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
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With brotherly Love
Lucius Joseph
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