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Friday, June 2, 2023

The horrendous sin of irreverence (part three)

The rationale for the Lord’s Sabbaths

With all this confusion that is plaguing the Christian community with regards to the Lord’s appointed time and prescribed manner of worship and since our worship of God ought not to be of command, compulsion, coercion or grudgingly for we have been duly admonished saying; “If you love Me, keep My commandments” And the admonition from the apostle is; “.One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it” (John14:15 Romans 14:5-6).

However, since the Lord has ordained specific times and a prescribed manner by which He should be worshipped and He is looking forward for the true worshiper to worship Him in spirit and in truth for we have been duly instructed saying: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24).

Therefore, it is imperative for all who believe in Jesus Christ be acquainted and familiar with the ordained feast days, the appointed times and the prescribed manner of worship which the Lord has ordained for His people to appear before Him and to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Now for one to be able to truly grasp and understand the magnitude and profoundness of this horrendous sin of irreverence which the majority of us who profess to be believers in Jesus Christ are committing it is imperative that we take some time to consider and ponder on three essential things;

  1. We have been instructed saying; “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).
  2. In several passages of scripture the Lord is described as being a jealous God, For it is written; “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5; 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; 5:9; 6;15).
  3. Compare the amount of time, energy and resources we are spending and exerting on ourselves and loved ones when the day or occasion arises to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and historical memorials such as independence, mother’s and father’ day, creole day etc.

And so the question is, when we compare our due diligence in observing and perpetuating these festivals and occasions in comparison to the observance of the Lords festivals are we not provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?” And is this not blatant idolatry?(1 Corinthians 19:22).

Because the Lord clearly spoke to Moses saying: "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts:” These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times” (Leviticus 23: 2, 4).

There is therefore absolutely no excuse for not observing the Lord’s festivals if we truly understand the rationale for these festivals and our willingness to express our gratitude and appreciation to the Lord for His manifold graces.

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To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

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