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Monday, August 9, 2021

The rationale for bringing an offering

 

Bringing the specific offering of the body and blood of Jesus Christ is the new and living way by which we now draw near to the Father and there are specific instructions as to when it should be offered because the Lord spoke to 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.'

It is this offering that grants us access to the presence of the Father, because it is through partaking of this offering that the worshiper becomes holy as confirmed in the scriptures stating; “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 our new dispensation, the things with which the atonement was made in order to consecrate and sanctify us is the sacrificial body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, which is now the new and living way by which we are to draw near to the Father. This is what the saints being a holy priesthood offer to the Father as a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to Him through Jesus Christ.

This is also the food which we have been instructed saying; “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." Jesus Christ confirmed the literal and practicality of this spiritual food by saying; “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is (real) food indeed, and My blood is (real) drink indeed.

He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven ---not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever" (John 6:53-58).

Unfortunately, our education system does not teach us anything about the real life, their teaching is based specifically and principally on the temporary breath of life which is the life that is in accordance to the flesh, teaching us how to earn a living in order to sustain the physical life, but does not teach us how to live in accordance to the Spirit.

Even when it comes to worship, the sustenance of our spiritual life is unfortunately administered in accordance to the flesh as envisioned and documented by the prophet Isaiah saying; “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats.

"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 1:11-15).

The New Moons (beginning of a new month), the Sabbaths and appointed feast days were rejected not because God does not require them, but are being rejected because they are observed not in accordance with the way of life in the spirit which is based in accordance to the commandments of God, but they were being observed in accordance to the customs and traditions of men which are all vain and useless. Spiritual worship is in accordance to the word of God as verified by Jesus Christ who said; “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

Therefore, any form of worship regardless of how sanctimonious, charismatic, dynamic and pleasant to the eyes, they may appear to be, as long as they do not conform to the instructions which states; “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times,” are all vain and useless, because God has ordained these times specifically for His honor and glory which He does not share with any other.

These appointed times will continue into the future. "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).

The freedom to observe or not to observe does not give anyone the license to choose for themselves when and how to worship, it is not he who observes a day observes it to the Lord, but rather, it is he who observes the day, a specific day which the Lord has ordained. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph


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