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Saturday, December 28, 2024

What is a holy convocation

What is a holy convocation?

Knowing and believing that Jesus Christ is our High Priest should also raise our consciousness in knowing and understanding what it means to have a holy convocation because the main duty of a high priest is to officiate and be the mediator between God and man and with reference to Jesus Christ we are told; “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1Timothy 2:5).

We should also bear in mind that when Moses was about to build the tabernacle he was divinely instructed saying; “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." Signifying that, the earthly tabernacle was a copy and shadow of the heavenly tabernacle. But today, with the real tabernacle in heaven and with Jesus Christ our High Priest we are told that; “Now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8: 5-6).

We have also been duly instructed saying; “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:11-15).

Therefore the crux of the matter is; “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” And the reality is, Jesus Christ is no exception. For we have been duly instructed saying; “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.’

“For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One (Jesus Christ) also have something to offer. For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve 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." But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 5:1; 8:1-6).

And so the logical question is, is there a protocol, an appointed time ordained by God for Jesus Christ our High Priest to offer to the Father an offering on our behalf! Since the rationale for the offering is to cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God because, God is light and does not associate with darkness and this is what we have been admonished saying:

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness: If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1John 1:5-10).

Therefore, the main objective of having a holy convocation is to offer the Lord the food for His offerings as 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.’

Now please note carefully that this offering is besides (or in addition to observing) the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides our gifts, besides all our vows, and besides all our freewill offerings which we give to the LORD” (Leviticus 23: 37-38).

Because the rationale for this offering is to cleanse us from all sins so as to be presented holy, sinless, blameless and irreproachable in the presence of the Father and to have fellowship with Him and His Son who is officiating as our High Priest and also with one another and therefore, the appointed times which the Lord commanded saying; “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).

Thus signifying that, this command has not been abolished but rather has been reformed in order to fulfill the second established will of the Father and thus establishing the new and living way to the throne of grace so as to have fellowship with one another and with the Father and the Son. Therefore, the most important integral component of true worship is that of offering the Lord the food for Hs offerings.

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

Sunday, December 22, 2024

The second established will of the Father

The second established will of God

If there is one thing I would like to see happening between everyone who professes to believe in Jesus Christ is that of knowing, understanding, believing and practicing the second established will of God. It is the Lord’s desire that we are all one because He prayed to the Father saying; “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are” (John 17:11).

The apostle Paul also made a plea pleading with the church saying; “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” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

But despite of the Lord’s desire and the apostle Paul’s plea for the church to be perfectly joined together the church is more divided than ever before and the catalyst for this division is the myriads of denominations with each having their pet doctrines despite the fact that the scriptures clearly states that, sectarianism is a sin: Because when one says. “I am a Catholic, a seven day Adventist, a Baptist, a Jehovah Witness, a Church of God, a Methodist, and an Anglican etc. The question is, were we baptized in the name of these religions and which one of these religions that was crucified for us?

Therefore, the solution to this dilemma is that everyone who professes to believe in Jesus Christ get to know, understand, believe and begin practicing the second established will of God which is synonymous to the reformation and also to the new and living way to the Father because, according to the holy scriptures when Jesus Christ came into the world He said “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:9-10).

With regards to the reformation it is stated s follows; “the Holy Spirit indicating this that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience ---concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation (Hebrews 9:8-10).

And with regards to the New and living way we have been duly instructed saying; “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” (Hebrews 10:19-22).

The first established will of God the Father, the reformation and the new and living way to the Father which was reformed and taken away by Jesus Christ was the shadow and copy of the reality by which one presents him/herself to the Father as we have been duly admonished saying; “Therefore, when He (Jesus Christ) came into the world, He said: " Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come --- In the volume of the book it is written of Me --- To do Your will, O God.' "Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law) (Hebrews 10:5-8).

The fault with the first established will of God which had to do with how one approaches the throne of grace and had to be reformed was that, it was first and foremost a copy or shadow of the reality and was insufficient to fulfill the will of the Father as we have been duly admonished saying; “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:1-4).

So here we see plainly that, the rationale or the main objective for the established will of the Father whether it was the first which was reformed or the now second established will, the objective of this will is to present those who approach the presence of the Father in a perfect, blameless and irreproachable state. Please note carefully that if the first established will which had to do with animal sacrifices could have obtained this objective we are told that; “they would not have ceased to be offered.”

To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

Thursday, December 19, 2024

The third aspect of the reformation

           A Better Tabernacle

The third aspect of the reformation is that of having a better Tabernacle for we have been duly instructed saying; “Jesus Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, for Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.

Today, “We have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24).

We have also been further instructed saying; “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:11-15),

We should therefore note carefully that offering to the Lord the food for His offerings at their appointed time has not been abolished but has rather been reformed for we have been duly instructed saying; “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.’

“For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:1-4).

The animal sacrifices with their food and drink offerings could not present the worshiper perfect and blameless before God because if they could they would not have ceased to be offered: Meaning that, there is still a current offering that is needed to present the worshiper perfect and blameless before God when we present ourselves before Him and so, when Jesus Came He said;

 “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come ---In the volume of the book it is written of Me --- To do Your will, O God.' "Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law), then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:5-10).

So today, our tabernacle is in heaven in the city of the living God and this is what the Lord said to a Samaritan woman; “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 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 4:21-24).

But there is a protocol on how we are to approach the throne of grace in the inner court in order to find grace in the time of need which the Lord instructed as follows saying; “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).

God has ordained appointed times for people to appear before Him with Jesus Christ officiating as our High Priest and ordained to offer an offering to the Father on our behalf. The once and for all phenomenon related to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ simply denotes that, once and for all we have and offering that can present the worshiper holy, perfect and blameless before God.

The error which most people make is that, they do not conceptualize the reality of Christ's position as our High Priest, and the necessity to offer to the Lord, the food for His offerings at their appointed time, which is the only gateway or access to the presence of the Father. Offering the Lord the food for His offerings is the way Christ's statement is being fulfilled when He said; "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

The way to the Father is through the body of Jesus Christ represented by the unleavened bread; the truth is through Jesus Christ the Word of God who is seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf as our High Priest and the life is through the blood of Jesus Christ represented by the wine the medium by which we have our sins forgiven for t s written; “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11).

Remember that, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins and so without the forgiveness of sins we have no access to the presence of the Father who is light and has no fellowship with darkness.

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To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Saturday, December 14, 2024

Second aspect of the reformation (part 2)

The blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from all sin when we have fellowship with one another and presents us holy, blameless and irreproachable in the sight of the Father is through the cup of the New Covenant which we partake of when we are having a holy convocation. Furthermore, the man objective of having a holy convocation is to offer to the Lord the food for His offerings.

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.”

This offering is besides the observance of the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides our gifts, besides all our vows, and besides all our freewill offerings which we give to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:37-38).

The reason why this offering is so vitally important when having a holy convocation it is because, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness: If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1John 1:8-10).

And the crux of the matter is, God in no way will co-exist with sin therefore, sins must be confessed and forgiven before we can have fellowship with one another and with the Father and the Son. We are to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

One also has to be mindful of the fact that, the High Priest will not offer any offering on behalf of anyone without the individual presents his or her offering to the High Priest. Each individual is responsible to bring his/her offering to the High Priest so that the High Priest can make intercession to the Father on the individual’s behalf.

Another very important consideration is the fact that, true believers, the called out ones are considered as living stones that are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. They are regarded as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that they may proclaim the praises of Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:-10).

The reason why many of us stumble it is because we are being disobedient to the word, to which we also were appointed which is to be a nation of priests offering to the Lord the food for His offerings at their appointed time and it is also the reason why many among us are weak and sick and many sleep: It is simply because we are not properly discerning the Lord’s body and are not following the protocol which has been ordained and established by the Melchizedek priesthood
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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph


Saturday, December 7, 2024

The second aspect of the reformation

            The Greatness of Christ’s sacrifice

The second aspect of the reformation is the greatness of Christ's sacrifice  that is being offered and so, inasmuch as God testifies that Jesus Christ is forever priest according to the order of Melchizedek, and remains a priest continually, the offering offered to God by Melchizedek is also perpetual. This is made evident and supported by scriptures which states that; “…Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; He was the priest of God Most High, and He blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hands” (Genesis 14:18-20).

When Moses was about to make the tabernacle, remember, he was divinely instructed saying; “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain” (Hebrews 8:5).

Although they were serving the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, the offering which they offered to God, and regarded by the Lord as “My offering, My food for My offerings”, were symbolic to the bread and wine offered by Melchizedek.

The offering they offered comprised of, a Lamb which represented Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, Who indeed was slain and foreordained, before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for us, as the High Priest: Its grain offering which was a mixture of fine flour mixed with pressed olive oil, as the unleavened bread; and the wine as its drink offering.

In instituting the New Covenant Jesus took bread blessed it, broke it, and gave it to His disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26: 26-28).

This new covenant became in force only after the death of Jesus Christ, since where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator, for a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.

According to the scriptures, “Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, therefore it is necessary (indispensable) that this One (referring to Jesus Christ) also may have something to offer” (Hebrews 8:3).

Jesus Christ entered the most Holy place not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the New Covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgression under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:13-15).

The flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, represented by the bread and wine, is the offering which Melchizedek the Priest of the Most High God, offers to the Father continually on behalf of the sins of the people, and this is the better hope we have by which we draw near to the Father because, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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 1:5-7).

The once and for all which Jesus with His own blood obtain eternal redemption for humanity signifies that, once and for all there is a perfect offering that can purge our conscience from sin and dead works to serve the living God and to present us holy, blameless and irreproachable in the sight of God.

 To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

The Reformation

]The reformation

We have been duly instructed saying; “The Holy Spirit indicating this that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience --concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation” (Hebrews 9:8-10).

So then, what are the better promises on which the New and better covenant has been established? The better promises on which the New and better covenant has been established are three-folds viz.

           A better High Priest

Jesus Christ became a merciful and faithful High Priest, and a better Mediator, in performing the work of God, thus fulfilling God’s eternal purpose. Being the High Priest of God was the office He held before partaking of flesh and blood. He temporarily relinquished that office and became the Son of Man, so that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

We can hold fast to our confession because, we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, One who can sympathize with our weaknesses, because He was in all points tempted as we are being tempted, yet without sin. It is because of the everlasting position which Christ holds as High Priest, and the offering, He as High Priest is appointed to offer like all other high priests, that we can come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Therefore the work of Jesus Christ did not end at the cross, What it did was, it created in Him one new man from both Jews and Gentiles thus making peace, so that He might reconcile them both to God in one body. The cross opened the door, rend the veil, gave man direct access to the Father; but the hope of drawing near is the official responsibility of the High Priest, and since Jesus Christ continues forever, He has an unchangeable priesthood, and therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.

The once and for all signifies that, once and for all we have a High Priest who ever lives to make intercessions for us, and once and for all there is an offering which can present the worshiper perfect, blameless, and irreproachable in the sight of God, and thus fulfilling the will of God.

The office of High Priest is the office Jesus Christ held with the Father before He temporarily relinquished it, and assumed His position as the Son of Man. But after the completion of His preparatory work on earth, He prayed to the Father and said: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was” (John 17:4-5).

That glory Jesus Christ had with the Father before the beginning of the world is that of being Priest of the Most High: For God Himself testifies of Christ saying; “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 7:17).

Now according to the scriptures; “…This Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “King of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually” (Hebrews 7:1-3).

This is the first important aspect of the reformation which was established on better promises in order for humanity to have fellowship with the Father and that is to have an unchangeable priesthood and having One who is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

It is further stated that such a High Priest was fitting for us, One who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

This teaches us clearly that, offering the Lord the food for His offerings at their appointed time has not been abolished but has rather been reformed since Jesus Christ as High Priest always live to make intercession for us. Therefore, the command which states; “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” is current and effective as when it was first given to the children of Israel.

Because, the One who gave this command to the children of Israel is the same yesterday, today and forever and He forever lives to make intercessions for us.

To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Friday, November 29, 2024

The Melchizedk Priesthood

The Melchizedek Priesthood

If we truly believe in Jesus Christ as our High Priest it is imperative that we delve deeper in the knowledge and understanding of the Melchizedek Priesthood. It is said that, “Man indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath” (Hebrews 6:16-17).

This oath is the oath which God testifies saying; “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” The reason why Jesus Christ was sworn as priest, it is not to do away with God’s eternal purpose, but rather the way by which God’s eternal purpose can be fulfilled through Jesus Christ, and therefore we are told that, “…On the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and being unprofitable, for the law made nothing perfect (complete); on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope through which we draw near to God.’

The oath confirmed or guaranteed the immutability and greatness of the new High Priest. “For inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him; The Lord has sworn and will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek), by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:18-22).

The new and better covenant which Jesus Christ has become a guarantor to is the New Covenant of His blood which gives us the boldness to enter the holiest of all, by the new and living way which He has consecrated for us through His flesh, and being the High Priest over the house of God.

Jesus Christ officiating as our merciful and faithful High Priest is the work He came to accomplished, and it is the hope by which we can draw near to God and have fellowship with Him, and to share in His glory.  “This is the hope we have as an anchor for the soul which is both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:19-20).

This is God’s eternal purpose which He accomplished in Jesus Christ, granting us boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. For it is written, “…Now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).

The better covenant which was established on better promises is undoubtedly the cup of the New Covenant. Because Jesus said, “This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” This New Covenant is better because, it accomplished what the old covenant could not accomplish (Luke 22: 20).

For it is written; “…The way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience: “For the law, having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.’

“For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purged, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year, for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 9:8-10; Hebrews 10: 1-4).

Therefore, to believe in Jesus Christ as our High Priest we must also believe in the reformation that this new Priesthood brought about and follow the protocol which is assigned to this everlasting priesthood.

To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

Saturday, November 23, 2024

Believe that Jesus Christ is our High Priest

6.         BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS OUR HIGH PRIEST

The sixth important aspect of believing in Jesus Christ is to believe that Jesus Christ is our High Priest. The true believer believes that the reason why Jesus Christ had to be made like His brethren in every way, was to be become a merciful and faithful High Priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. He is the mediator of the New Covenant by which we can now draw near to God.

And because He lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them. For it is fitting that we should have such a High Priest, one who is holy, blameless, pure, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself. For the law appoints as high priest men who are weak; but the oath which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever” (Hebrews 7:11-17; 21-28).

Worshiping God and ascribing to Him the glory due to His name is the primary objective of our calling for thus it is written; “Come to Him, to that living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him. You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

The spiritual sacrifice one offers through Jesus Christ and is acceptable to God is the sacrificial body and blood of Jesus Christ. This is the only perfect offering that satisfies the will of the Father. Because when Jesus Christ came into the world He said, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings You were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll; I have come to do Your will, O God, He sets aside the first to establish the second, and by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”.

A true believer believes that Jesus Christ is our High Priest and He is officiating in the true Tabernacle in heaven, and as every high priest chosen from among men, He is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. It is stated quite explicitly, “For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer” (Hebrews 5:1; 8:3).

The food for the Lord’s offerings which was offered by the High Priest in the Old Testament and known as the burnt offering, was a combination of a lamb a year old without spot or blemish, its grain offering of fine flour mixed with pressed olive oil, and its drink offering, wine, were all copies of the reality.

The reality is Jesus Christ the Lamb of God, now in the capacity as High Priest, interceding on our behalf, with His body in the form of unleavened bread, and His blood in the form of the wine as the perfect offering for sin in order that we may have access to the Holiest of all.

And so we have been duly admonished by the apostle Paul saying, “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” (Hebrews 10:19-22).

In our New Testament dispensation it is imperative that believers are able to make a very clear distinction between the first which was taken away and the second which has been established because Jesus Christ said quite explicitly; “I have come to do Your will, O God, He sets aside the first to establish the second, and by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Unfortunately, there are not many believers who truly know, understand and believe in the reality and practicality of the second established will of God.

To be continued

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV

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

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJJ9M1X7

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph