Having a zeal for God but without knowledge (part four)

1. The second thing I heard that deeply disturbed me is from a young man in priestly attire who claimed that, the justification for observing Sunday the first day of the week as the weekly Sabbath it is because it was instituted by Jesus Christ on the day after His resurrection.

The reason for such an assertion I believe is from what we find stated by the apostle John which reads as follows; “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you" (John 20:19-21).

As far as anyone can clearly see, there is nothing in this passage of scripture that tends to even suggest that Sunday, the first of the week has replaced Saturday the seventh day of the week as the Lord’s weekly Sabbath. What is of intrinsic importance to ask and know is why were the disciples assembled together on the first day of the week and for fears of the Jews they had to shut the doors?

The reason why the disciples were assembled together on the first day of the week it was to observe the Feast of First fruits as Moses was instructed by the Lord saying; “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest.

He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the LORD. Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the LORD, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.  

Again, this is a statute which the children of Israel are to observe forever throughout their generations in all their dwellings. The reformation here is that the ascension of Jesus Christ to the Father after His resurrection is the new dispensation wave sheaf of the first fruits as we have been duly instructed saying; “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

This day is to commemorate Jesus Christ as the new dispensation sweet smelling aroma which is pleasing to God and so we have been duly admonished saying; “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5: 2).

This day is of great significance to all true believers because this day commemorates and reminds us of God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-7).

It is from that day that one has to count fifty (50) days to arrive at the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Pentecost as we have been duly admonished saying; “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:15-16).

Therefore, the disciples being assembled together on the first day of the week on these two occasions, on the Feast of First Fruits and on the Feast of Pentecost is no justification to even suggest that the seventh day weekly Sabbath was replaced by the first day of the week as the day of holy convocation.

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

Having a zeal for God but without knowledge (part three)

The last but not the least significant reason for observing the Lord's Sabbaths is the rationale or objective for observing them. The objective or rationale for observing the Sabbaths is that, they are a perpetual sign between God and His people throughout their generations to remind them that the Lord is the One who sanctifies them and that day is holy both to the Lord and to His people. The way one acknowledges and reverence God as the Lord is by observing His Sabbaths (plural) ( Leviticus 19:3, 30, 26:2; Ezekiel 20: 12, 20).

The Sabbaths are also memorials of what the Lord did on that particular day, for example the weekly Sabbath is to remind us of God’s creation as we have been duly admonished saying; “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11).

And if we claim to be believers this is what that is expected of us; “For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, ' They shall not enter My rest,' "although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; and again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest."

Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His (God’s) rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:3-11).

And very significantly, they were ordained specifically to offer the Lord the food for His offerings which is besides or in addition to everything else even the observance of the Sabbath itself, for we have been duly instructed 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).

Therefore, the main objective or the rationale for have a holy convocation is to offer the Lord the food for His offerings.

Let us consider also the fact that, Jesus Christ the Lord God of the Old Testament, the One who gave the laws to Moses is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, if the Lord’s Sabbaths were required to be observed in the past, will be required to be observed in the future as we have been duly instructed saying; “For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me," says the LORD, " So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD” ( Isaiah 66:22-23).

I therefore humbly beg to ask this question, why is observing the Lord’s Sabbaths such a burden for those who profess to be believers in Jesus Christ? 

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

Having a zeal for God but without knowledge (part two)

Now since the poor lady’s distraction was the term children of Israel let us focus on the children of Israel and see exactly who the children of Israel are and to whom these perpetual instructions apply.

The children of Israel are those to whom the Lord taught His statutes and judgments and according to Moses, they were supposed to teach them to other nations, for thus he wrote; “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'

"For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children” (Deuteronomy 4: 5-10).

In the event that one wants to exclude him/herself from the statutes and judgment that God gave to the children of Israel this is what the Lord says; “One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you." “One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you."  “You shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwells among them” (Exodus 12:49; Numbers 15:16; 29).

And this is what the Lord says with regards to salvation for the Gentiles; “Thus says the LORD: "Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it; who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."

“Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, "The LORD has utterly separated me from His people"; nor let the eunuch say, "Here I am, a dry tree."  For thus says the LORD: "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths (plural), and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”

 " Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants --- Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant ---Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations" (Isaiah 56:1-7).

Now another very important question to be asked is who truly are the children of Israel to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God?

Well, the crux of the matter according to the scriptures is, “But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect: For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed” (Romans 9:6-8).

Another important point to note is that, Gentiles are to glorify God together with His people and not in isolation for we have been duly admonished saying; “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: "For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name." And again he says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!" And again: "Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!" And again, Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope" (Romans 15:7-12).

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To be continued

Lucius Joseph

 

Having a zeal for God but without knowledge

Zeal for God but without knowledge

Recently, I viewed and listened to two videos on TikTok which had me quite flabbergasted and baffled seeing and listening to how these two people expressed themselves so sincerely and passionately and despite of their passion and sincerity they are sincerely and passionately wrong which causes me to echo the apostle’s Paul admonition which says; “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2).

And the sad thing is, the lack of knowledge bears huge consequences, it can hinder us from fulfilling the main purpose for which we have been called, because one of our main reasons why we have been called it is to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to Him be the glory both now and forever. And the Lord also said to the prophet Hosea; “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” ( 2 Peter 3:18; Hosea 4:6).

Let us now consider the two things I saw and heard recently that had me so flabbergasted, my first reaction was to close my mind and ignore what I heard, but when I reflect on how passionate and sincere the presenters were I was reminded of the instructions the Lord gave to the prophet Isaiah saying;” "Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1).

So let me go through the things I recently heard that greatly disturbed my spirit, I will deal with them separately:

1. A young lady who uses Exodus 31:13 as an excuse not to regard the Lord’s Sabbaths by saying that; this command is meant for the children of Israel which she is not and furthermore, everything belongs to God and so any day can be set aside as a day to present ourselves before God.

So let us with an open mind examine this trend of thought to find and prove for ourselves the biblical answer to this divisive belief which no doubt can cause massive division among sincere and faithful believers when the plea to all believers is stated as follows; “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment “ (1Corinthians 1:10).

So then, I beg to ask the question, is Exodus 31:13 pertains only to the children of Israel and therefore Gentiles have the liberty to appear before God whenever they choose because God is Sovereign and every day equally belongs to Him?

Let us first and foremost with an open mind examine the scripture which the young lady suggests does not relate to Gentiles and read as follows; “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you” (Exodus 31:13).

The first thing that catches my eye and attention is the word “Surely” which emphasizes the absolute certainty of what is being said and this certainty refers or applies to the Lord’s Sabbaths (plural) which is to be kept because it is a sign between God and the children of Israel throughout their generations.

Now since the poor lady’s distraction was the term children of Israel let us focus on the children of Israel and see exactly who the children of Israel are and to whom these perpetual instructions apply.

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To be continued

Lucius Joseph

 

The prize of our upward calling (part seven)

7. The seventh and final step is the time of evaluation and reward

 Finally, those who reap everlasting life will have a glorified body dependent on their degree of glory, because,” we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” And, just as there is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (2 Corinthians 3:18; 1Corinthians 15:41-44).

It is important to note that, the growth and development of the spiritual body is as literal and practical as that of the physical body, for example, the proper development of the physical body requires air (oxygen), water, food, exercise, entertainment, rest and sleep and naturally, we are what we eat.

In like manner, the development and growth of the spiritual body requires, life which is Jesus Christ Himself who stated categorically; “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” He also said; “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” His blood is real drink, His flesh is real food, the study of His word is the exercise and development of the mind, the celebration of the Lord’s festivals the source of our entertainment and prayer and fasting the source of our rejuvenation and in the spiritual realm, we are what we think, for as a man thinks in his heart so is he.

This shows how literal and practical is this life in the spirit which is the real life which God ordained for man even before the foundation of the world, so let us be practical in living our lives in the spirit and stop deceiving ourselves in simply having a sort of a sanctimonious sentimentalism but still living our lives in accordance to our sinful nature. These times of ignorance God has overlooked but now commands all men everywhere to repent.

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

Prize of our upward calling (part six)

6. The sixth step is the time of harvesting

This is the time when we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he/she has done, whether good or bad, and let no one deceive him/herself, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, that he/she will also reap. For the one who sows to his/her flesh, will of the flesh reap corruption, and he/she who sows to the Spirit, will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (2 Corinthians 5:10; Galatians 6:7-8).

In the final analysis the fruit that we are expected to bear is the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is synonymous to the nature of Jesus Christ as alluded to by the apostle Paul who wrote; My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).

We should always bear in mind the admonition which reads; “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness --- by whose stripes you were healed” (1Peter 2:21-24).

Therefore, the fruits that should be quite evident and manifested in our lives should be; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control because, the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord and against such there is no law.  

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To be continued

Lucius Joseph

Prize of our upward calling (part five)

5. The fifth step in cultivating a tree is the pruning process

The fifth step in cultivating our new nature is the pruning process in which the husbandman is responsible for the cultivation and pruning of this incorruptible seed and the husbandman is God the Father Himself,, because Jesus from whom we inherit the incorruptible seed said; "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15: 1-8).

The only sure guarantee one has in bearing fruit is by abiding in the vine, and this is accomplished by being obedient to God and partaking of the sustenance for the incorruptible seed. For it is written; “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. And, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (1 John 3:24; John 6:56).

It is at this juncture the pruning takes place for we have been admonished saying; “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 10:27-32).

The chastisement is for our own good, for we have been admonished saying; “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’

“If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons: for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?’

“For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:5-11).

The irony of truth is; “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:2-6)

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To be continued

Lucius Joseph

 

Prize of our upward calling (part four)

4. The fourth step in cultivating a tree is the enrichment of the soil

Soils normally gets depleted and required some form of enrichment by the use of manure or fertilizers in order to enhance the growth and productivity of the tree, similarly with the incorruptible seed the soil needs to be enriched to enhance the plant’s growth and productivity. Therefore, according to the apostle Paul; “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:9-12).

The new incorruptible seed that we are cultivating requires a different soil than the one on which the corruptible tree grows, and therefore we have been instructed saying; “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” The knowledge of Christ is what we need to enrich the mind and the heart so that God’s divine nature can grow in us, therefore we are to “grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (Colossians 3:8-10; 2Peter 3:18).

And in addition, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, we are to put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave us, so we also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also we were called in one body; and be thankful.

We also are to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. And whatever we do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:12-17).

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To be continued

Lucius Joseph

The prize of our upward calling (part three)

3. The third step in cultivating a tree is proper nutrients to sustain its growth 

Naturally, plants require a continuous supply of oxygen and water to sustain itself: and needs to draw nutrients from other sources of inorganic matter. Even the other corruptible seed which we grow, that is our fleshly human body requires oxygen, water and food to sustain itself. The incorruptible seed which we are now cultivating is of no exception, for thus says the Giver and Sustainer of the incorruptible seed; "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 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. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven --- not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever" (John 6:53-58).

From all indications the sustenance and growth of the incorruptible seed is by far more important than that of the corruptible seed, for we have been duly admonished saying; “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." And, “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 [the corruptible seed] will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit [the incorruptible seed] will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (John 6:27; Galatians 6:7-8).

As one can clearly see everlasting life is the ultimate objective of the new life in the spirit or of the tree grafted to the true vine and there is a distinctive process by which everlasting life is attained as confirmed by the apostle Paul who wrote; “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Romans 6:22).

According to the apostle Paul, the process in attaining everlasting is by presenting the members of our body as slaves of righteousness for holiness and ultimately will culminate in everlasting life. And remember also that, this act of righteousness is not man’s own righteousness which is as filthy rags before God, neither is it the righteousness of the law, for by the deeds of the law shall no flesh will be justified in His sight, but by the act of righteousness which made us righteous before God and when practice makes us righteous even as Jesus Christ is righteous.

At this juncture what is required of us is the glorification of our body which differs from one level of glory to another because as there is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The degree of our glory is dependent on how much of the nature of Christ that has been formed in us for we have been duly instructed saying; “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2Corinthians 3:18).

Therefore, it is imperative for us to know, understand, believe and apply the principle by which the grafted tree to the true vine is nourished and sustained hence the reason why we have been admonished saying; “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

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To be continued

Lucius Joseph

 

The prize of our upward calling (part two)

2. The second step in cultivating a tree is to sow the seed

The good seed has been sowed, for it is written; “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because "All flesh [the other tree, the physical life] is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever"(1Peter 1:23).

This planting of the incorruptible seed or the grafting to the true vine was done according to; “God’s abundant mercy Who 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 us, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this we greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, we have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of our faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen we love. Though now we do not see Him, yet believing, we rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of our faith --- the salvation of our souls” (1Peter 1:3-5).

Because of this incorruptible seed which is now planted in us, or having been grafted to the true olive tree it is required of us that we put off, concerning our former conduct, the old man (the bad tree our sinful nature) 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: 22-24).

Now to put on the new man it is to put on the nature of Jesus Christ which is one of true righteousness and holiness and therefore, it is imperative for us to know whether or not there is an ordained formula as to how this status of true righteousness and holiness can be attained and maintained.

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XYGDD7M

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

The prize of our upward calling

The Prize of our Upward Calling

What is the prize of our upward calling! What is the goal or aim of a believer? We have been admonished saying; “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God --- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption ---that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord" (1Corinthians 1:26-31).

The fundamental issue here is, why are we in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and who became our righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption? The reason why Jesus Christ became all these things to us is for us to fulfill our upward calling of God in Christ Jesus which is; “To be partakers of God’s divine nature”.

The apostle Paul wrote; “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind” (Philippians 3:12-14).

With regards to the prize for our upward call of God in Christ Jesus the apostle Paul wrote; “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house” (Hebrews 3:1-2).

According to the apostle Peter the reason why we are to give serious consideration to the Apostle and High Priest of our confession it is because, “Grace and peace be multiplied to us 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 we may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2Peter 1:2-4).

So then, how do we become partakers of God’s divine nature? Let us use the growth of a tree as an example: Jesus said; "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33).

Naturally we stem from a tree which is considered to be deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, but have now been grafted to a tree which is holy, so how can we partake of the nature of the tree to which we are now grafted which bears the nature of holiness?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/145385777X

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XYGDD7M

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 To be continued