The heart and core of the gospel (part 2)

God´s testimony regarding His Son

The first integral component of the true gospel has to do with reference to God´s testimony regarding His Son as we have been instructed saying; “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1John 5:10-13).

The first intrinsic part of the true gospel has to do with who Jesus Christ is before He took on flesh and this sets a very good precedence so that we can know distinctly who we are dealing with as Jesus graciously expressed in His prayer to the Father saying; "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.”

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17; 1-5).

The glory which Jesus Christ had with the Father before the world was is that, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:15-17).

It is Jesus Christ who, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that were made life. In Him was, and the life was the light of men” (John 1: 1-4).

And since He is the One who did all these things, our admonition is to; "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water" (Revelation 14:7).

We should also note the fact that, Jesus Christ is also the One who instructed the children of Israel in the wilderness and gave Moses His laws and statutes as a perpetual covenant saying; “Speak also to the children of Israel, 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…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 31:13-14, 16-17)

And so, it is imperative for us to note and consider that it is Jesus Christ the Word who created the heavens and the earth, who became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth and who is the same yesterday, today, and forever and therefore, it is incumbent that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 1:14, Hebrews 13:8; John 5:23)

And this is where I perceived that the majority of people who profess to be believers fall short by committing the sin of irreverence because they are not worshiping the Lord as ordained, for it is stated categorically; “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD”… “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times” (Leviticus 19:30; 26:2; 23:4).

So let us be honest with ourselves, if we are not appearing before the Lord on the days He has appointed and instead, appearing before Him on days He has not appointed, the question is who we are worshiping! Are we not worshiping in vain by observing the customs and traditions on men? Taking into consideration the fact that, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

To be continued

With brotherly love 

Lucius Joseph