Are we true witnesses of the Way? (part 6)

There is a saying that; “One rotten apple spoils the whole bunch.” The Lord spoke to the prophet Ezekiel concerning His people and said, “Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22:26).

Remember, the church is a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, for the purpose of, ‘declaring the praises of Him who called them out of darkness into His wonderful light.’ They, like living stones are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Now according to the apostle John; “This is the message we have heard from Him [the Way] and declare to you; God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by 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, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (1John 15-7).

When the church presents itself before God, and partakes of communion; this is figurative to an Old Testament law called the law of jealousy which an unfaithful wife was required to observe to prove her fidelity, as described in the book of Numbers chapter 5 verses 11-29.

This law was applicable when a woman goes astray and defiles herself while married to her husband, or when feelings of jealousy came over a man because he suspected his wife. The priest had her to stand before the Lord and applied the entire law to her. The husband would be innocent of any wrong doing, but the woman would bear the consequences of her sin. If, however, the woman had not defiled herself and was free from impurity, she would be cleared of guilt and would be able to have children.

Comparatively, “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord, eats and drink judgment on him-self. That is why many among us are weak and sick; and a number of us have fallen asleep.

This is the epitome of the Christian fellowship; “But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord [which takes place at the communion service], we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world” (1Corinthians 11:31-32).

Therefore, if the church is experiencing the same distress and calamities with the rest of the world, we should know the reason why! We are admonished to, “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

In conclusion I ask the question again; Are we a true witness of the Way?” Or are we false witnesses!

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 With brotherly love 

Lucius Joseph

Are we true witnesses of the Way (part 5)

It is also at such a fellowship that the sins of the believer are forgiven. Because if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives. However, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness,” but, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins,” therefore, “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (1John 1:7-10).

The blood which purifies the believer from sin is the cup of the new covenant taken at the Lord’s Supper. This arrangement was instituted by Jesus Christ on the night before His death, when He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to the disciples, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew .26:28).

It is through the consummation of this mystery and reaping of its benefits that the believer can truly testify of the Way, and, “Give thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-13).

The trademark of the Way which is, the fellowship of the believers was what really distinguished the first century church. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.’ ‘All believers were together and had everything in common” (Acts.2:42).

Indicating that, when they met, they all without exception partook of the bread and wine as confirmed by the apostle Paul who wrote; “So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment” (1Corinthians 11:33).

This chosen group has an admonition from the Lord saying, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between and temple of God and idols?’

‘For we are the temple of the living God, as God has said; I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. ‘Therefore, come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

Most people equate this warning of not being unequally yoked with unbelievers, more to marriage relationship between a believer, and a non-believer, and to some extent in business relationships. But this warning is even more pronounced in the case where, a believer, in whom the Holy Spirit of God dwells, the future bride of Christ, God’s holy temple fellowshipping together with unbelievers, one in whom the Holy Spirit is not residing, and who has made his/her body an idol of worship.

To be continued

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 With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Are we true witnesses of the Way? (part 4)

What exactly was revealed to the apostle Paul?

What was revealed to the apostle Paul was with regards to the Way. Jesus Christ, who is the Way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. What was revealed to the apostle Paul was “The mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men;’ and ‘which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory” (Ephesians .3:3-5; 1Corinthians 2:7-8).

The apostle Paul unveiled the mystery to the church at Corinth when he said to them, “For I have received from the Lord what I also passed on to you; The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1Corinthians 1:23-26).

The consummation of this mystery is the trademark of the Christian church. The apostle Paul wrote; “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power. Although I am less that the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me; to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms according to His eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:7-11).

It is also through the consummation of this mystery and having faith in Him, that we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

It is at the consummation of this mystery that believers enjoy fellowship with one another and with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Are we true Witnesses of the Way (part3)?

The Way to the Father

Those who believe and follow the Way are called, “A Chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation His own special people.” Their witness is to, “Proclaim the praises of Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.” They are also like living stones being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1Peter 2 :9, 5).

Their responsibility is also; "to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Ephesians3:10-12).

It is stated that, “God’s divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2Peter 1:3).

Believers are to witness to the world as a holy nation and a royal priesthood. The apostle Paul on his way to Damascus was struck by a light from heaven, which was brighter than the sun, blazing around him and his companions then the Lord said to him, “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of Me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light; and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:16-18).

Believers are a priestly nation, the church is not a replica of the Jewish religion, neither is it a replica of the Gentile pagan religion. The church is the Way that has been consecrated in the flesh of Jesus Christ to grant us bold access to the Father.

The apostle Paul in defending the gospel before Felix said, “However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect.”  Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings” (Acts 24:14, 22).

In several other passages of scripture, the Christian religion is referred to as the Way (Acts 9:2; 18:26; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 28:22).

This Way is what all believers are called to witness about. The objective of this Way is to, “Open the eyes of men [Jews as well as Gentiles] and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ.”

In life, there are two (2) ways of life as we have been duly instructed by Jesus Christ saying; “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew7: 13-14).

One way of life is the life which is in accordance to the spirit and the other is the way of life which in accordance to the flesh. Hence the reason why there exists so many divisions and confusions among professing believers. The majority of professing believers have unfortunately chosen the wide gate and the broad way that leads to destruction where everyone chooses what is right in their own eyes, and walking after the imagination of their own evil heart because they refuse to follow and adhere to the principles and guidelines that governs and regulates the narrow gate.

Also, despite the fact that, we have been cautioned saying; “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Galatians 5: 16-17).

It is therefore imperative that we make a clear distinction between walking through the straight and narrow gate which leads to life or, walking through the wide gate and the broad way that leads to death.

We have been called to be a witness to what the apostle Paul saw concerning Jesus Christ and what was revealed to him.

To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph