The question is, how many
professing believers truly know, believe and are assertive of the password by
which one gains access to the throne of grace despite the fact that Jesus
Christ quite emphatically stated; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
For example, most professing
believers do not comprehend the phraseology which states; “For as often as you
eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He
comes.”
They do not know how often it
should be taken when the Lord Himself spoke to Moses and said to him; “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” (Numbers 28:2).
There is therefore, a prescribed,
ordained or appointed time for which we are to offer to the Lord the food for His offerings.
Remember, the reformation did not do away with the ordinance it simply replaced
the copy and the shadow with the reality, so instead of animal sacrifices with
their food and drinks we now have Jesus Christ as our eternal High Priest, His
body and blood in the form of the bread and wine as the food for the Lord’s
offerings.
The other misunderstood factor
concerning the fellowship of the mystery which the Father accomplished in Jesus
Christ our Lord is the phraseology; “you proclaim or commemorate the Lord's
death till He comes.” The question is
how do we proclaim or commemorate the Lord’s death until He comes?
To proclaim or commemorate the
Lord’s death is a call to remembrance the purpose, the rationale and the reason
for Christ’s death which is first and foremost to destroy the works of the
devil which is sin and death as we have been duly admonished saying; “He who
sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this
purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the
devil” (1John 3:8).
Therefore, whenever we partake of
the fellowship of the mystery which the Father accomplished in Jesus Christ we
are destroying the works of the devil by having our sins forgiven and
guaranteeing our eternal life Just as Jesus Christ plainly said; “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 food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and
drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:54-56).
Please note carefully that it is
while we are having fellowship with one another at the appointed time ordained by the
Lord Himself to offer to Him the food for His offerings that we get cleansed
from our sins. As alluded to by the apostle John who wrote; “But if we walk in
the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the
blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1John 1:7).
Again note carefully that the
word is “cleanses” something that is current and not cleansed as in the past.
This also coincides with the statement made by the apostle Paul when he wrote;
“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge for
yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the
communion (fellowship) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it
not the communion (fellowship) of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are
one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread” (1Corinthians
10:14-17).
The apostle Paul had to chastise the
church in Corinth due to the manner in which they partook of the fellowship
offering, he said to them; “For first of all, when you come together as a
church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For
there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be
recognized among you. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not
to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of
others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to
eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have
nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise
you” (1Corinthians 11:18-22).
But after chastising them for the
manner in which they partook of the Lord’s Supper he then instructed them
saying; “Therefore, my brethren, when you come together (as a church) to
eat(the Lord’s supper) wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him
eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in
order when I come” (1Corinthians 11:33-34).
And the possibility of coming
together for judgment is as the result of not properly discerning the Lord’s
body, by eating and drinking of the body and blood of Jesus Christ in an
unworthy manner and it is for this reason many of us are weak, sick and some
have died prematurely.
Another very important point to
note is that, the main objective or the rationale for having a holy convocation
is principally to offer the Lord the food for His offerings, for thus says the
Lord; “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.” And please note again carefully that, this offering is, besides (or
in addition to) 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),
But thanks be to God who has
overlooked this time of ignorance and now commands all men everywhere to
repent. I implore you therefore, let us be faithful stewards of the manifold
wisdom of God.
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