Not only is the second aspect of the reformation our new and living way to the
Father but it is also the spiritual food for the nourishment and development of
the new creation.
Let
us note carefully Jesus Christ’s statement with regards to this matter He
stated very clearly 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" (John 6:27).
He
further stated; “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread
from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven: For the bread
of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John
6:32-33).
On
hearing this, the disciples said to Jesus; “Lord, give us this bread
always." And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who
comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst”
(John 6: 34-35).
But
the multi-million question is what is this food and drink that the Lord has
given us?
Despite
the Jews complaint regarding the saying; “I am the bread which came down from
heaven." Jesus Christ confirmed His statement by saying: “I am the bread
of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.’
“This
is the bread which comes down from heaven that one may eat of it and not die. I
am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread,
he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I
shall give for the life of the world" (John 6:48-51).
Despite
the Jews after hearing this quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can
this Man give us His flesh to eat?"
Jesus
reiterated the point by saying them, "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 6:52-58).
Even
a great number of Jesus Christ’s own disciples when they heard this saying
said; “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" And from that time
many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more:” (John 6: 60, 66)
And
so I beg to ask the question, what is the status of this statement among
believers today! Is it still a hard saying and difficult to understand?
What
is of humongous importance for us to know, understand, believe and take into
deep consideration is the fact that the reformation did not only transformed
the sacrifices that were being offered in order for man to have fellowship with
the Father, but also transformed the one on whose behalf the sacrifice is being offered.
Since
the reformation humanity has evolved into a new creation and so we have been
duly instructed saying; “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to
the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we
know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians
5:16-17).
And
so, the other very important question is, who is in Christ and has become a new
creation?
Well,
this is what we learn from the scriptures; “since He gives to all life, breath,
and all things. And 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.' Therefore, since we are the offspring of
God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or
stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. 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: 25-31).
And
so, it is of intrinsic importance to know when and how to nourish and develop
the new creature.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/145385777X
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FV4WTWQ
To be continued
Lucius Joseph
No comments:
Post a Comment