Man is the offspring of two Adams.

From the first Adam, man inherited a sinful corrupt nature, which according to scriptures, “Is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; It is hostile towards God, not subject to His laws, nor can it ever be: and, it is a temporary physical existence (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans.8:7 James 4:14; Hebrews 9:27).

On the other hand, man inherited from the last Adam, spiritual life which is eternal, with a holy righteous nature which is in harmony with God, and subject to His laws.

The nature of the new man which is one of true holiness and righteousness were imputed upon man at the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At His death, He bore our sins and paid the price of sin in our stead. For, we judge thus: “That if one died for all, then all die. And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2Corinthians 5: 14-15).

At the resurrection of Jesus Christ, mankind became a new creation: he was created in righteousness and true holiness: For it is written: “Blessed be, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (2Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24). 1Peter 1:3).

Mankind inherited righteousness and true holiness from Jesus Christ at His resurrection. For, “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” We are the offspring of both the first and the last Adam. Jesus Christ is the vine and we are the branches (John15:5 Acts; 17: 28).

Because of God’s great love with which He loved us: Even when we (mankind) were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6).

Jesus Christ the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true—even in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1John 5:20).

The conflict of two desires:

The desires which reside in man’s flesh, and the desires which reside in man’s spirit are in conflict with each other as we have been duly instructed 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).

Those who live their lives according to the desires of the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh. They sow to the flesh, and will of the flesh reap corruption (Romana 8:5; Galatians 6:8).

On the other hand, those who live their lives according to the desires of the Spirit, set their minds on things above, the things of the Spirit, they sow to the Spirit and will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (Romans 8:5; Colossians 3:1-11; Galatians 6: 8).

Everlasting life is the immortality of the body, which is the reward for holy and righteous living. It is written; “Having been set free from sin and, having become slaves of God (practical righteousness), you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” The permanent dwelling place, our inheritance for the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:18, 22; 1Peter 1: 3-4).

It is imperative therefore that, we take the life in the spirit literally and practically and not metaphorically. Because the life in the spirit is as literal and practical as that of the flesh and we should learn how to exercise and nurture the life in the spirit as we do with the physical life : For God has overlooked these times of ignorance and has now commanded all men everywhere to repent.

Are we striving to be clothed with immortality?

https://www.amazon.com/author/luciusjoseph

Love in Jesus’ name.

Lucius Joseph

 

How can one sustain his/her holiness?

Holiness is sustained if, “Indeed we continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which was preached to every creature under heaven” (Colossians 1:23).

The gospel which was preached to every creature under heaven is, “The hidden mystery of Jesus Christ, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ”. But now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith” For, “Had the rulers of this age (Satan and his demons) knew; they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory” (Ephesians 3:4, 9; Romans. 16:25-26; 1Corinthians 2:8).

Holiness is sustained by, “Having a walk worthy of the calling (be holy) with which we have been called,” and having daily confession and communion with God as we have been duly instructed saying; “as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." (Ephesians 4:1; 1 Peter 1: 15-16; I John 1: 7-10; 2:1-2; Matthew 26: 27-28).

Holiness is a counterpart of righteousness. Like righteousness, it is, “He who practices holiness is holy, even as He (Christ) is holy” (1John 3: 7).

We have been admonished to; “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12”14).

But the crux of the matter is, how does a person attain holiness? Holiness is the fruit or the result of righteousness as we have been duly instructed saying; “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.’

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Romans 6:16-23).

So, the question is. What is this act of righteousness that when practice produces holiness and results in everlasting life which is immortality of the physical human body? This act of righteousness that produces holiness is not man’s own righteousness which according to the prophet Iasiah is as filthy rags. Nor is it the righteousness according to the law because it is said plainly that; “by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20).

So then, what is this act of righteousness that when practice produces holiness and makes one righteous even as Christ Himself is righteous? The act of righteousness that produces holiness is exemplified in the Old Testament which is the copy and shadow of the reality and it is stated thus; “Then Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of meeting. They shall eat those things with which the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them; but an outsider shall not eat them, because they are holy” (Exodus 29:32-33)

In like manner, in our New Testament dispensation it is by eating of the things by which the atonement was made which is the sacrificial body and blood of Jesus that one becomes holy and this state of holiness is a daily requirement for the new creation as prophesied beforehand saying; “that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life” (Luke 1:71-75).

Remember, we are to, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord,” “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Hebrews 12:14; Romans 6:18;22).

So as one can clearly see, it is by being a slave to the act or practice of righteousness that one becomes holy and results in everlasting life which is the immortality of the human body.

So, the question is. are we slaves of righteousness? And remember that, this act of righteousness is not our own righteousness which is as filthy rags before God, neither is it from doing the deeds of the law, for by the deeds of the law shall o flesh shall no flesh be justified in His sight, but by practicing the act of righteousness which makes one righteous even as Christ Himself is righteous.

https://www.amazon.com/author/luciusjoseph

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

So the question is, are we slaves of righteousness?

 

In Pursuit of Holiness

Holiness is defined as; “A unique quality of divinity; consecration to God; spiritual purity.” But the question is; Can mortal man whose heart is said to be sinful above all things, and desperately wicked, and whose mind is enmity or hostile towards God, not subject to His law, and can never be in subjection, be holy?

Despite how gloomy and rather impossible that transformation may seems to be, the irony of truth is, God has chosen man in His Son Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world in order that, “He should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Ephesians 1: 4).

How feasible it is for sinful mortal man to be holy and blameless before God?

One thing is certain, God would not require anything from us if He knows that it could not be fulfilled, neither would He require anything from us and not providing the provisions by which it could be attained.

We are admonished saying, “Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1Peter 1:13-16).

The feasibility of being holy and blameless before God is through God Himself who, has reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the Ministry of reconciliation”: that is, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting men’s sins against them” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

God has now, “Reconciled us by Christ’s physical body through death to present us holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1:21-22)

Holiness is an integral component of our new nature and so we have been duly instructed saying; “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." (Hebrews 12:14 1 Peter1:15-16).

But how does one sustain his/her holiness? Is there a formula for holiness? According to the Old Testament rituals which were a copy and shadow of the reality there is definitely a formula for holiness which is stated as follows: “Then Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of meeting. They shall eat those things with which the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them; but an outsider shall not eat them, because they are holy. And if any of the flesh of the consecration offerings, or of the bread, remains until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy” (Exodus 29; 32-34).

In like manner, in our New Testament dispensation it is by eating of the things by which the atonement was made which is the sacrificial body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ does one becomes holy which is also the new and living way by which we can draw near to God in a holy, blameless and irreproachable state. (Hebrews 10:19-20).

Hence the Apostle Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And such confidence he said, “Is ours through Christ before God– Not that we are competent or sufficient in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence or sufficiency comes from God” (Philippians 4:13; 2Corinthians 3:4-5).

The Apostle Peter assured us by saying, “God’s divine nature has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness (2Peter 1:3).

Unfortunately, not everyone has the knowledge of who we are as the new creation and according to the Prophet Hosea; “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6).

We should also take into consideration the fact that, as a chosen generation and a royal priesthood our main responsibility is to offer to the Lord the food for His offerings at the appointed time and so the admonition is;; “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1Peter 2:4-5).

However, God has overlooked this time of ignorance and now commands all men everywhere to repent. The question is. Will you?

https://ww.amazon.com/author/luciusjoseph

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph