It
is a shame and disappointing to see that, the majority of things we claim to
believe and practice as believers are in diametric opposite to what is expected
of us, reminding me of what Jesus admonished the people saying; “But why do you
call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6: 46).
Take
this simple admonition as a practical example, we are all calling Jesus Lord,
Lord,´ but the multi million question is, how are we expressing and
demonstrating our belief and conviction that Jesus Christ is truly the LORD? Although
the answer is very easy and straight forward, I wonder how many of us have the
eyes to see, the mind to believe and to understand!
Because
of the huge cloud of deception that is hovering over the earth, many of us who
profess to be believers have fallen into the category of those who have been blinded
due to disobedience. Therefore, we are admonished to: “Pause and wonder! Blind
yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but
not with intoxicating drink.
“For
the LORD has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your
eyes, namely, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers. The
whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which
men deliver to one who is literate, saying, "Read this, please." And
he says, "I cannot, for it is sealed." Then the book is delivered to
one who is illiterate, saying, "Read this, please." And he says,
"I am not literate." Therefore the Lord said: "Inasmuch as these
people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed
their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men” (Isaiah
29:9-13).
This
is very alarming and disturbing because this is what the Lord said concerning
His people; “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have
rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because
you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6).
Not
only is the rejection of knowledge and disobedience to the laws of God gets one
spiritually blinded but tragically being rejected from becoming priest unto the
Lord which is the highest honor anyone one can receive from the Lord.
So
then, how do we express and demonstrate our belief that Jesus Christ is Lord?
The answer to this question is one of the simplest question to answer, for thus
says the Lord; “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the
LORD” (Leviticus
19:30; 26:2).
If
we are therefore calling Jesus Lord, Lord, what is so difficult in this passage
of scripture to believe and implement?
Now
to the main issue, how is love towards God demonstrated? Remember a teacher
from the Pharisees asked Jesus a question saying: “Teacher, which is the great
commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD
your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This
is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love
your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the
Prophets" (Matthew
22: 36-40).
What
I have perceived is that, the majority of people are not making a clear
distinction between the love towards God and the love towards our neighbor: I
am fully aware of the passage which states; “For all the law is fulfilled in
one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:14).
Also
the one which says; “If someone says, "I love God," and hates his
brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen,
how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from
Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4: 20-21).
However,
apart from expressing love towards God through loving our neighbors, there is a
distinctive way of expressing our love towards God and that is by keeping His
commandments. Because Jesus said quite explicitly, “If you love Me, keep My
commandments”. And, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who
loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him
and manifest Myself to him" (John 14:15, 21).
The
apostle John echoed a similar sentiment by saying; By this we know that we love
the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is
the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not
burdensome” (1
John 5:2-3).
So
what really differentiates the love of God from the love of our neighbor? It is “Worship” for this is where we express our love, gratitude and appreciation to God for who He
is and what he has done for us. But it must be done at the appointed time which
the LORD has ordained.
For
thus says the LORD; “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this
from your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense
is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of
assemblies --- I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your 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 eyes from you;
Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of
blood” (Isaiah
1:12-15).
Notice
carefully that, it is not the LORD`S ordained festivals that are an abhorrence
to Him, but man`s appointed festivals, because, with reference to the Lord`s
Passover which is today, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread starting tomorrow,
this is what the Lord says, “So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you
shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall
keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.” And, “So you shall observe the
Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies
out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your
generations as an everlasting ordinance” (Exodus 12: 14, 17).
With
the children of Israel their deliverance was from the physical bondage of
slavery in Egypt, through the protective blood spilled by physical lambs, but with
mankind today especially those of us who claim to be believers, our deliverance
is from sin and death by the blood of the Lamb of God. For; “Inasmuch then as the children
have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that
through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the
devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage” (Hebrews
2:14-15).
So
let us be realistic and not deceive ourselves, if the Israelite's are to observe
their physical deliverance from physical slavery throughout their generations
as an everlasting ordinance, should we not observe and commemorate our spiritual
deliverance from sin and death throughout our generations as an everlasting
ordinance?
The
choice is yours, but truly, these times of ignorance God has overlooked, but
now commands all men everywhere to repent. The question is will you?
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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