of God.

Such titles demonstrates the close and intimate relationship the church has with Jesus Christ its head, and the reason why it was destined. In fact when the good news of salvation is proclaimed to an unbeliever, and we wish that they could be converted and have fellowship with the church, they should first be made aware that our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. Sensitizing them to the fact that, God is light; and in Him there is no darkness at all, and so, if we claim to have fellowship with Him, yet walk in the darkness [sin], we lie and do not live by the truth.

It is only when we [believers gathered together] are walking in the light [in truth, holiness], as Jesus Christ is in the light, that we [the believers] have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. There is a purification from sin that must take place when believers come together and have fellowship with one another, and with the Father and the Son, for if we claim to be without sin we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we claim that we have not sinned, we make God out to be a liar, and His word has no place in our lives.

It is imperative therefore that our sins be confessed, and if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. This purification of sins is a continuous process that is administered through the cup of the New Covenant, which Jesus Christ instituted as the new agreement in His blood for the forgiveness of sins, and became effective after His death.

Passover is a once and for all time phenomenon, but Atonement is a continuous process. The church therefore is not a forum for whosoever will may come. The forum for whosoever will may come is done in the outer court, in our lectures, crusades, evangelistic campagnes, bible studies, house to house visits, but not in the Inner Court.

Church is the forum where only those who are baptized into the body of Christ, and are willing to rid themselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind, and like new born babies, craving more spiritual milk, so that by it they may grow up in their salvation, for now that they have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

They come to Jesus Christ, the living stone - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him. They also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [the only spiritual sacrifice that is acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, is the offering of His body and blood]. For the scripture says; “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.”

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” and “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message - which is also what they were destined for” (1 Peter 2: 1-8).

The church is destined before the foundation of the world to be holy, meaning free from sin and accusation, put people are disobeying the message by which the church is being sanctified, redeemed, and be reconciled to God, and profaning it by not separating the holy from the profane. The church is a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that they may declare the praises of God who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Once they were not a people, but now they are the people of God; once they had not received mercy, but now they have obtained mercy. The church as a royal priesthood and a holy nation, must be holy to their God, and must not profane the name of their God, because they present the offerings made to the Lord by fire [zeal), the food of their God, they are to be holy. They become holy by eating the offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred. (Leviticus 21:6; Exodus 29:33).

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The church is therefore admonished saying; “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God has said: I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.’ “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you: I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

If anyone in the church is living a double standard life the instruction is, “I have written to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people - not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

What is it that we are commanded not to eat with a brother who is sexually immoral or greedy? Is it ordinary food! No! But the food which we eat when we come together as a church. The apostle Paul admonished the church saying; "Therefore, my brethren, when you come together [as a church] to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment." The judgment is for eating and drinking the body and blood of Jesus Christ in an unworthy manner, and not properly discerning the body.

The church as the body of Christ is represented by the breaking of bread, we come together as a church to recognize Jesus Christ by the breaking of bread. According to the apostle Paul; “My dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation [communion, fellowship, sharing] of the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation [communion, fellowship, sharing] in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1Corinthians 10:16-17).

It is the community spirit, the participation of the one bread that makes the many members one, and reconcile them to God, and it is the participation of the cup that purifies them from all sin. This is the premise on which the first century New Testament church started, for, “They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. Everyone was filled in awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common” (Acts 2: 42-44).

God has overlooked these times of ignorance and has now commanded all men everywhere to repent.

 

Our Freedom in Christ

The apostle Paul gave instructions to the church in Galatia saying, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).

The important question here is: By what were the church enslaved? According to the context of Paul’s admonition, and other supporting scriptures, the church was enslaved to:

1. The law of circumcision which was regarded as a yoke which neither the disciples nor the forefathers were able to bear, and it is testified that, “To everyone who becomes circumcised is required to obey the whole law” which is rather impossible (Galatians 5:3).

Freedom from the law of circumcision however does not invalidate the obedience to the commandments of God as alluded to by the apostle Paul who said, “Circumcision is nothing and in-circumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters” (1Corinthians 7:19).

He also stated that, “Although I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. To the Jews I became a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law – though not being myself under the law – that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law – not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ – that I might win those outside the law” (1Corinthians 9:19-21).
The apostle Paul was addressing the situation between the circumcised who were indebted to keep the law, and the uncircumcised who were without the law, and therefore the status now is, “In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6).
Now the faith which is at work is not a blind nebulous faith, but a faith which comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, and applied through love. In other words what really counts is recognize the truth of God’s word, acknowledge it, apply it through love, and become a slave to it.
For example, the psalmist David wrote; “Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. I will always obey your laws for ever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them. I revere thy commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on thy statutes” (Psalms 119:43-48).
True freedom therefore is, to walk in harmony with the laws of God.

2. Freedom in Christ has liberated us from the letter of the law but, has not invalidated keeping the spirit or the righteous requirements of the law.
God has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life. We have been delivered from the ministry of death and condemnation but, have been installed in the ministry of the Spirit and righteousness.
But how do we differentiate the letter of the law from the spirit of the law?
The letter of the law had to do with food and drink, various ceremonial washings and external regulations which were simply a type or a shadow of the real substance which is the body of Christ.
These external regulations were applicable until the time of reformation or the new order (Hebrews 9:10).
And for this reason, the apostle Paul instructed the Colossians saying; “Let no one judge you in food or in drink in, regards to a religious festival, a new moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Colossians 2;16-17).
The purpose or intent of all these external regulations was to clear the conscience of the worshiper and make perfect those who draw near to worship which was not attainable (Hebrews 9:9, 10:1).
The Spirit of the law on the other hand is to fulfil the righteous requirements of the law by faith through love, without these external requirements, and a written code, because, “Love is the fulfilment of the law” (Romans 13:8, 10). And vice versa, for thus says the Lord; “If you love Me, keep My commandments”.
And so, it is written, “If the uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his un-circumcision be counted as circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfilled the law judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision are a transgressor of the law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not from man but from God” (Romans 2:26-29).
It is therefore conclusive that, our freedom in Christ has not invalidated the law itself, but only its external regulations with its written code.
For example, the apostle Paul wrote; “But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit. What then shall we say? That the law is sin? Certainly not! He further said, “So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good” (Romans 7:6-7, 12).
And even though circumcision which indebted one to keep the whole law is now of no value, and the only thing that counts is faith expressed through love, this nevertheless has not made void the law through faith, but on the contrary the law is established
For example, doing away with the letter of the law, and observing the law in the Spirit did not abolished the observance of the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread, because Paul’s admonition to the church is, “Purge out the old leaven (sin) that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover was sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1Corinthians 5:7-8).
Neither did observing the law in the Spirit abolished the observance of the feast of Pentecost. Because, not only were the disciples of Jesus Christ celebrating the feast of Pentecost when they assembled together fifty days after the feast of first fruits, when Jesus Christ ascended to heaven to the Father on the Sunday after His resurrection from the dead, and received the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul also made it his duty to keep the feast of Pentecost.
Because he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; and he sailed past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible on the Day of Pentecost” (Acts 18:21; 20:16).
On another occasion we are told that, “He stayed in Ephesus until Pentecost” (Acts 16:8).
It is of importance to note that the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and Tabernacles are interrelated as being ordained times of worship. For thus says the Lord; “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses; at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty handed” (Deuteronomy 16:16; Exodus 23:14-17; 34:18,22-23).
The abolishment of the letter of the law also did not do away with the seventh day weekly Sabbath, nor changed it to another day. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, so the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).
Now the way one shows reverence, respect, and adoration to the Son of Man as the Lord, is by observing His Sabbaths. For thus says the Lord, “Observe My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary, I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:30; 26:2).
He also said, “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 20:20).

 3. Freedom in Christ liberated us from the bondage of sin, but again, this did not invalidate the keeping of the commandments.

The apostle Paul wrote; “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves of righteousness.” And, ‘Having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Romans 6:18, 22).

The bondage of sin from which we have been delivered is our independent sinful carnal nature, which is naturally hostile to God, and does not submit to God’s law, and neither can be.
We have received a new heart and a new spirit of adoption at the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and when combined with the Holy Spirit, He will cause us to walk in His statutes and keep His judgments and do them (Ezekiel 36:26; 11:19-20).

 4. Freedom in Christ liberated us from all men.

As it is written; “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. And like the apostle Paul said, “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all that I might win the more” (1Corinthians 7:23; 9:19).
Our freedom in Christ should not be used as a pretext for evil, or lawlessness; but to live as servants of God, obeying His commandments, and neither should this freedom be used as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (1Peter: 2:16; Galatians 5:13).
In other words freedom in Christ does not invalidate the keeping of the first and great commandment which is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind” as demonstrated by the observance of the first four of the Ten Commandments; and neither the second great commandment, which is to love our neighbor as our selves, as demonstrated by the observance of the last six of the Ten Commandments.
In short, our freedom in Christ is to look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets, but a doer that acts, not under compulsion, coercion or by strict command, but a doer who acts by faith through love, he/she shall be blessed in all his/her doings (James 1:25).
The difference between fulfilling the law in the spirit, and fulfilling it in the letter, is application. One is applied through external regulations, and strict commands, while the other is applied by faith, through love as a form of gratitude. All we owe is a debt of love, for by the works of the law, shall no flesh be justified in his sight.

Copyright © 2009 by Lucius Joseph

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These times of ignorance God has overlooked, and now command all men everywhere to repent.

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Lucius Joseph

Essentials of life Ministry

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