Practicality of living in the Spirit

To practically live the life which is in accordance to the Spirit, the following steps are of intrinsic importance.

a.       Obedience

As obedient children, we are not to conform to the evil desires we had when we lived in ignorance, but just as He who called us is holy, so we are to be holy in all that we do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy” (1Peter 1:14-16).

Having received the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus, we should no longer have a carnal mind which by nature is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be, but should have a spiritual mind that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

b.      The food for the Lord’s offering

Offering the Lord the food for His offerings at the appointed time as it is commanded saying; “See that you present to Me at the appointed time the food for My offerings, made by fire, as an aroma pleasing to Me.” It is by so doing, that we can now 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 (Numbers 28:2; Hebrews 10: 22).

It is by having faith in this offering that we are able to fulfill the will of God which was preordained even before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him 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.

c.       Urging others towards love and good deeds

For we have been admonished saying; “Consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, for we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. And are urged to; “Live a life worthy of the calling we have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Hebrews 10:24; Ephesians 4:1-3).

d.      Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing. But let us encourage one another – and all the more as we see the Day approaching. For thus says the Lord who is the same yesterday, today, and forever; “These are the Lord’s appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing offerings made to the Lord by fire...” (Hebrews 10:25; Leviticus 23:37).

Warning! “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the Law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who insulted the Spirit ofGrace? For we know Him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, “The Lord will judge His people, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:26-31).

It is the blood of the New Covenant that washes away our sins; it is the blood that makes us whole again when we have fallen; for our pardon, this is what we see, for our cleansing, this is all our plea, this is all our hope and peace, this is all our righteousness, for nothing else can atone for sins. This is the law of the spirit of life that makes us free from the law of sin and death, do not neglect so great a salvation, and do not receive the grace of God in vain.

To the Jews this is a stumbling block, to the Gentiles this is foolishness, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ the power and the wisdom of God: For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

The Christian life

The Christian Life

With so many divergent views, and contrary opinions that are being circulated regarding the Christian life, many innocent, God-fearing people are in confusion and discombobulated not knowing who to believe. But somewhere we need to strike a balance, and rescue these innocent victims.
The Christian life is not that wide gate and broad way that leads to destruction and many are going through it, but it is a straight, narrow, and difficult way which stands between two extremes. It stands between the rough deadly and turbulent waters of legalism on one side, and the calm, placid, but highly toxic and deadly waters of liberalism on the other side.
The Lord’s instruction to us therefore is; “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7: 13-14).
The individual who desires to live the Christian life must be extremely vigilant and steadfast, so as to maintain his/her equilibrium and not stumble and fall in either extremes.
The reality is, there is not one single aspect of life that does not have or requires a set of living, practical principles which governs its growth and perpetuation. Every single aspect of life is governed by immutable laws without which it cannot exist. And the truth of the matter is, Ignorance of those laws is no excuse, if we know them and apply them, happy are we; on the other hand if we don’t know them and don’t apply them, we will have to pay the consequences.
This living principle is clear, for it is written; “And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more” (Luke 12:47-48).

These living principles are so impartial that one automatically reaps the benefits of obedience even when they are not knowledgeable of these existing laws, for it is written; “For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel” (Romans 2:12-6).

The Christian life is no exception, there is a thin line between law and grace, and if one is ignorant of it, he/she is apt to stumble and fall in either legalism or liberalism. This thin line, the straight, narrow and difficult way can be understood by understanding Paul’s statement when he said; “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge; for they being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believe” (Romans 10:2-4).
Notice, the apostle Paul did not say that Christ is the end of the law of righteousness, what he said is, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, signifying that he did not do away with the law of righteousness, but did away with the law as the means of attaining righteousness.
The apostle Paul again addressed this issue by saying; “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” And in the same breath he says; “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!
He asked again, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin (transgressing the laws of God) that grace may abound? Certainly not!  How shall we who have died to sin live any longer in it? He also said; “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 6:14-15; 1, 2, 7).
This law is found inscribed in the Lord’s everlasting covenant - the Ten Commandments. The thin line that exists between law and grace is simply this;  It is utter folly to think and believe that there is no law, it is utter folly also to believe that there is no sin, because technically, and logically, sin is not imputed when there is no law. So the crux of the matter is this, the law though it exists and is in force, because it is spiritual, and eternal, it however, cannot save man from sin, it cannot produce the righteousness of God, and so Christ became the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For it is only through His sacrifice man is redeemed and saved from sin.
Even having faith in Christ does not annul or make the law obsolete, because the apostle Paul again says; “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31).
The conclusion of the matter is, to the legalists although we agree that the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good, when obeyed, it should not be under command, coercion or compulsion, but rather obeyed through faith and love, for it expresses our reverence, gratitude, and appreciation to the Lord. And whoever does and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
And to the liberals, it is ignorance and stupidity on your part to believe that our Loving God, our heavenly Father would allow every man to walk after the imagination of his/her own sinful heart, doing what seems right in their own eyes and not directing them in the way that they should go, so that all may be well with them. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.

The law of faith

1.      The law of faith

The law of faith is to believe in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which has made us free from the law of sin and death, it is to believe in the law which replaces the one which made nothing perfect; and has become a better hope, through which we draw near to God. It is the law which governs the Melchizedek priesthood. For it is written; “For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law...And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.’

“For He testifies; “you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’ For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:12-19).

It is to have faith in the law of the Spirit which has made us free from the law of sin and death, because we are being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God presented as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

The law of faith is to have faith in the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that has made us free from the law of sin and death, and it is to have faith in the law which states; “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” “For according to the law almost all things are purged with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22).

The law of faith is to have faith in the act of righteousness, by which the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us (which is to present the worshiper holy, perfect, and irreproachable in God’s sight), who do not live according to the sinful nature (the law of sin and death), but according to the Spirit. This act of righteousness is the offering of the cup of the New Covenant of Christ’s blood, as the atonement for our sins.

The death of Jesus Christ on the cross, is the once and for all sacrifice He made for the redemption of all humanity. But the cup of the New Covenant which He took and gave thanks, and gave to His disciples saying, “Drink from it, all of you; ‘For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins,” is the atonement for our sins, it is the law of the Spirit of life that makes us free from the law of sin and death (Matthew 26:27-28).

This act of righteousness is the duty of the priest. “Priests 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.” We also, “Like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ” (Leviticus 21:6; 1 Peter 2:5).

This is the better hope by which we draw near to God, and which gives us the boldness and confidence to enter the Most Holy Place behind the curtain. We now have a superior High Priest, and the perfect sacrifice which fulfills the righteous requirement of the law. This is the prerequisite before drawing near to God. As stated clearly; “Therefore, brothers, 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 body, and since we have a great High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. (Hebrews 10:19-22).

However, despite the vast superiority of the law of faith, it did not in any way invalidate or made obsolete the law of love. For this is what the apostle Paul said, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law”. And, “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 3:31; 7:7).

Therefore, believers ought not to confuse themselves, get agitated and discombobulated when the word law is used, they should first acquaint themselves with the proceedings and verify for themselves which law they are referring to and in what context it is used before jumping into conclusion. God has overlooked these times of ignorance and now commands all men everywhere to repent.

The Law of sacrifices (part 2)

The law of sacrifices and offerings is a law that is completely different to either the law of love/righteousness, or to the law of sin and death. As the apostle Paul clearly states: “What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator” (Galatians 3:19).

Since the wages of sin which is transgressing the law of God, or to live in accordance to the law of sin and death, the law of sacrifices and offerings was added because of transgressions to the law of love: In the old dispensation, it was animal sacrifices and it was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience ---concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

Notice carefully that this law was not abolished but was rather reformed or replaced by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as we have been duly instructed saying; “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and un-profitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:18-19).

This law which made nothing perfect is not the law of love but rather the law of sacrifices and offerings which was added because of transgressions and a means of reconciling man to God because, according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 9:22; 10:1-4).

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God,cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9: 11-15).

And so, the law of sacrifices and offerings has been reformed and replaced by the sacrificial body and blood of Jesus Christ in the form of the bread and wine which we are required to offer to Him at the appointed time, which the Lord instructed Moses saying; "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.” This appointed time is recorded in the book of Numbers chapter twenty eight and twenty nine.

Unfortunately, this is the area I find most professing believers are falling short, they have not perceived the practicality and reality of this aspect of life in the Spirit.

The law of sacrifices (part one)

 The law of sacrifices and offerings

The law of sacrifices and offerings or the ceremonial law is the law which most people are confusing with the spiritual law of love. They erroneously are mistaking it with the spiritual law. Because although for as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." No one can be justified by keeping the spiritual law, and no one can inherit the promise which God made to Abraham by observing the law, we therefore conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Nevertheless, the law of love/righteousness should not be confused with the law of sacrifices and offerings which was added because of transgressing the spiritual law.

The law of sacrifices and offerings we are told:

1.      Was added because of transgression

2.      Was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices were offered which could not make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience

3.      Was imposed until the time of reformation

4.      Was a copy and shadow of the things in the heavens

This law was a substitute, a copy of the real sacrifice which is Jesus Christ. Ceremonial laws therefore, have not been completely abolished, but they have rather been reformed, because we have been instructed saying: “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and un-profitableness, for the law made nothing perfect, on the other hand there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:18-19).

This law was instituted until the real offering became effective, because, “the Holy Spirit indicated that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices were offered which could not make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience. It was concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

The rationale and objective for the ceremonial laws have not changed; the rationale for the ceremonial law was to clear the conscience of the one who performed the service, and to make those who draw near to God perfect, but they were weak and unprofitable. Therefore, when Christ who is the real sacrifice came into the world He said: “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin you did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:8-10).

Jesus Christ like every high priest, who is selected from among men, is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. For it is written: “For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer” (Hebrews 5:1; 8:3).

The offering which Jesus Christ offers is far superior, and it is able to fulfill the Father’s demand, which is to present the worshiper perfect before Him. And so it is written: “Therefore, it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” And, “Because He continues forever, He has an unchangeable priesthood, and therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 9: 23-24; 7:24-25).

God, by sending His only begotten Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering, He condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law, which is to present the worshiper holy, perfect, and irreproachable before God might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature, but according to the Spirit.

To be continued