Luciusministry

Friday, December 19, 2025

The six integral component of true spiritual fellowship (part2)

There is definitely a clear distinction between the holy and the profane when comes to the worship of God. An individual or group of people like the church, is considered holy, not because of their own doings, but because of the seed of holiness, and righteousness which we all received from Jesus Christ, when we were all begotten by him at His resurrection, and by nurturing and growing the seed by practicing the way of holiness.

Our new man is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness; and the growth and development of this nature is attainable by practicing righteousness and holiness. As it is written; “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray, he who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous” (1John 3:7).

Remember, we have been called with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to God's own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. The purpose of this calling is to; serve the Lord without fear in love and righteousness before him all the days of our lives, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

This state of holiness is ascribed only to those who; “As obedient children, are not conforming themselves to their former lusts, as in the time of their ignorance, but as he who called them is holy, they also are to be holy in all their conduct” (1 Peter 1:14-15).

This way of holiness and righteousness is God's way of life in which we were created as the new creation. It represents Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth, the life, and our righteousness. Our conformity to this way of holy living makes us God's chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that we may proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

According to the apostle Paul; “I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for just as you present your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.” And, “Now having been set free from sin, and have become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life” Holiness is the fruit of righteousness (Romans 6 :19 ;22).

The church in the true sense of the word refers to “All who have been Redeemed,” Or groups of Christians assembled for worship. The basis on which most churches operate, it is quite apparent that they have not conceptualized the huge separation that exists between the church and the world, and between light and darkness.

Christian Worship should not be a haphazard, unplanned, unprepared religious social activity in the name of God. The main form of preparedness that is required is that of consecration, because worship is coming in God's presence, and having fellowship with Him and with His Son Jesus Christ.

It is no longer to a temple made with hands, but to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the first born, whose names are written in heaven, to God the Judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood (of Jesus) that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel.

To be continued

With brotherly Love

Lucius Joseph

Sunday, December 14, 2025

The sixth integral component of true spiritual worship

6..Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness

The Holiness and Sanctification of Worshipers are of paramount importance. To some people this might sound blasphemous and sacrilegious, but this is the message which we have heard from the beginning and that has been declared to us, “If you walk in the light (in truth, free from sin) as He (Christ) is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (1John 1: 7).

Real fellowship is in progress only when all participants are walking in the light, otherwise our glorying is in vain, for one little leaven leavens the whole lump, one spoil apple spoils the whole bunch. God will in no way co-exist with sin/darkness. It is for this reason believers are duly admonished saying; “I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortionist, not even to eat with such a person” (1 Corinthians 5:8-11)

Because of the believer's call to holiness, and to worship God in the beauty of holiness; which signifies being consecrated to God and being free from sin, they are duly instructed saying; “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 (agreement) 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, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6: 14 -18).

When comes to the worship of God, there ought to be a clear distinction between the holy and the profane, there are those who should, and should not be admitted to the Temple. The Lord in a vision, spoke to the prophet Ezekiel, and said to him “Son of man, mark well, see with your eyes and hear with your ears, all that I say to you concerning all the ordinances of the house of the Lord and all its laws. Mark well who may enter the house and all who go out from my sanctuary.”

“Now say to the rebellious, to the house of Israel; Thus says the Lord God: 'O house of Israel let us have no more of your abominations. When you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary to defile it – My house – and when you offered my food, the fat and the blood, then they broke my covenant because of all your abominations. And you have not kept charge of my holy things, but you have set others to keep charge of my sanctuary for you. “Thus says the Lord God: “No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter my sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the children of Israel” (Ezekiel 44: 5-9)

To ascertain that the church maintains its state of holiness, the Lord has given to the church the responsibility to judge its members; and so, it is written; “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 that wicked person” (1Corinthians 5:12-13).

Failing to distinguish the holy from the profane is a violation of the laws of the temple, and the holy things of God. For thus says the Lord; “Her priests have violated my law and profaned my holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22- 26).

Jesus Christ gave instructions as to how we can maintain our state of holiness before presenting ourselves to the Father. He said; “Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church, but if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and tax collector. “Assuredly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18: 15-18),

The apostle Paul wrote; “If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged, and even when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11: 31 -32).

To be continued

With brotherly Love

Lucius Joseph

Friday, December 5, 2025

The fifth integral component of true spiritual worship

5. Bring an Offering and come before His Courts;

Bringing an offering before the Lord on His appointed holy convocation is the main objective for presenting ourselves before Him. As a matter of fact, it is stated quite categorically; “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 (Leviticus 23: 37).

This offering which we are to offer to the Lord whenever we present ourselves before Him, regularly, on every festival and on holy convocation is known as the burnt offering; with its grain and drink offering. This offering is so special and of such intrinsic importance, that it is, known as the food for the Lord's offerings.

And so, the Lord spoke to Moses saying; “All who are native born shall do these things in this manner, in presenting an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord. And if a stranger sojourns with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and would present an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord, just as you do, so shall they do. One ordinance shall be for you of the congregation and for the stranger who sojourns with you, an ordinance forever throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you” (Numbers 15:14-16).

Now that appointed time to offer the Lord the food for His offerings is as follows:

• As a Thanksgiving Offering to God.

Before Christ was led to be crucified, He said to His disciples, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. And He took a cup and when He had given thanks He said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes:’ And, “He took bread and when He had given thanks He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:15-19).

Bread and wine are the designated thanksgiving offering attributed to the Melchizedek Priesthood from inception, because after Abram returned from rescuing his nephew lot, “Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and He blessed Abram saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand” (Genesis 14:17-20).

To Moses the Lord said, “Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: See that you present to me at the appointed time the food for My offerings made by fire, as an aroma pleasing to Me.” Say to them; this is the offering made by fire that you are to present to the Lord: two lambs a year old without defects, as a regular offering each day” (Numbers 28:1-3).

The rationale behind the morning and evening thanksgiving offering is explained by David, in the psalms and in his last instructions to the Levites. In the psalms he wrote; “It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your loving kindness in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten stringed lyre and the melody of the harp, for you make me glad by your deeds, “O Lord. How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts! The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed” (Psalms 92:1-4).

And in his final instructions to the Levites, David instructed that; “They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on Sabbaths, and at New Moon festivals, and at appointed feasts” (1Chronicles \23:30-31).

· As a monthly offering

For we have been duly admonished saying: “'At the beginnings of your months (which is at every New Moon) you shall present a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish; three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with oil, as a grain offering for each lamb, as a burnt offering of sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. Their drink offering shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, one-third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering for each month throughout the months of the year. also one kid of the goats as a sin offering to the LORD shall be offered, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

· On the Sabbaths

On the Sabbaths, whether the weekly Sabbath or the annual Sabbaths we are to offer to the Lord the food for His offerings. The rationale for offering to the Lord the food for His offerings is to enable us to present ourselves before Him in a holy, blameless and irreproachable state for we have been duly instructed 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).

Please note carefully that, the cleansing from all sins in order to have fellowship with the Father and with one another is through the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from all sin and this cleansing, is not of the past but rather something which is current which takes place during the worship service. We should also note that, it is n Him (Jesus Christ) that we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14).

This redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ is manifested through the cup of the New Covenant which represents His blood as we have been duly instructed saying; “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 27:27-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25).

This part of worship service is of such great importance yet, it has been neglected and mis-applied by almost all religions despite the fact that the Lord commanded Moses 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).

The only difference between the time that Moses received these instructions and now is that, Moses and the Israelites were following the copy and shadow of the reality but we now have the real offering, the real tabernacle and the real everlasting Priesthood. And as a nation of priests we are to offer to the Lord the food for His offerings at their appointed time.

To be continued