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The
church of God
The third group of people in the world is the church, these are those who have made peace with God through the blood of Jesus Christ, as it is written; “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
For He Himself is our peace, who
has made both (Jews and Gentiles) one, and has broken down the middle wall of
separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the
law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new
man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile
them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the
enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off (Gentiles)
and to those who were near (Jews). For through Him we both have
access by one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:
13-18).
The one body by which the two,
Jews and Gentiles, might be reconciled to God is the church. And so we have
been duly admonished saying; “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever
you do, do all to the glory of God. Give
no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God” (1Corinthians
10:31-32),
What
differentiates the church from both the Jews and the Gentiles is her fellowship
with Jesus Christ, the power and wisdom of God.
The apostle Paul in his remarks regarding spiritual gifts said, “I thank
my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by
Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all
utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was
confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting
for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm
you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ:
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord” (1Corinthians 1:4-9).
What
differentiates the church from both the Jews and the Gentiles is their belief
in the message of the cross. For it is written; “For the message of the cross
is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is
the power of God. For it is written: "I
will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of
the prudent." Where is the wise? Where is the scribe?
Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this
world?
For since, in the wisdom of God,
the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the
foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For
Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach
Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of
God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser
than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1Corinthians
1:18-25).
What
is considered as the foolishness of God but is wiser than men is His decision
to send His only begotten Son into this world in the likeness of sinful flesh.
And what is considered as the weakness of God, but is stronger than men, is
Jesus Christ being found in appearance as a man and humbled Himself and became
obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
But
what has eluded the eyes of many is that this was the wisdom of God in a
mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,
which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would
not have crucified the Lord of glory.
What
then is to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Gentiles foolishness? It is the manifestation of the Lamb of God
Who indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was
manifest in these last times for us, who through Him believe in God, Who raised
Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that our faith and hope are in God.
It
is through the perfect sinless sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God,
and giving of His flesh to eat, and His blood to drink, as the food for the
Lord's offerings, His sweet smelling aroma that we become perfect, holy,
blameless, righteous and irreproachable in the sight of God.
The
irony of truth is, we were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or
gold, from our aimless conduct received by tradition from our fathers, but
with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot.
We
have been given the assurance that, He who calls us is to a life of perfection,
holiness, and blamelessness is faithful, who also will do it. It is also said
that, unbelief does not make the faithfulness of God of no effect, indeed, let
God be true and everyman a liar.
There
is no respecter of persons with God, neither is there any partiality with Him,
it is God's foreordained plan that the church be holy, perfect, blameless,
righteous and irreproachable in His sight. His death was on behalf of all
humanity, for it is stated that, “...
the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all,
then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live
no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” (2
Corinthians 5:14-15).
We
know that, it is God's will that none should perish, but that all should come
to repentance. Therefore, since it is the will of God that the church is
blameless, perfect, holy, righteous and irreproachable in His sight, and He who
promised is faithful, who also will do it, how is God in His faithfulness
purifies His church?
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To be continued, stay tuned
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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