The testing of our faith

 

The Testing of our faith

To all those who have been ordained or may have assumed the responsibility of being a Shepherd of the flock of God which is among us, not only are we required to serve as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to us, but being examples to the flock, we are also called to be a watchman and to warn God´s people of any impending disasters, which if we don´t will result in serious consequences as forewarned by the prophet Ezekiel saying:

“If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand. So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.

When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.” (Ezekiel 33:6-9).

What is coming very fast and furious to destroy and devour the flock of God which needs to be addressed urgently before it is too late is the testing of our faith in regards to our future heavenly inheritance which is the ultimate objective of our existence. To all of us who claimed to be believers in Jesus Christ should be assured and continue reminding ourselves of the reason why Jesus Christ took on flesh and paid the price of sin in our stead, otherwise, we will easily lose sight of the objective of this high calling.

For this reason we have been admonished saying; “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, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith --- the salvation of your souls” (1Peter 1: 3-9).

I am afraid to say that, this incorruptible, undefiled inheritance which we are destined to inherit is on the verge and in danger of being compromised by those who are lacking knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ because what is being promulgated and advocated today is very detrimental to our future inheritance and it is in diametric opposition to what we are supposed to do. What is being advocated today is that we are to have faith and follow science which is diametrically opposite to what we have been duly instructed to do.

What we have been duly instructed to do is not to be persuaded by words of human wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power and that our faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

According to the apostle Paul, “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:5-8).

Unfortunately, instead of us relying on the wisdom and power of God which He ordained before the ages for our glory, we are placing our faith and confidence in the wisdom of men which are coming to nothing and despite of their confessions some people are still not taking heed. Imagine hearing from a top scientist that, “the vaccine will prevent a person from getting sick but may cause infections.”

So I beg to ask the question, what is an infection? Is it not when another organism enters the body and causes disease! Is it not referring to an invasion of the body by harmful microorganisms or parasites ranging from mild to fatal in severity?  And in the case of the COVID 19 vaccine doesn’t it contain tissues from other creatures which will mutate and alter one´s DNA and neutralizes one´s immune system which has a vital role in safeguarding the body from harmful substances, germs and cell changes that could make us ill?

But the worse condemnation of all is the promulgation of the idea and belief that a vaccine is the only solution to this pandemic which in effect disrupts and neutralizes the very guard the Creator designed to safeguard, protect and to heal the body, thus implying that, man´s wisdom is far superior to the wisdom of God, what a travesty? And so many people are gullible to such profanity.

What all sincere believers should consider is the fact that, God in His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for us, This incorruptible undefiled inheritance is our human body which is formed in the image and likeness of God, it is the temple of the Holy Spirit and should not be mutated with tissues of other creatures.

For we have been duly admonished saying; “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

It is therefore imperative that those of us who profess to be believers should consider having our faith in the power of God and not in the wisdom of men by believing and demonstrating our belief and confidence in what Jesus Christ has attained for us as we have been duly admonished saying;

“Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.” (Psalms 103: 1-5)

Please note carefully that these benefits are current, it is not something of the past it is currently in force but applicable only to those who abides in the presence of the almighty as confirmed by King David who consoles us by saying, “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Psalms 91:3-12)..

Our guaranteed protection is to abide under the shadow of the Almighty, and have the truth of God as our shield and buckle. But those who will partake of the mark which grants them the privilege to be able to buy or sell will not be protected from the wrath of God, For we have been forewarned saying, “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth." So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image” (Revelation 16:1-2).

So then, let us be candid with ourselves is there a proposed mark that unless we have it we will not be allowed to enter any institution, commercial center or even gain any employment? The choice is yours you have been forewarned.

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Heart and core of the Gospel (part4)

In as much as Jesus Christ has taken away our sins and sorrows and made them His very own, even bore the burdens on Calvary suffered and died alone. we should all be able to confidently say, “Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's” (Psalms 103:1-5).

Unfortunately, not too many of us are reaping these benefits because, our knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ which we all claim to know and believe is very limited. To most people, our knowledge of Jesus Christ can be compared to the limited amount of knowledge and understanding we have of the digital gadgets we have in our possessions such as the smart phones, laptops, smart televisions.

 I am sure that the majority of us can attest to the fact that these devices contain more apps and features that we are not aware of and cannot operate, than those we know about and are able to operate successfully.  So it is with our knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ, who possesses more features than that of a digital gadget and his accomplishments more profound than that of any software. But the good news however is, while the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Those who are spiritually minded are able to understand and judge all things, because they have the mind of Christ.

Therefore, it is imperative that we all have the mind of Christ as we have been duly instructed saying; “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2; 5-8).

Having established this essential aspect of who Jesus Christ is, let us now extend our focus on the heart and core of the gospel which is the grace of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. But the irony of truth is, despite the simplicity of the gospel, it is very profound and only those with a spiritual mind are able to comprehend it because, the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Unfortunately, since the inception of the church, during the time of the apostle Paul many people expressed a zeal for God but without knowledge, because this is what the apostle Paul wrote; “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God: For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:2-4).

Here is one of the major reasons why there are so many divisions and confusions in the body of Christ, the ignorance of God´s righteousness and how to submit to the righteousness of God. It is therefore imperative that we first and foremost establish what God´s righteousness is and how do we submit to it because, there is a huge price to pay for being lack of knowledge as eluded by the prophet Hosea who wrote, “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).

I think it is important to note also that believers are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God´s own special people and have been made kings and priests to our God to rule with Jesus Christ. Therefore, there is a heavy price to pay for being ignorant of God´s righteousness.

To be continued

 With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Heart and cone of the Gospel (part 3)

The grace of Jesus Christ

The second integral component of the true gospel is the grace of Jesus Christ which is the receipt of the unmerited favor, mercy compassion, forgiveness etc. which God endowed to man without their input, toil, or involvement but was granted to us or done for us as a matter of love as alluded to in scriptures which states, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John3:16-17).

Therefore, in order to have a good and profound understanding of the grace of Jesus Christ, it is imperative that we take into consideration the love of Jesus Christ who is one with the Father, divesting Himself of His glory, taking on the sinful nature of man, giving us an undeniable evidence or testimony of the certainty of Jesus Christ as God’s witness for it is written; “This is He who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood; and it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.”

The term, “By water" is often mistaken by some to represent baptism, but here in this context the water symbolizes the human flesh which is born out of water and is made up of 65% water, with most of the chemical reactions that occur in the body requiring water. Therefore, the term by water and blood” refers to the humanness of Jesus Christ who became flesh and blood.

This belief or perception is strongly supported by the fact that the soldiers who broke the legs of the two thieves who were crucified along with Jesus Christ, when they came to Jesus to break His legs and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs, but one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out, confirming exactly what the scripture says, :This is He who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ; not by water (flesh) only, but by water and blood” (1John 5:6).

The testimony which God has given us regarding His Son Jesus Christ is undeniable linked by these three inseparable links or the three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. We are told quite emphatically that, “He who believes in the Son of God [according to the testimony God has given us concerning Him] has the witness in himself [that is, the Spirit, the water, and the blood];’ But, “He who does not believe God, has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son” (1John 5:10).

This is a serious indictment to be calling God a liar by not believing in the testimony that He has given us of His Son! Now the testimony which God has given us regarding His Son is that; “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1John 5: 11-12).

What this testimony is simply implying is that God has given us eternal life through His Son, whom He sent as His witness on earth, in Spirit, water [flesh] and blood. Therefore, eternal life is found only in believing in the Spirit, water [flesh] and blood of Jesus Christ, which denotes, believing in the humanity of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

And so we have been duly admonished saying; "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God" (1John 4:1-3).

Therefore, I think that it is imperative that we understand the significance and rationale for Christ coming in the flesh and how we should respond after receiving such vital information because, Jesus Christ took on flesh, man´s nature, in order to achieve what man on his own merit could not have achieved. In addition to that, He took our sins and sorrows and made them His own; He bore the burdens to the cross on Calvary, suffered and died alone. In order words He paid the penalty of sin for us in full.

To be continued

With brotherly love 

Lucius Joseph

The heart and core of the gospel (part 2)

God´s testimony regarding His Son

The first integral component of the true gospel has to do with reference to God´s testimony regarding His Son as we have been instructed saying; “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1John 5:10-13).

The first intrinsic part of the true gospel has to do with who Jesus Christ is before He took on flesh and this sets a very good precedence so that we can know distinctly who we are dealing with as Jesus graciously expressed in His prayer to the Father saying; "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.”

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17; 1-5).

The glory which Jesus Christ had with the Father before the world was is that, “He 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” (Colossians 1:15-17).

It is Jesus Christ who, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that were made life. In Him was, and the life was the light of men” (John 1: 1-4).

And since He is the One who did all these things, our admonition is to; "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water" (Revelation 14:7).

We should also note the fact that, Jesus Christ is also the One who instructed the children of Israel in the wilderness and gave Moses His laws and statutes as a perpetual covenant saying; “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…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 31:13-14, 16-17)

And so, it is imperative for us to note and consider that it is Jesus Christ the Word who created the heavens and the earth, who became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth and who is the same yesterday, today, and forever and therefore, it is incumbent 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 1:14, Hebrews 13:8; John 5:23)

And this is where I perceived that the majority of people who profess to be believers fall short by committing the sin of irreverence because they are not worshiping the Lord as ordained, for it is stated categorically; “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD”… “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times” (Leviticus 19:30; 26:2; 23:4).

So let us be honest with ourselves, if we are not appearing before the Lord on the days He has appointed and instead, appearing before Him on days He has not appointed, the question is who we are worshiping! Are we not worshiping in vain by observing the customs and traditions on men? Taking into consideration the fact that, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

To be continued

With brotherly love 

Lucius Joseph 

The heart and core of the Gospel

 

The heart and core of the Gospel

What is it in the Gospel that causes so much confusions and divisions among those who profess to be believers! What makes it so difficult for families and best of friends to come together to worship the One and only true God which they all claimed to believe in? Taking into consideration the fact that, “God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1Corinthians 14:33).

Furthermore, we have been admonished to; “endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, for there is 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 4:3-6).

We should also consider the plea made by the apostle Paul who 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.” Now the reason why the apostle made this plea it is because “Sectarianism” which is the idea of each belonging to a particular sect, religion or denomination is sin (1Corinthians 1:10).

Therefore, the question is why are families and best of friends so divided in their pursuit to follow Jesus Christ? Is Christ divided? Which religion that was crucified for us! And were we baptized in the name of any specific religion? We should all consider the fact that ultimately, each of us shall give account of himself /herself to God: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2Corinthians 5:10).

So my greatest concern is, what is so complicated in the Gospel that the majority of us who profess to be believers are blaspheming the sacred name of Jesus Christ “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2Timothy 1:9)!

There has been from the very inception of the church fears of people preaching false gospels as forewarned by the apostle Paul saying; “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (Ephesians 1:6-9).

So then, what is this one and only Gospel which has been delivered to us and we should not turn away from? First and foremost, the word gospel denotes good news, and so, it is the good news as explained by the apostle Paul who was assigned to the Gentiles, it is the good news of the grace of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. For this is what the apostle Paul wrote; “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God: For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1Corinthinan 2:1-2).

Therefore, the one and only gospel which we are not to turn away from is made up of three integral components, and they are;

a.       God´s testimony regarding His Son

b.      The grace of Jesus Christ

c.       The crucifixion of Jesus Christ

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

When is the beginning of a new day

 

There are three different schools of thought when it comes to the subject of “when is the beginning of a new day!” The irony of truth is, all three ideologies cannot be right, only one is right and the other two are false, but how can we prove which one that is right?

The three schools of thought are midnight which is the most popular, sunset and sunrise. So the logical question is which one is correct? I will attempt to make this debate as short and simple as possible by considering a few basic points.

1.      The Passover

The Passover lamb was killed at twilight, at the going down of the sun on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites prepared and ate the Passover through the night and were commanded to stay indoors and not to go out of their houses which were protected by the sprinkling of the blood of the lamb on their door post. At midnight, the death angel killed all first born of man and beast, all this happened on the fourteenth day of the month, so how can a new day begin either at sunset or at midnight?

2.      The Day of Atonement

It is stated clearly that the Day of Atonement is on the tenth day of the seventh month, and one is required to begin afflicting their souls (fast); “on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath" (Leviticus 23:32). I

f a day begins at sunset, why called the evening before the tenth day the ninth day?

3.      The crucifixion

If about the ninth hour (of the day) Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" And this ninth hour coincides with three O´clock in the afternoon, how can a day therefore begins at sunset or at midnight?

4.      The tomb visit

If the ladies who followed Christ came to the tomb after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, (while it was still dark) Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.” What that is saying is that it was not yet the first day of the week, it was dawning towards it. So I beg to ask the question again, how can a new day begin at sunset or midnight?

5.      Pentecost

If on the day of Pentecost the people were accusing the disciples of being drunk men, but Peter “raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day” (Acts 2:14-15).

So when is the third hour of the day! Is it not nine O´clock in the morning?  And what does the scripture says of those who get drunk? It says “For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night” (1 Thessalonians 5:7).

6.      Creation week

The most popular scripture used by those who teach that a day begins at sunset is what is stated in the scriptures regarding what the Lord did during the six days of creation which state, “So the evening and the morning were the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, six day”.

Because the word evening precedes the morning, they are assuming that a day begins at sunset. The irony of truth is, before creation week, time was not in existence, there were no seconds, minutes, hours, day, week, month, years, day or night it was eternity. But because of Lucifer´s rebellion the earth became null and void and darkness was on the face of the deep.

So it is only when God re-created the earth for man´s existence that time, day and night, weeks, months and years came into existence when He said, “Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day” (Genesis 1:3-5).

Therefore, it was only when the Lord said, “Let there be light” that a day was created, and the light He called day, and the darkness which Lucifer created because of his downfall was added to the light to complete a full day cycle.

Also, on the third day of creation it was the greater light which rules the day that was first created for it is written; "Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness" ( Genesis 1:16-18).

These times of ignorance God has overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because both light and darkness represent two diametric kingdoms known as the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness, therefore this particular situation is not as trivial as most of us believe, but the big question is, who do you believe? 

The choice is yours.

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The church in true perspective

 

What is our perspective of the church which Jesus Christ built, which He promised that the gates of hell shall never prevail against it? Is it a religious organization? The church in the true sense of the word refers to “All who have been Redeemed,” Or groups of Christians assembled for worship.

But the basis on which most religious organizations calling themselves churches operate, it is quite apparent that they have not conceptualized the huge separation that exists between the church and the world, between light and darkness, between carnality and spirituality, between Jews and Gentiles.
The church is made up of individuals or groups of people who have been sanctified or set apart as holy unto the Lord.
We all have the same equal opportunity to be one of those sanctified ones because God raised us (humanity) up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. It is in Christ Jesus that we all live and move and have our being; He is the vine and we are the branches.
We all have been given the equal opportunity in order that in the coming age, God the Father might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Those who have accepted the invitation to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and have not received the grace of God in vain, have become a special people to God, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.
They do not become special because of anything that they have done, but rather it is, “When the kindness and love of God our Savior towards man appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy, He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7)
Remember, it is by grace we all have been saved, through faith, and this is not from ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one can boast. Therefore those who are sanctified have nothing to boast about, and should not hold those who are not yet sanctified in condemnation: neither should those who are not sanctified hold those who are sanctified in contempt.
However those who are sanctified, and are still being sanctified must raise their consciousness and come to the realization as who they really are, and the reason for being chosen in Christ Jesus even before the foundation of the world.
The titles which are assigned to the church are clear indications of the intimate relationship the church enjoys with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and this relationship ought not to be compromised under no circumstances because, "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth" (1 John 1:5-6).
The church for example is referred to as, the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ, the flock of God, the temple of God, the household of God, the habitation of God, God’s spiritual house, God’s building, God’s husbandry etc.
This means that the church is inter-related with the Father and the Son. The apostle John wrote: “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us: And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).
However, despite the close relationship the church enjoys with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, there is a basis, or a fundamental principle by which the church can have fellowship with the Father.
The church therefore has an obligation which is not towards the sinful nature, to live according to it, for if we live according to the sinful nature we shall die, despite the fact that God has saved it. Hence the reason Jude reminds us by saying; 'But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe."
We therefore have an obligation to live in accordance to the Spirit, if we want to live. It is therefore incumbent on the church to become slaves of righteousness, because having been set free from sin we automatically became slaves of righteousness, therefore the church must consider itself slaves as stewards of the mysteries of God.

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph