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
