4. Worship the Lord in the Beauty of
Holiness
The fourth
integral part of having a holy convocation is that of worshiping the Lord in
the beauty of holiness because when it comes to the worship of the Lord one has
to consider the fact that, righteousness has nothing in common with wickedness;
light has no fellowship with darkness; there is no harmony between Christ and
Belial; a believer has nothing in common with an unbeliever; the temple of God
has no agreement with idols [those who idolized themselves].
For 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” (1John 1:5-7).
The key to having fellowship with the Father and the Son
and also with one another is to be holy as we have been duly instructed saying;
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully
upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as
obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your
ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your
conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy" (1Peter 1:13-16).
And so I beg to ask the question how can sinful mortal man
who according the word of God says; “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us: If we say that we have not sinned, we
make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” becomes holy? (1 John 1:8, 10).
There is only one way by which one attains holiness. In the
Old Testament for example which was a copy and shadow of the reality one
attained holiness by eating of those things with which the atonement was made,
to consecrate and to sanctify them; but an outsider shall not eat them, because
they are holy” (Exodus 29:33).
Now, in our New Testament dispensation one becomes holy
also by eating of those things with which the atonement was made which is the sacrificial
body and blood of Jesus Christ and so we have been duly admonished saying; “If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9).
So how one does becomes holy, clean from all unrighteousness
so as to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness? It is through partaking of
the body and blood of Jesus Christ for, “In Him we have redemption through His
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesian 1:7;
Colossians 1:14).
Therefore, it is by partaking of the body and blood of
Jesus Christ that we can worship the Lord in the beauty of Hs holiness and since
one bit of leaven leavens the whole lump the admonition is; “Do not be
unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has
righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has
a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with
idols? For you are the temple of the living God: As God has said: "I will
dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My
people." Therefore " Come out from among them and be separate, says
the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you" (2 Corinthians 6:14-17).
We have also been duly admonished saying; “But now I
have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is
sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or
an extortioner --- not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do
with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?
But those who are outside God judges: Therefore "put away from yourselves
the evil person" (1Cornthians 5:11-13).
Hence the reason why the third integral aspect of having
a holy convocation which is to offer to the Lord the food for His offerings at
their appointed times is so vitally important because this is the medium by
which one becomes holy so as to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
To be continued
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With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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