Fourth identifying sign of God´s church (contd)

Ascribing to the Lord the glory due to His Name is as relevant today as it was in the Old Testament. The only difference is that of application, in the Old Testament it was according to the letter of the law and the command was “You shall,” but in our new dispensation it is in accordance to the spirit and the application is, “if you love Me keep My commandments.” And so we have been admonished saying,“One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind: He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it” (Romans 14:5-6).

We must however not be ignorant or ignore the fact that, it is only to the children of Israel has God revealed Himself and His way of life. For thus says the Lord; “Ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard. Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard and live?’

“Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an out stretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other besides Him.’

“Out of heaven he let you hear His voice that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire.” Therefore, “Know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath: there is no other (Deuteronomy 4:32-36, 39).

It is therefore advisable that Gentiles do not isolate themselves from the feasts of the Lord and learn to glorify the Lord together with His people. For thus says the apostle Paul; “Receive one another, just as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: for this reason I will confess to you among the gentiles, and sing to your name.” And again he says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles with His people! And again: Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!” (Romans 15:7-11)

The festivals were ordained by God as days of holy convocations so that both Jews and Gentiles can come and appear before Him to rejoice and worship. When Gentiles disregards and hold in contempt the days which God has sanctified, and ordained as days of holy convocations, and choose to come before Him on days He has not ordained as holy convocations, they are provoking the Lord to jealousy.

For thus says the Lord; “When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample my courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies – I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your new moon and your appointed feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them, when you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear, your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:12-15).

The things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and therefore Christians are admonished saying; “I do not want you to have fellowship with demons, you cannot drink the cup of the Lord (which is the main objective of Christian fellowship), and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? (1 Corinthians 10:20-22).

Therefore, a visible outward sign in identifying the church of God is that of ascribing to the Lord the glory due to His name by observing His Sabbaths which are all memorials and should be commemorated and celebrated in thanksgiving for what the Lord did for humanity on that particular day.

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The fourth identifying sign of the true church

4. The Church Ascribes to the Lord the Glory due to His Name

The fourth identifying sign of the true church is that it follows the protocol and established guidelines for spiritual worship, it first and foremost ascribes to the Lord the glory due to His name by observing His Sabbaths. For thus says the Lord; “Observe My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary I am the Lord.” And, “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” “Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord” (Leviticus 19:30; .26:2; Exodus 31:12-15).

It is important to note that, the Sabbaths are holy both to the Lord and to His people. It is the sign that confirms our relationship with the Father, and to acknowledge Him as being the Lord our God. It is the sign that acknowledges the Lord our God who makes us holy. Jesus Christ who became the Son of Man, and said to be the Lord of the Sabbath, is the same one who said to the children of Israel; “I am the Lord your God: walk in Mystatutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God” (Ezekiel 20:19-20).

The Sabbaths are God’s appointed feasts, sanctified and set apart by God as days of holy convocation. Only God has the authority to designate a day, or an assembly holy. This prerogative has not been granted to any human being. For thus says the Lord; “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.” These feasts have been designated by God as holy convocations, and they are to be proclaimed at their appointed times (Leviticus 23:2, 4).

For thus says the Lord; “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing you pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him , not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 58:13-14).

There are many deceivers who have gone out into the world teaching that, these festivals are only meant for the Jews, but the Lord said, “These are the Lord’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times.” And furthermore the Lord says; “Do not let the son of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants – everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath and hold fast My covenant even them I will bring to My holy mountain (Kingdom), and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:3, 6-7).

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Third identifying sign of the true church

3. The Church manifests the presence of the Holy Spirit

The third identifying sign of the true church is the manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit which unfortunately can be very deceptive especially to those who are void of the truth. Most people are bewildered by signs and wonders, but we have been warned saying; “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing.’

‘They perish because they refused to love the truth and be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

The proof and evidence of the Holy Spirit is not in signs and wonders, neither is it in wealth and prosperity. We have been cautioned saying; “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God: This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world” (1 John 4:1-3).

To acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is to believe that, “Both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will sing praise to You.” And again: “I will put my trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me” (Hebrews 2:11-13).

It is to believe that, "We do not have a High Priest Who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin". And it is for this we were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps" (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:21).

It is to believe that “Love has been perfected among us in this: that, we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment because as He is so are we in this world.” And, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as he walked” (1 John 4:17; 1 John 2:6).

The evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit is in the truth of God’s Word. Jesus said; “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing, the words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

Jesus said again; “If you love Me keep My commandments, and I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; but you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” And, “When he the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you” (John 14:15-17; 16:13-14).

According to the scriptures, “God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him.” And the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things, and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in Him” (Acts 5:32; 1 John 2:27).

Therefore, regardless how charismatic, socially appealing emotionally gratifying the teaching may be as long as it is not supported by the word of God one should not be deceived by it.

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The Year of Tithing

 It is imperative to note however, that there is a time when a whole tithe is given to help support the widows, the fatherless, the strangers and the Levites but it is every three years known as the year of tithing. For we have been duly instructed saying; “At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do” (Deuteronomy 14:28-29).

So then, every third year is the year of tithing as we have been duly instructed saying; "When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year --- the year of tithing --- and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, then you shall say before the LORD your God: 'I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them.”

“I have not eaten any of it when in mourning or have I removed any of it for an unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that You have commanded me. Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land which You have given us, just as You swore to our fathers, "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Deuteronomy 26: 12-15).

But now, in our new dispensation, we are no longer under the Levitical priesthood but under the priesthood of Melchizedek and with the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law” (Hebrews 7: 12).

We no longer serve in an earthly sanctuary or tabernacle and neither do we have priests who do not have an inheritance, in addition to this, it is stated categorically that, “We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat”. So the admonition on how to support the ministry is, “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” The beneficial thing to do is be generous and do good deeds: “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches” (Hebrews 13:16-17; Galatians 6:6).

But since the tithe is the Lord`s and it is holy to the Lord, it should be used to fulfill what the Lord originally ordained it to do that is, to eat before the LORD our God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, so that we may learn to fear the LORD our God always, and help the widows, the fatherless, the strangers that are within our gates and share in all good things him who teaches.

The application of this principle in our new dispensation is synonymous to the instructions given by the apostle Paul who wrote; “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind: He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it” (Romans 14:5-6).

No one should be forced, coerced, manipulated or enticed to show and express their love, gratitude and appreciation to the Lord for His blessings. However, to him who knows to do what is good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

 The principle of tithing is the system or mechanism that the Lord has instituted to support one another and not for ministers to exploit their supporters and live lavishly at the expense of the poor congregation and promising them breakthroughs, the breakthrough come when the instructions concerning the year of tithing is diligently followed. God has overlooked these times of ignorance and now commands all men everywhere to repent.

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The Heave Offering

The Heave Offering

With the massive erroneous indoctrination with regards to the principle of tithing it is essential for everyone to note that, the allocation that was given to the Levites the priests as their portion or inheritance was not the whole tithe but 10% of the tithe known as a heave offering.

So the logical question is, why give only 10% of the tithe to the Levites! And, what became of the other 90%? The crux of the matter is that, the children of Israel gave only a heave offering to the Levites as their inheritance because, among the twelve tribes of the children of Israel only the tribe of Levi that was without an inheritance, and by the other eleven tribes each giving a heave offering, Levi would end up with a tithe which the Lord had appointed to them as their inheritance and would have and additional heave offering which they also had to offer to Aaron the High Priest as a heave offering.

For this is what the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: 'When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the LORD, a tenth of the tithe. And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor and as the fullness of the wine press. Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the LORD from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Israel, and you shall give the LORD's heave offering from it to Aaron the priest” (Numbers 18:25-28).

So the portion of tithe that is allotted to the Levites or priests is 10% of the tithe known as a heave offering and the other 90% of the tithe is for the people to appear before the Lord with their households on the Lord's festivals to rejoice before Him and learn to fear Him always. As we have been duly instructed saying; “You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.”

But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the LORD your God has blessed you, then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you (Deuteronomy 14:22-27).

So here it is made quite clear and simple, the rationale or prime objective for tithing is a system which the Lord has ordained on how to support the Levites (the priests) by giving them 10% of the tithe and the other ninety percent for families to be able to come and appear before the Lord and celebrate His Feast days at the time He has appointed. Unfortunately, the majority of those who are clamoring for the tithe and not just for the heave offering, but the full 10% are not even observing the Lord's festivals. What a travesty!

To be continued

Stay tuned

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Second identifying sign of the true church (contd)

The principle of Tithing

Associated with the second identifying sign of the true church is the handling of the principle of tithing. Many churches in order to promulgate and justify their false doctrine of error and greed will quote scriptures such as is found in the book of Malachi which reads; “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ' In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.

You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts; And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," Says the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 3:8-12).

Very encouraging words indeed, but what truly is tithing! And what is the rationale for tithing? I personally spent twenty five years in a religious organization where I was taught to give 10% of my income to this organization, I also had to save another 10% of my income to observe the annual biblical festivals, and every three years I had to give an additional 10% of my income to this organization to support the widows and the poor.

But what exactly is tithing? The first mentioned of tithing is when Abram met with Melchizedek king of Salem who brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And He blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And Abram gave Melchizedek a tithe of all” (Genesis 1:18-20).

This Melchizedek to whom Abram gave a tithe of all is no other than Jesus Christ Himself before He became man, for it is written; “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated "king of righteousness," and then also king of Salem, meaning "king of peace," without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils” (Hebrews 7:1-4).

In reference to Jesus Christ being the Melchizedek to whom Abram gave a tithe of all we are further instructed saying; “And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies: "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."  “And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: "The LORD has sworn and will not relent, ' You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek' ") (Hebrews 7:15-17, 20-21).

Now, the second mentioned of tithe is when the Lord gave a command to Moses for the children of Israel saying; “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's. It is holy to the LORD. If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD” (Leviticus 27:30-32).

What is clear in this command is that the tenth (tithe) is holy to the Lord, but the logical question now is, since the tithe is holy to the Lord how are we instructed to offer to the Lord His holy tithe? God ordained His holy tithe for His people to appear before Him on His holy days and to support the Levites who had no inheritance and to also support the widows and fatherless.

For this is what the Lord said to Aaron the high priest, “Then the LORD said to Aaron: "You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel. Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.”

“But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, 'Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance " (Deuteronomy 18:20-21, 23-24):

Please note carefully that, the tithes which the children of Israel offered to the Lord were given to the Levites as an inheritance because they had no inheritance among the children of Israel and what they received was called a “Heave Offering” which is 10% of the tithe and not the entire tithe of their produce or their income.

It is therefore imperative that we make a clear distinction between the tithe which is 10% of one`s income or produce and a heave offering which is 10% of the tithe. It is also very important to know why only a heave offering or 10% of the tithe was given to the Levites and not the whole tithe and what happened to the other 90% of the tithe.

Stay tuned, to be continued.

With brotherly love

Second identifying sign of the true church

2. The Church does not peddle the Word of God for profit

The second identifying sign of the true church of God is that it does not peddle the word of God for profit. Because the Church has been instructed saying; “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Hebrews 13:5-6).

According to the apostle Paul, “For we are not, as so many (again not the few), peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:17).

As a matter of fact we have been warned saying; “There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Sovereign Lord who bought them bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up” (2 Peter 2:1-3).

The apostle Paul distinguished and disassociated himself from the false apostles of his day, he wrote; “Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.

I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. Why? Because I do not love you! God knows I do! And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve” (2 Corinthians 11:7-13).

This is contrary and quite the opposite to what is being promulgated and manifested today in many religious circles, what we are hearing is all about breakthroughs, sowing seeds and material blessings. Whereas, the instructions the Lord gave to His twelve Apostles is as follows: “And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.”

"Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you” (Matthew 10:7-13).

And to the seventy He sent out into the field He instructed them saying; "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves:

“Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you” (Luke 10:2-9).

These instructions are quite in contrast to what is being promulgated in today´s religious circle despite the fact that many of the laborers possess so much material wealth, what a tragedy!

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph