Apart
from avoiding the defilement of our bodies in order to present it a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, there is also a practical way by which our
bodies can be presented as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God by applying
the principle God ordained and instructed Moses saying; “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).
Please
note carefully that, it is by eating those things with which the atonement was
made that one becomes consecrated and sanctified and, the Old Testament temple
rituals were a copy and shadow of the reality, they were serving the copy and
shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was
about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things
according to the pattern shown you on the mountain" (Hebrews 8:5).
Now
since God and His laws are immutable and God is impartial and shows no
favoritism the same way Aaron and his sons attained holiness by eating of those
things with which the atonement was made, to consecrate and sanctify them which
was the copy and shadow of the reality, in like manner, in order for us to
present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, we have to
eat of those things with which the atonement was made which is in reality, the
body and blood of Jesus Christ.
I
think that the apostle Paul made it abundantly clear when He wrote; “Therefore,
brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new
and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His
flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a
true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the
confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:19-23).
Partaking
of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, with Jesus Christ serving as our High
Priest is the new and living way by which we can draw near to the Father.
People often quote the scripture which reads; “I am the way, the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”, but fail to understand the
practical application of this scripture. Jesus is the new and living way to the
Father through His flesh represented by the unleavened bread, He is the truth,
as the Word of God Who is now seated at the right hand of the Father
interceding for us, and He is the life through His blood. “For the life of the
flesh is in the blood, and God has given it to us upon the altar to make
atonement for our souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul”
(Leviticus 17:11).
It
is also imperative to note that, the main objective for having a holy
convocation is to offer the Lord the food for His offerings for this is what
gives us access to the throne of grace, as we have been duly admonished saying;
“These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy
convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering
and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day
---besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides your gifts, besides all your vows,
and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD” (Leviticus 23: 37-38).
Please note carefully that, the main objective for having a holy convocation is to offer the Lord His offering which is besides or in addition to any other gifts or offerings one would like to offer to the Lord and it is the new and living way by which one can draw near to the Father.
To be continued stay tuned
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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