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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Lucius Joseph

 

God's Creation

2. God’s creation

The second reason why no one is excusable before God it is because of God’s creation as we have been duly instructed saying; “What may be known of God have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” Romans 1: 20)

.For example:

Only the fool [one who misuses true wisdom] says in his heart, “There is no God.”  “They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles. Therefore; God gave them over in the sinful desires of their heart to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and are inflamed with lust for one another: Men committing indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion”( Psalms 14:1; (Romans 1:24-27).

Regardless what terminology is used to justify this act, such as, Sexual preference” it is unnatural and inexcusable.

From the beginning God created male and female, then He blessed them, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.” It is impossible for two men, or two women to multiply and be fruitful. And the reason for the two becoming one is for companionship, and to raise godly offspring unto the Lord (Genesis 1:27-28; Mark. 10:6-8; Malachi 2:15).

 From the beginning God made mankind male and female, and for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.

To be continued

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Lucius Joseph

 

No Excuse

No Excuse

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And He answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:1-5)

Seeing and hearing  about the catastrophic events that are happening worldwide, we should all reflect on these sobering words of Jesus Christ, that victims of tragedies are not worse sinners and offenders than others, and unless we all repent we shall all likewise perish..

No one is excusable before God, and there is no partiality with God, nor does He take a bribe. What is required of one is required of all. For we all were made in the similitude of God, and for one universal purpose. Therefore, “When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels, He will punish those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” ( 2 Thes.alonians1:7-8).

There is no excuse for anyone not to know God and not obeying the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of Christ, “Will suffer the punishment of everlasting destruction, and be shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1: 9).

The truth of the matter is, there is one universal purpose for all human life on earth, and there is absolutely no excuse for not knowing what this purpose is. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

There are three main reasons why no one is excusable before God.

1. Predestination.

Humanity was predestined to be the very image and likeness of God .From the beginning God said; “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”  (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 5:1).

Now God is immortal, and He alone has immortality, therefore, man was predestined to become immortal. Immortality however, is not a free gift as life is, it has to be attained and it is attainable through righteousness which leads to holiness, and the end everlasting life or immortality. Humanity was created in Christ Jesus in holiness unto holiness for everlasting life (1mmortality).

However, to attain immortality one must rid the body of sin, and live holy lives. This is the reason for Christ’s death and resurrection, this is the reason for our calling and salvation and. this is the will of the Father.

Immortality or Everlasting life is the body of Christ or the temple of God which we are called to construct. Jesus Christ is the foundation, and we are called to build on it. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day (when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire) will disclose it, because it will be revealed with Fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

There is absolutely no excuse, because “If the work which any man has built on the foundation (Jesus Christ– eternal life) survives, he will receive a reward”.  The reward of Immortality: a glorified body, everlasting life. For when Christ comes on that Day, He is coming to, “Be glorified in His saints, and to be marveled at in all who have believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:10).

On the other hand, “If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire” (1Cor.inthians 3:15; 2 Thessalonians. 1:9).

No one is excusable because: “ We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are, is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to our conscience” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).

To be continued

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Lucius Joseph

 

The fourth logical reason for observing the Lord's Sabbaths

4.  Reverence His Sanctuary

The fourth important aspect of the Sabbaths is to reverence the Lord’s sanctuary and the way we reverence the Lord’s sanctuary is by worshiping the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness meaning that those present must be holy as we have been duly admonished saying; “as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:14-16).

It is imperative for us to note that righteousness has absolutely nothing in common with wickedness; light has no fellowship with darkness; there is no harmony between Christ and Belial; a believer has nothing in common with an unbeliever; the temple of God has no agreement with idols (those who idolized themselves) Therefore; the admonition is;

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples; for great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens? Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy in His dwelling place.’

We are further admonished to; “Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength, ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness. Tremble before Him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns” (1 Chronicles 16: 23-31; Psalms 96; 1-9).

The worship of the Lord on His Sabbaths His appointed time to offer to Him the food for His offerings has to be done in the beauty of holiness and hence the reason why we have been duly instructed saying; “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner --- not even to eat with such a person” (1 Corinthians 5:9-11).

The only way one can worship the Lord in the splendor (beauty) of His holiness is to be without sin at the time of the worship service and since no one can say I have no sin or I have not sinned the only solution is to have our sins forgiven and be cleansed before we can have fellowship with the Father. Therefore, anyone who is not worthy of partaking of the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the form of the bread and wine for the remission of our sins should not be part of the worship service.

One should also take into consideration the instructions which states; “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened” (1Corinthians 5:6-7; Galatians 5:9).

Leaven is typical of sin therefore, having a worship service in fellowship with un-believers or a brother or sister who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner is vain and useless and so the concept of the church being a sanctuary for sinners is false and deceitful. The concept that the church is a sanctuary for sinners belongs to the outer court where conventions, bible studies, seminars crusades are being conducted but does not pertain to the inner court where worship services are being conducted.

The right procedure therefore is to preach the gospel in the outer court and those who gladly received the word should be baptized and continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Again we see the importance and the rationale for offering the Lord the food for His offerings on the days that He has appointed because in order to have fellowship with the Father one has to be in the state of holiness which means to be free from sin.

I therefore beg to as the question what is so wrong or difficult with this system that every believer in Christ cannot implement, so that they can all be perfectly joined together in one mind and thought?; The answer is clear, “We know that we are of God, and \the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one and the great harlot who sits on many waters [nations], with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk (deceived) with the wine of her fornication. The crux of the matter is, we are all under a heavy cloud of deception because we fail to give to the Lord the glory and honor due to His name by not worshiping Him in the beauty of His holiness. 

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph