Times of ignorance

 

Times of Ignorance

Ignorance of God, ignorance of the laws which governs our universe, and ignorance of who we are, ignorance of the laws which governs man’s relationship with God, and with his fellowman is the main reason why we suffer the way we do, fail miserable in our pursuits of the good life, and not enjoying the abundant life which Jesus Christ referred to when He said; “I am come that they may have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Many people are oblivious of the fact that, “God gives to all life.” This life is absent from death, as illustrated by Jesus Christ who said; "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11: 25-26).

This life is what man inherited from the Last Adam, Jesus Christ, for according to the scriptures; “The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” And humanity was begotten by Jesus Christ at His resurrection, for it is stated; “.Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” It is in Christ Jesus that we all live, move, and have our existence (1Corinthians 15: 45; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Acts 17:28).

Many people are also oblivious of the fact that the same God who gives to all life, also gives to all breath. Signifying that man is dual in nature, having life which is spiritual and eternal, and breath which is the air drawn into and forced out of the lungs, and sustains the physical life. This breath is inherited from the first Adam, for according to the scriptures; “The first man Adam became a living being" (1Corinthians 15:45).

Now the reason for receiving from God both life and breath, is for mankind to come to know the one and only true God. For, “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring. Jesus also prayed saying; “You have given Him (Christ) 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” (Acts 17: 26-28; John 17:3).

Man is dual in nature, the same way Jesus Christ is God and Man: Mankind is also flesh and spirit. For this reason we are told that “For it was fitting for Him (Jesus Christ), for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You. And again: "I will put My trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me" (Hebrews 2:10-13).

Now in order to live both the life, which is life in the spirit, and breath, which is life in the flesh successfully, God has also given to man all things which pertain to life and godliness. And so it is written; “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:2-4). 

Man’s endowment of life and breath, is figurative to two different types of trees as alluded to by Jesus who said; “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7: 17-20).

Man therefore as a living being, with a free moral agency has the prerogative to choose whether to live his/her life in accordance to the spirit, or live in accordance to the flesh, with each having its own end results. For it is written; “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart“(Galatians 6:7-9).

The admonition therefore is, “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans: 6: 13).

And to this end we have been further admonished by the apostle Paul saying; “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

Because of our dual nature, there is a constant battle that takes place in our mind between the flesh and the spirit. Therefore we have been instructed saying: “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Galatians 5: 16-17).

But truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17: 30-31).

A believer therefore should no longer live to satisfy his/her flesh. It is not a question of let us eat, and drink, for tomorrow we die.” For, if in this life only, we have hope in Christ: we are of all men most pitiable.” But we have not so learned Christ, if indeed we have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that we put off, concerning our former conduct, the old man (life in the flesh) which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and that we put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:17-24).

Let us by the mercies of God, present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service. And let us not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph