The righteousness which when
practice differentiates the children of God from the children of the devil is
having faith in the act of righteousness by which man was imputed with
righteousness. And since faith without works is dead, it means demonstrating
this faith by whatever symbol that proclaims this act of righteousness.
It is clearly stated that, “As the result of
one man’s act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners,
so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous” (Romans
5:18-19).
The act of righteousness which
imputed righteousness and brought life to all men, is the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ which He offered to the Father as a sweet-smelling aroma, and
which satisfies His will.
Righteousness has been attained on
this basis from the very inception of humanity beginning with Abel. Immediately
after we are given the two signs which differentiate the children of God from
the children of the devil it is stated, “For thus is the message which you have
heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, and not be like Cain
who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him?
Because his own deeds were evil and his brothers righteous” (1John
3:11-12).
So, what made God to regard Abel’s
offering and disregard the offering made by Cain? Not only did God highly
regard Abel’s Offering, but he was also commended as being a righteous man.
How did Abel attain righteousness?
This is what we learn from the scriptures; “In the course of time Cain brought
to the Lord an offering of the first fruit of the ground, and Abel brought of
the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord has regard
for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard” (Genesis
4: 3-5).
We are further told that, “By faith
Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, by faith he was
commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings” (Hebrews11:4).
The reason why Abel’s offering was
accepted, and Cain’s not accepted is because Abel offered to the Lord the
sacrifice, the sweet aroma which satisfies His will, one which depicts the best
one can offer for man’s redemption. For the life of all flesh is in the blood;
and God has given it to us upon the altar to make atonement for our souls; for
it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.
The Lord instructed the priests
saying, “You must not redeem the first born of an ox, a sheep or a goat; they
are holy. Sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering
made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.” Again, the Lord said to them;
“The priests shall burn them (the fat) on the altar as food, and offering made
by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord’s. This is a lasting
ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. You must not eat any
fat or any blood” (Numbers18:17; Leviticus 3:16-17).
The sprinkling of blood and the
burning of the fat of clean animals which were offered by Abel and also the
Levites the priests were a type, that foreshadowed the real sacrifice of Jesus
Christ, the best and only sacrifice that can fulfill the Father’s will in
presenting the worshiper holy and blameless before Him.
It is this secret mystery that was hidden for
ages in God who created all things; that through the church His manifold wisdom
might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly
places.
This secret mystery was according
to the eternal purpose which God has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom
we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in Him. Therefore,
the practical righteous act which distinguishes the children of God from the
children of the devil is faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ which is
demonstrated by partaking of the bread and wine. For it is written: “For as
often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup you proclaim (demonstrate) the
Lord’s death until He comes.”
It is this act of righteousness
that the children of God have become enslaved to for having been set free from
sin. They are enslaved to this act of righteousness because God requires that
this offering, the food for His offerings, His sweet-smelling aroma be offered
to Him at its appointed time. In fact, God set aside specific times for His
children to come together before Him, specifically to offer to Him His
offering.
For thus says the Lord; “These are
the Lord’s appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for
bringing offerings made to the Lord by fire – the burnt offerings and grain
offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. These
offerings are in addition to observing of the Lord’s Sabbaths and in addition
to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you
give to the Lord” (Leviticus 3:37-38; Numbers chapter 28 and
29).
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To be continued
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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