Protocol for true Christian fellowship

Since most believers are not literally and practically applying the word of God with regards to worship the One and only true God because they believe that, they can have fellowship with God at any time and anyhow may not even be aware that there is a protocol on how we ought to worship and have fellowship with Him which is stated as follows: “Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth” (1Chronicles 16:28-30; Psalms 96:7-9).

1. The Sabbath/s were designated for family reunion and rejuvenation

First and fore-most we see that the Sabbaths were designated for family reunion for we have been duly instructed saying; “Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, give to the LORD glory and strength.” The Sabbath/s is therefore a time designated by God for families to get together to rejoice give their testimonies and sing praises to the Lord as we have been duly instructed saying; “And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion nor inheritance with you” (1 Chronicles 16:28; Psalms 96: 7; Deuteronomy 12:12).

It is important to note that, from the beginning of creation the Lord set apart this day for the rest and re-union of the family for it is written; “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your        cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. There-fore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11).

Now the Lord who created the heavens, the earth, the seas and all that are in them is Jesus Christ whom we are told is the same yesterday, today and forever and does not change ordained the Sabbaths as a perpetual covenant for His people because we have been duly instructed saying; “For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me," says the LORD, "So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD’ (Isaiah 66: 22-23).

The Sabbaths therefore is a perpetual covenant between the Lord and His people and so the admonition is; “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.  Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:9-11),

Now despite this clear unambiguous statement some deceivers want to place the emphasis only on the spiritual aspect of our rest in Jesus Christ and totally ignore or disregard the physical aspect of this rest despite the clear wording which states; “For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”

Our spiritual rest in Jesus Christ meaning having our faith, belief, trust and confidence in Him has not nullify the physical aspect of this rest because we are to cease from our own works just as God did from His, and so the question is, how did God cease from His works?

The way God rested and ceased from His work is simply stated as follows: “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made”,

Therefore, not only are we to enter His rest but we also have to cease from our own works just as the Lord ceased from His. So, what is so difficult or perplexed in this simple instruction that all believers cannot be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment?

 To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The sin of irreverence (part five)

It is imperative for believers to know, understand and believe the fact that Satan the devil wants to be worshiped just as God is worshiped. Remember that when Jesus Christ was led by the Spirit to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me" (Matthew 4:8-9).

The sad reality is that, most believers are very naïve and are a bit too casual when it comes to worship, they are not taking into consideration the fact that Satan seeks to be worshiped just as God is worshiped and therefore, when one fails to appear before God on the days, He has specifically ordained and choose rather to come before Him on days that He has not ordained that they are automatically worshiping the devil.

Because this is what the Lord said; “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD.” Now, the Lord did not leave us ignorant as to when we are to appear before Him for this is what He said; “The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.” And, “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times” (Leviticus 19:20; 26:2; 23:2,4).

As one can clearly see, the Lord has designated and ordained specific days for His people to appear before Him to worship. To appear before the Lord on days He has not ordained is unacceptable to Him for this is what He said; “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense (prayer) 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 Moons 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).

Please note carefully that the appointed feasts which the Lord’s soul hates are not the Lord’s ordained festivals because it is clearly stated; “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts?” And it is; “Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.” So clearly these are not the Lord’s appointed feasts but what has been established by man.

Even when one has been granted the freedom to observe or not to observe the day, if they choose to observe a day, they have to observe the day which the Lord has ordained and not any day as one chooses for thus it is written; “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 (not a 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).

So why observing the day and not a day so important? To understand the significance of observing the day and not simply a day it is important that we understand why are we observing certain days such as, independence and emancipation because as it is written; “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

So, if we are able to grasp and understand the rationale and significance of why are we observing days such as independence and emancipation for example then we should be able to grasp and understand why we are to observe the Lord’s Festivals. We observe these days to commemorate and express gratitude and thanksgiving for what transpired on that particular day and perpetuating it for future generations and this is exactly the reason why we are to observe the Lord’s festivals.

But there is more to observing the Sabbaths than simply commemorating and perpetuating them, there is a protocol, a prescribed manner on how they should be observed and this is another area which needs to be addressed otherwise disunity will continue to disrupt the church for, can two walk together unless they are agreed? 

To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

The sin of irreverence (part 4)

But thanks be to God that there is definitely a code of conduct, some basic principles that is assigned to perfectly joined all believers together and having them to be of the same mind and in the same judgement all speaking the same thing and that is, the commandments of God which Jesus Christ condensed into two great commandments and state as follows; “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).

Now since all the law and the prophets are hanged on these two commandments how do we distinguish or differentiate the first great commandment from the second great commandment? This is very important to know because love towards God is expressed by keeping the commandments as Jesus Christ emphatically stated; “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

The crux of the matter is, the root cause of the divisions that exist in the body of Christ (the church) is disobedience to the first and great commandment resulting in the sin of irreverence and self-righteousness. The constitution of the first great commandment is stated as follows: “You shall have no other gods before Me. " You shall not make for yourself a carved image --- any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.”

“For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”

" Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:3-11).

So why is the first great commandment so important and why it holds the key to the unification of the body of Christ? The first great commandment holds the key to the unification of the church (the body of Christ) because it differentiates true worship of the one and only true God from false gods and gives us guidelines and the code of conduct on how and when to worship and give honor and glory to the One and only true God.

The crux of the matter is, God has established specific rules and guidelines as to when and how we are to appear before Him and ascribe to Him to honor and glory that is due to Him and we should also be aware of the fact that, Satan the devil seeks to be worshiped just as God is worshiped.

To be continued

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Lucius Joseph

The sin of irreverence (part 3)

The Sabbaths therefore, is a perpetual sign between God and His people. The Lord further instructed the prophet Ezekiel saying; “Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.” He also warned His people saying; “Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, 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 :12, 18-20).

And with reference to the New Testament Jesus Christ said, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27-28).

Now in the book of Hebrews the apostle Paul stated clearly that; "Since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of us seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said; so I swore in My wrath; they shall not enter My rest. “Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way; " And God rested on the seventh from all His works." and again in this place; "they shall not enter My rest." Since therefore it remains that some must enter it and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience.

Again, He designated a certain day saying in David; "Today" after such a long time, as it has been said; "Today, if you will hear His voice, do noy harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, then he would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remain therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who enters His (God's)rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:1-11).

At this point I simply beg to ask a question, what in this statement that states; " For he who enters His (God's) rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. And also; “For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said;” that a spirit led believer is unable to comprehend?

And so the other important question is, how did God rest from His works? According to the scriptures it is stated; "Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it (set it apart), because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made" (Genesis 2:2-3),

So, tell me, if spirit led believers cannot agree on this simple passage of scriptures how can we be of one mind and be perfectly joined together and all speaking the same thing? In order for all believers to be perfectly joined together, be of the same mind and speaking the same thing there must be a rule or a code of conduct which we all are to adhere to and follow.

To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

The sin of irreverence (part 2)

This sort of divisive atmosphere that exist in the body of Christ (the church) is not what Jesus Christ intended for His church when He said to Peter, “and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” There is a definite reason why the church is so divided which is the sin of irreverence.

There is no shadow of doubt that many people have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ and even may be performing miracles and doing wonderful works in His name, but this may not necessarily be pleasing to God, for thus says the Lord; "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (Matthew 7:21-23).

The confusions and divisions that exist in the church it is not because of the diversities of our gifts, ministries, activities, the measure of our faith or charisma, because it is one and the same Spirit that works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills, and despite the diversities there should be unity.

The source of the division and confusion in the church is that of irreverence. Jesus stated categorically that, “all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 5:23).

When one truly believes and understands that, Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:15-18).

Coupled with Jesus’ saying that, “the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me: You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form” (John 5:37).

Thus signifying that, the One who spoke to Moses and gave him the laws and statutes was Jesus Christ Himself, and therefore, when the Lord issued such command saying, “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD.”

And the command to, “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: '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. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore, the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed " (Exodus 31:13-17).

Since this command was given by the Lord Himself Who is the same yesterday, today and forever and Who does not change, it is imperative that we take time to examine and consider the contents of this command because it is a perpetual covenant and a sign between God and His people forever.

To be continued

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

The sin of irreverence

The whole world is said to be under the sway of the wicked one and no one knows exactly who to believe, even the majority of those who profess to believe in Jesus Christ have been led astray with various and strange doctrines thus deceiving themselves and others with them.

There is without any shadow of doubt that, a huge cloud of deception is hovering over the entire world and there are only a few people that are not overshadowed or overwhelmed by it. Imagined for example, Jesus Christ in praying to the Father on behalf of His disciples prayed and said, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me" (John 17:20-23).

I therefore, humbly beg to ask the question are we perfect in one as Jesus Christ prayed that we should be? If we are, why do some call themselves Catholics, Baptists, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Seven Day Adventists, Church of God, Methodists, Lutherans, and Anglicans Jehovah Witnesses etc.? And every denomination has its pet doctrine that is contradictory and conflicting to that of the other thus causing divisions, confusions and segregations among brethren’s and worst of all families while purporting to be worshiping the same God? Can this be normal! Most people seem to be happy and quite content with this precarious situation.

The apostle Paul echoed a similar sentiment to Christ's prayer when he wrote; "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Corinthians 1:10).

Again, I beg to ask the question, how can we be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment when we are so doctrinally divided with each having their divergent and contradictory doctrines? So the question is, is Christ divided? Or which one of these denominations was crucified for us? Furthermore, sectarianism which is the idea of belonging to a particular sect or denomination is deemed to be both sinful and carnal.

Therefore, the greatest and most urgent concern we should all have as believers is, why are there so many sects and denominations when we have been admonished, “ to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, because in effect, there is only one body and one Spirit, just as we were called in one hope of our calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all”  (Ephesians 4:5-6).

In addition to this, the apostle Paul admonished us by saying. “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1Corinthians 3:10-11).

The sad reality however is that, despite the plea to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment, most believers seem quite content to continue serving God in such a divisive atmosphere as though that this is the norm.

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

 

Man's conscence

Man is inexcusable before God because of his Conscience.

The third reason why no one is excusable before God it is because of his conscience which is the sense of knowing right and wrong. It is ideas and feelings within a person that tell him when he is doing right and warn him when he is doing wrong. It is the inner judge of moral issues.

“God has given to all life [eternal], breath {physical existence], and all things, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him.

Jesus Christ came to give us an understanding that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ (Acts 17:24-28; John 17:3; 1John  5:20).

Man is endowed with a remnant of God’s Spirit, and the breath [spirit] of the Almighty gives him understanding. Therefore, no one is excusable, we all should heed to our spirit who receives the knowledge of God especially when we have been duly instructed saying; “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.” And, “These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (Malachi 2:15-16; Job 32.8; 33:4; 1John 2:20,26-27).

                                                                                        It is written; “As many as have sinned without law [knowledge] will perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law [knowledgeable] will be judged by the law. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things contained in the law, these although not having the law, are a law to themselves who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus” (Romans 2:12-16).

“The servant who knew his master’s will: but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating” (Luke. 12: 47-48).

There is therefore no excuse and neither is being convinced of what is right and strictly opposing what is wrong is being judgmental for we have been duly instructed saying; “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things” (Romans 2:1).

We have also been duly instructed saying; “Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:4).

And; “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He, who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? (James 4:11-12).

Nevertheless, we are not to forget and ignore the righteous judgment of God who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32).

The crux of the matter therefore is; “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows that he will also reap. For, “He who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption.” They shall suffer the punishment of everlasting destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might. But, “He who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap Everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7-8).

No one therefore is excusable before God because, everyone is predestined in Jesus Christ, to fulfill God's 

for man, because of God's creation which manifest what may be known of God is open to everyone and our conscience which either accuses or excuse and convicts the mind when one does anything.

Copyright © 2012 by Lucius Joseph

All rights reserved

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph