Peace, love, and unity of Christians to Christ are imperative and non-negotiable. Without them, God says, no man can see His presence:

_Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12 14 RSV)

Jesus, God delegated to the world to reunite humanity and every other creature to Him without which His work is not seen to be successful: Read “John 10 16 RSV”

And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.

Peace with man is peace with God. But peace with a man because of Jesus Christ is peace with God plus eternal life in bliss (Paradise).

Besides person-to-person’s peace, we are also expected to have group-to-group or corporate peace and interdependence. See “Eph. 2:13,14 RSV” But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility.

Factors militating against our day-to-day Christian group peace and interdependence must be condemned by all of us in strong terms. However uphill this task may look, considering our extant relationship as believing groups, we must seek a corresponding divine grace with which to face it.

What are all such factors?

1.NOMENCLATURE DIFFERENCE:

Nomenclature is a system of naming things. When names are on things, they help to separate them from various owners. As “Michael James” belongs to James, his father (physically speaking), that is how the name separates him from “Joseph John” who belongs to John his father.

Conversely, the Christian case is different since there is no denominational provision in the eyes of our Master Christ because of the one body of believers (Church) over which He is head (see Eph. 4:4; Col. 1:18); one spirit of Christ that all the believers drink into their system (Rom. 8:9,14; Eph. 4:4 -6); one hope of eternal life in Paradise; one Lord Jesus; one faith, one baptism of the Holy Spirit and one God over all of us. (ibid)

In the teachings of Christ, mention is never made of the name of the one Church in Scripture except for descriptives showing our relationship with one God in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and attachments of locations in which the groups of believers gathered. For instance, ” The Church of God in Corinth” (1Cor.1:2) – a relationship with God the Father. “The Churches of Christ (Rom.1:7; 16:16) – a relationship with God the Son, and ” The Temple of God in the Spirit (Eph. 2:21,22) – a relationship with God the Spirit. In all, the Church is a people, not a place or thing.

2. OWNERSHIP VIRUS:

Unless God that bought us with the priceless blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, leases or sells us to another, or dies for someone else to inherit us (His Church), no one on earth is by any means qualified to own us (His Church or believing people).

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He PURCHASED with His own blood. (Acts 20:28 NKJV)

knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.(1 Peter 1:18-19 NKJV)

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. (1 Corinthians 7:23 NKJV).

Whether the term, ‘ministry(ies)’ is being used to refer to believing people in Christ, it is still not Scripturally permissible since the terms, ‘Church’ and ‘ministry’ are sometimes used interchangeably in Scripture – cf. Acts 1:15-17. Do you have Church? please renounce now that you know because you showed ignorance of the provision in God’s word regarding Church before now. (See Acts 17:30,31)

3. CONFUSION OF ‘CHURCH HALL’ FOR ‘CHURCH’

The seed God planted to germinate Church in the world is His word:

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. (Luke 8:11 NKJV)

It was by that same means that He gave birth to us who have believed:

Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures. (James 1:18 NKJV)

Whether that took place on a bus, a house, a train, or an airplane notwithstanding.

When Jesus sees that a person has committed his heart to His teaching, He adds such to the list of those who were being saved – cf. Acts 2:47. He also includes his name in His ‘book of life (Luke 10:19,20) and starts protecting him – 1 John 5:18.

Meeting shelters or Church halls must not be made Churches because they will definitely be seen as shrines for idols by God.

So, what is the place of the Church hall or cathedral?

i. It is built for protection against sunstroke.

ii. It is built against rain wet.

iii. It is built against avoidable distractions one would have gone through in his home.

iv. It is built as a spacious enough place to accommodate many corporate worshippers – All good reasons, making it a blessing window for those who try to meet that need for God’s Church. However, an individual who got his salvation in a bus through God’s word can live by that word and get to heaven at the return of Jesus Christ without reaching a Church hall or cathedral. Remaining on earth, however, the believer chooses to join people of like spirit for interdependence and not necessarily for fear of breaking any law at the failure to do so as ‘ Heb. 10:25’ has been wrongly used by some to insinuate – for Christ did not add us to a hall. (cf. Prob. 27:17)

Anyone who builds a hall or cathedral for God’s people will be paid back by God with better measure. (See Luke 7:4,5) The builder should not expect to take over God’s vineyard for the material hall he has built because God owns the Church (the believing people – Heb. 3:4-6) The Church is a spiritual entity and Christ’s private enterprise built with spiritual materials by an Omnipresent God and so cannot be spiritually localized. If the Church of God can be localized, it can also be idolized in the same process. The belief in the principle of the Gospel that put us in the Church and in Christ keeps us (the believers) in the Church ceaselessly. We only vacate when we reject the Gospel of Christ without which we are always therein. We cannot be said to go to Church and come back from Church. Instead, it is true that we can go to Church assemblies or services or meetings for edification and come back from the same. The moment in our lives that we leave Church, we die. It is our life’s support system because Christ is the head. It is that simple. We are the Church; the body of Christ connected to Christ, our invisible head due to our faith in His message. (See Col.1:18; Gal. 3:26-28) Naturally, any separation of the head from the body at any point in time is death. (See Col. 2:18,19) I sense that is natural enough for our comprehension.

4. FORCEFUL FREEDOM FROM POVERTY:

Jesus was not a professional preacher or pastor. As we speak, He does not still see witnessing Him as a profession unless we choose to make a profession out of it or people who benefit from our preaching services choose to professionalize it for us. (Consider the following Scripture)

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. FREELY you have received, FREELY give. (Matthew 10:8 NKJV)

For we are not, as so many, 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 NKJV)

We cannot make merchandise of the Gospel and still please our Master, Jesus. Christ, however, will take care of us who are out sincerely to witness for Him and to be servants of His people for His sake. (cf. 2Cor.4:4,5)

Any person who signs up to follow Jesus does so to find out from Him what to do first of all; not *what to get.(Acts 22:10; Luke 3:10) The visible challenges the believer may have (finance inclusive) do not make him poor before Jesus due to the eternal treasure he bears. (cf. Rev. 2:9,10) He needs the virtues of joy and self-control always because everything is not money but God Who is always faithful. The preacher of Christ should be content and not high-minded. (See Rom. 12:12-16; 1Tim.6:6-10).

5. AVARICE FOR LEADERSHIP:

It is neither a defeat nor a depravity to serve under one another who has shown evidence of a ‘servant-leader.Be free to address another person, ‘sir’, ‘senior’, and all such terms denoting servanthood. Leadership is God-given and in levels. (cf. Heb. 5:4) A careful consideration will uncover that there is no sane human being that does not lead – one way or the other – even slaves in New Testament times. A leader is not necessarily a ruler because what a good leader desires his followers to do, he does not command them to do. Instead, he does it first for his followers to imitate. (Consider Apostle Paul in the following Scripture):

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

(1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV)

The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9 NKJV)

To be a good leader is to extend heaven to earth because it makes one God-like. (cf. Matt. 5:48) A great leader emerges not because he knows how to foist himself on the people, but because of how he makes and desires to make others great. When people protect their leader because of his beneficial policy framework, they are protecting themselves. They are willing to stake their lives to ensure their leader lives on and such is the exemplary leadership of Christ through the Church on earth. So, why do leaders protest to remain in the saddle where those they led have cried out that they should leave? It must never be God’s will for God’s child to insist to remain in such situations.

6. IGNORANCE OF THE GOSPEL KIND.

What does the Bible say is the Gospel? What are the basic elements of it and its relevance in real-life situations among those it is preached? How God would have lived among a people is what God desires the believers to teach and show. The essence of preaching Christ with His sin-free model in character (not Abraham, Moses, Elijah, John Baptist, and/or any other of His Apostles) is to guarantee a perfect model since that cannot be seen in anyone else.

When His appearance in the secular world is announced, it is to achieve salvation for humanity eternally by His death, burial and resurrection for humanity’s freedom and hope (1Cor.15:1-4) as well as His ascension into heaven and His promised return to destroy Satan finally for humanity’s eternal peace – cf. 1Cor.15:24-26. Undoubtedly, Jesus Christ will come back to reign among those He saved evident in His ascension into heaven without dropping the body He had used here to achieve God’s redemption assignment, but to take it to heaven for use during His second coming although, this time, not flesh and blood again, but flesh and bone. These are the basic elements of the Gospel of Christ. Anyone that will not believe this on the ground that

(it is too simple or folly) will have no more remedy.

This is what united the believers and serves as a tradition. But administering it has no traditional approach. (cf. Rom.14:1-23)

If the sharing of the love of Christ is not really among those who claim they have this Gospel, they are liars. Let them answer the question God raises in “1 John 3:17 NIV”

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? The basic principle of holiness, hospitality, and humility to constituted authorities constitute the hallmark of the Christian faith. (Jam. 1:27; Rom. 13:1-7) The Gospel, therefore, is about the purity of Christ’s life in our hearts and the sharing of His love with our hands. In this sharing, it doesn’t matter whether the beneficiaries are believers or not and it is not so much about what Satan can do as it is about what God can do. (cf. Rom. 10:5-10; 1John 3:17-19)

The original recipients of the Gospel were sometimes a mixed congregation of people, notably, the Jews and Greeks (Gentiles) – cf. Eph. 2:14. The introduction of the Gospel into such a mixed congregation was not to disintegrate them according to their particular traditional beliefs. The Gospel, instead, came in to train them to continue together but now in the love of Christ – cf. 2Cor.5:14-17; 1Cor.7:13.

What united the people prior to the Gospel’s arrival was their traditions and Jesus is not against those various means by which the people were united except that they glorified spirits (demons) other than the Holy or One True Spirit Whom the Only True God is. (cf. 1Cor.10:19,20; Acts 17:16,22-25)

Such things as:

i. Individual and corporate and/or communal choices for foods. (Acts 13:1ff)

ii. Sacred (worship) days. (Rom.14:1-6)

iii. Dressing codes. (1Cor.11:7-16)

iv. Leadership opportunities with regards to gender (1Cor.14:34,35; 1Tim.2:11-15) were forces that united the people. Since we are not to create any reason for the Christian peace, love and unity of the one body of believers other than that God has created already in the atonement of Christ, we are to maintain the status quo. (See 1Cor. 3:10,11; Eph. 4:13) God, in Christ, expects us not only to live that love, peace, and unity, but to vigorously pursue it. (cf. 1Pet.3:10-12; Jude 3; Rom.14:13,19) We are expected to get mature enough never to allow observance of sacred days to divide us. (See Rom. 14:5,6; Gal. 4:9-11) Neither are we expected to allow our choice of food (Rom. 14:1-3) and dressing codes to disintegrate us. (1Cor.11:7-16; 1Pet.3:1-7; 1Tim.2:9,10)

The Gospel of Christ came into the world to do two things, namely:-

1. To approve all that men practiced that was good yet lacking in knowledge of the faith of Jesus Christ to attract divine acceptance and positive rewards and

2. To teach a man to change from what was destructive to become constructive for the benefit of mankind.

7. IGNORANCE OF KING JESUS’ CONSTITUTION

(Matt. 26:26-28; Heb. 9:13-23)

Jesus is the Christ, the One anointed to reign over God’s kingdom eternally. In the spirit (unseen) realm, He is the Commander of commanders or Commander-in-chief; He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. What matters in the administration of a kingdom or government is the availability of a capable king, the subjects (people) under the king, and the constitution to regulate the affairs of those involved to avoid friction among the subjects.

With the word of truth brought by Jesus Christ, Christians have been able to be born into God’s kingdom or family. See “James 1:18 NIV”

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created. (Read also ‘Heb. 3:4-6’). Nigeria, like a kingdom headed by a person with the title ‘ President’, is similar to the kingdom (government) of God headed by a person with the title ‘ Christ. ‘ The Body of Christ, ‘The Kingdom of Christ, ‘The Churches of Christ ‘ and ‘ The Kingdom of Heaven are synonyms. They all refer to us as believers in Christ and Christ is the King over us. We are His private enterprise He defeated the devil in us to establish. It is neither acceptable for one to enslave us while craving for Christ’s salvation nor is it acceptable for us to accept any form of slavery in this direction. This is the Christian constitution’s standpoint:

(1 Corinthians 7:23 NIV)

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.

Christ, the eternal King, desires us, His subjects, to be united and live in peace with one another for His sake, and, as such, the constitution to facilitate this must be one. So, He says, in “Matthew 26:28 NIV”

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

This can be rendered also: ‘This is My blood of the constitution’

This is so because there was an old covenant or constitution before now. We know that the old covenant or constitution is contrary to the new – the former being of this world and the latter being of spirit. King Jesus cannot combine both of them to keep His kingdom (subjects) one as He desires – See “Mark 2:21-22 NIV”

“ No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse.

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

8. PITFALLS OF SCRIPTURES’ INTERPRETATION

One area of preachers’ and/or Christians’ deficiency is in following the context of any given text of the Bible they read flawlessly. For the purpose of making that once-and-for-all-time word of God delivered long ago to be useful and powerful to us in our time, the context of any text of the Bible we read must not be ignored. What, anyway, is the context of a text we may choose? Interrogatives such as who? to whom? where? why? and when? the text written or spoken can be of immense help. Below, in my well-intended attempt to detect the context of any Bible text in order that we interpret it correctly, I will look under the following sub-heads: (i) The Encoder Status (ii) Audience Analysis (iii) Arena Relevance (iv) Timing (v) Occasion and Purpose.

i) Encoder Status: By this, we mean ‘who is speaking?’ Who gave the speaker or writer the mandate to say or write what we are reading? as Jesus would quote from Moses who wanted us to pay back evil for evil in ‘Lev. 24:19,20’ and said, but I say, don’t do so any longer in ‘Matt. 5:38-44’. It will be their status in God’s arrangement today that will help decide who to obey between them. (Read further Acts 19:15; John 2:18; 8:35,36; 12:47,48; Heb. 3:4-6)

ii) Audience Analysis: A punctilious and careful look at the original recipients or audience of the message we read in the Bible will lead us not into error. Under this consider the following:

a) Baptism of Fire: (Matt. 3:7-12; Acts 1:4,5)

As we read Matthew’s account, we discover that ‘ Baptism of Fire’ was employed by John Baptist because of seeing the unbelieving Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees among his believing audience. If not, John would have stopped with ‘ Baptism of the Holy Spirit as Jesus did when He was addressing His believing people prior to His ascension in ‘Acts 1:4,5’. If we are not careful enough to detect the audience’s composition in ‘Matt.3’, we would be wrongly led to conclude that the ‘Baptism of Fire was also a gift from God to His believers as many have errantly concluded. But it is talking about ‘an unquenchable fire’ which is ‘hell fire’. not meant for believers in Christ. (See Matt.3:12)

b) Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven: (Luke 13:20; Matt.13:33)

Matthew had the Jewish people at heart as the target audience. So, he used consistently the ‘Kingdom of Heaven because the Israeli people believed then that God was too holy to be mentioned by them, men of unclean lips. Conversely, Dr. Luke used the phrase, ‘Kingdom of God’ because, unlike Matthew, he wrote his essay on the life and teachings of Christ to be consumed by people beyond Jewish descent.

c) ‘Works of Faith’ and ‘Works of the Law’: (Jam.2:14-17; Rom.3:20)

Paul was talking to an audience who erroneously believed that through their practice of the ‘Law of Moses’, (the first covenant or constitution) they can receive justification for their souls, whereas, James is addressing a people who refused to continue serving believing they are already justified by faith in Christ. Then, James asked, where is the faith in Christ without service delivery as evidence?

d) Women’s _Leadership Position in the Church : (1Tim.2:11-15; 1Cor.14:34,35; Gal.3:26-29)

In Asia Minor (Ephesus) and Achaia (Corinth), the Holy Spirit through Paul agreed with the tradition of the people there that women believers should not struggle to take leadership positions in believers’ gatherings. The status quo was granted due to the people’s tradition which they probably adopted from the Law of Moses read and taught to them by Evangelists of Judaism in their cities’ synagogues. (cf. Acts 15:21; John 7:35) The status quo, Paul accepted to pave way for peace to reign in the Christian brotherhood. (cf. Rom.14:13,19; 1Pet.3:10-12)

In the Province of Galatia, however, the situation was different. There were no traditional mores as were in Ephesus and Corinth. So, the Holy Spirit revealed that (in Christ), there are no such things as gender distinction, nationality, and professional disparities. Hear Him: “Galatians 3:28 NIV”

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (See also ‘2Cor. 5:16’) It was the tradition of the people, not God, that hindered women from leading Christian gatherings (men inclusive) in the capacity (talent) God has endowed them. The audience in Galatia made it easy for the Holy Spirit to relate this divine principle of how life in Christ functions without regard to gender variance. Glory be to God Almighty for the opportunity.

iii. Arena Relevance: (Acts 13:14-21; 17:16-28)

Knowledge of the people and place an event took place when we read it in the Bible is of immense help towards the overall application of it to our present situation. For instance, Paul’s preaching of Christ in the synagogue of the Jews will differ in approach from his preaching to the non-Israeli audience. (cf. Acts 13:14-21) Among the Jews, he will take from Abraham knowing that they are familiar with their Jewish history. However, in his speech at the ‘Areopagus’ (Mars Hill in Athens), – a Gentile audience – the emphasis is on God’s goodness and excellence to the people evident in the creation of the cosmic earth and everything therein for the people’s good. (See Acts 17:16-28)

iv. Timing:

The distinction of the time and/or dispensation play a noble role also in an attempt to extract messages correctly. The need to separate whether it is under the dispensation of the Law of Moses (the first constitution) or of the grace/law of Christ (the current dispensation – cf.Deut.18:15-19; Luke 9:28-36; Gal.6:2; John 1:17; Acts 3:22,23) is crucial without which we will receive the ‘spirit of falsehood’ by obeying the first constitution or covenant which was preparatory to the new covenant or constitution instead of the ‘spirit of truth’ canvassed by the original Apostles of Christ under new covenant or constitution. (cf. 1John 4:1,4-6; Gal. 6:17; Phil. 4:9; 1Cor.11:1) We must painstakingly separate the first covenant or constitution of Moses from that of Christ in order that preserve our faith in Christ from destruction. If not, the kind of righteousness accepted by God now (in this dispensation) will elude us, honestly. The following Scriptures convey this fact: (Luke 5:33-39; Mark 2:18-22; Rom. 3:20-26; 10:1-4)

We will learn from the old covenant how God planned, announced, and prosecuted this righteousness revealed now in Christ and how people were variously rewarded prior to the present dispensation. (cf. Rom. 15:4; 1Cor.10:6,11; 2Tim.3:16,17) Simply put, the first or old covenant (constitution) serves us as the basis for our understanding and applying the new covenant (constitution).

v. Occasion/Purpose (1Cor.5:9; 7:1; 11:1; Luke 15:1-16:16)

On the occasion, we think of what necessitated the text. In purpose, we address what the writer or speaker sought to achieve after his recipients might have received his message.

In conclusion, in order that we become vividly certain about what God desires from time to time to either correct or approve in His vineyard on earth, understanding His messages in Bible with regards to the original audience, through whom He delivered, the place, the time and occasion/purpose must be considered. With that, prompt application of His message as secondary recipients will be made possible, effortless, and credible. May His grace lead us to see His word as He sees in King Jesus’ name. 🙏

9. IGNORANCE OF NEW COVENANT WORSHIP UPDATES.

In the new covenant or constitution that Jesus Christ does midwife, we worship God by faith and not by sight – 2Cor.5:7. In other words, it is worship in spirit and truth – see John 4:23,24. This entails the nature of the worship – the means is spirit (John 6:63) and truth (John 1:17). The worshipped (Who is worshipped) is ‘Spirit’ and ‘God is Spirit. (ibid)

Studies on true worshipping are therefore made more imperative than ever before since the Bible reveals the existence and operation of diverse spirits in the world in ‘1 John 4:1 NIV’

Dear friends, 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.

Worship, as God expects, is all-inclusive in our lives on earth and suggests the essence of our being created by God and preserved all lifelong. All the corporeal and/or material resources as well as the celestial resources including angels and Jesus Christ, God has provided to enable us to worship Him perfectly. What God is in heaven in righteousness, we are expected to be likewise here on earth through worshipping Him. When He said, you must be perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matt. 5:48 Goodness Bible), it is in worship such can be achieved.

True worship, the Bible depicts as

* An exchange of offerings.

* A lifestyle that fulfills the Scriptures positively.

* An activity that attracts a good reward from God.

* That which maintains man’s domineering status over other God’s creatures and

* An activity that glorifies spirits.

The worshipper must be a truly spiritual person, a priest, a worker, a co – benefactor, and a partner with God as well as a leader. In worship, the One being worshipped is the Instructor for the kind of worship He accepts. In other words, He has an oracle for it. (cf. Matt. 15:7-9; Mark 7:6-9) The oracle is the spirit that is magnified through the obedience of the worshippers and the spirit is not different from that oracle. As such, Apostle Peter warns,

If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11 NKJV)

If the oracle for worship is from the Only True God through Jesus Christ – the Mediator of the new covenant (constitution) – then, the worshipper is sure of a good reward since that has enhanced Scriptures to be fulfilled positively. Bear in mind that Scriptures can also be fulfilled negatively when the oracle of the worship does not connect to the throne of God in heaven. In such a situation, the worshipper does not receive grace (power) to dominate the other spirits in the elements – a position Jesus Christ recovered for him when He died and arose in triumph. (cf. Gen. 1:26-28).

As already stated, worship is service delivery or work and an exchange of offerings. In our obedience to the oracle of God in Christ, we exchange service for the blessing which is productive worship. This exchange can take place everywhere the worshipper is in spirit and truth committing the heart and thoughts to God’s expectations in Christ before thinking, talking, and doing anything, whether or not a meeting place like a Church hall is available notwithstanding. God is the spirit worshipped Who is everywhere to see, accept and reward the worshipper accordingly. Such is the worship in spirit and truth recommended under the new covenant or constitution of Christ which cannot be limited or localized to one place.

That is how we exchange our singing, praying, preaching, and teaching of His word in private and public settings, (offering of our substances and our bodies first – even as God offered this world and everything therein and Jesus Christ for our souls’ salvation) for blessing in worship. If God gives any good reward for anything, that is a testimony of that thing worshipping Him.

This worship can take place on a bus, a train, a house, an airplane, on a farm, and just anywhere.

Worship can be done individually and corporately. But the latter depends on the former for divine acceptance.

In worship, benefits or reliefs are released to humanity through the worshippers. It is not the stipulated sacrifices in the Levitical worship of the old covenant God intended to see, but the resultant mercy to the needy. See the Scripture below:

Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple.

But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

(Matthew 12:6-7 NKJV)

Not all sacrifices under the first covenant or constitution were for burnt offerings. The majority of them were ordained so that, after the entrails are burnt, the flesh might remain for meat (food) for the needy people including the Levitical priests.

Better effects of worship under the grace of Christ will be realized as there are no limitations placed on the worshipper today with respect to season, place, day, and quantity. For instance, no one will wait until he has ten(10) cars before releasing one to the one who has none in keeping with tithing regulations as the old covenant or constitution restricted worshippers under it then. Any attempt to breach such restrictions then (in offering more or less) resulted in death because it was a law, not grace.

Under the first regime mediated by Moses, the emphasis was on the law to keep, whether or not it solved the problems of the people for whom the law was made notwithstanding. But, now under Christ, emphasis is resident rather in solving humanity’s problems – not any longer on keeping a system of ordinances. As grace tends to solve problems, not minding whether the substance is up to ten(10) – in the case of tithes – the law tends to increase sin and death looking for defaulters to punish. (cf. Romans 3:20 NKJV)

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. and “Romans 5:12-14 NKJV”

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because all sinned

For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

The main purpose of our studying the Bible today is not to uncover those who are worse than us and deserving of hell. But we read as a person with one eye who, through God’s grace, has seen where there is a relief for many blind people and then try to alert them to recover like us and take advantage of God’s eternal gesture in Christ. (cf. 1Cor.4:7)

The early Christians preached to prove that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah long expected by the Jews quoting from the Law of Moses in the first covenant or constitution, the writings of the prophets, and the Psalms – cf. Luke 24:44; Acts 2:32-36; 13:23-25. But ours today is to preach to prove to our neighbours that disobedience to Jesus Christ separates (kills) us from God, the source of our lives now and forever, a tragic choice to make. (cf. Heb. 2:2-4; 1Cor.10:6,11)

The temple Solomon built is a blueprint for the worship under Christ which was not built to inhabit God but for the burning of sacrifices. (cf. 2Chr.6:18; 7:12). Under the grace of Christ, however, today, the temple for the dwelling of God is our bodies and the altars for God’s sacrifices, our hearts. (See 1Cor.6:19,20; Rom.12:1,2) This is what Christ has taught us during His answer to the Jewish leaders who questioned His authority when He drove them from that typified temple. Hear Him in “John 2:18-21 NKJV”

So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

And also “1 Peter 2:4-5 NIV”

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him

you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Further, read

“Ephesians 2:19-22 NIV”

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens of God’s people and also members of his household,

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

In him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

And in him, you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

If the place of the meeting we build for ourselves is not seen by us that way (not the dwelling of God), then, we are set to worship idols in any sacrifices we offer in such places. It is so because, as I already stated, any god that is localized has been idolized. “ The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.

And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” (Acts 17:24-25 NIV) Let us take pains and read also “1 Corinthians 10:19-20 NIV”

Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?

No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.

Giving God thanks in singing is a directive from God and obedience to it is worship. God says singing from our hearts to our lips is a sacrifice to Him. As a result, it too attracts a reward from God to adherents based on our understanding of what worship is as depicted in the Scripture below: Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ( Hebrews 13:15; Col.3:15,16 NIV)

Training fellow believers to sing well is therefore rewarding. If we cannot sing well, supporting others who are anointed to sing well is both pleasing and worship to God.

Praying and interceding is other charges from God to which obedience is positively rewarded. Hear God’s divine charge below:

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people

for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

This is good and pleases God our Savior,

who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

(1 Timothy 2:1-7 NIV)

If we hear and obey God as He talks to us from heaven, then, we should rest assured that He too must hear us when we talk back to Him in prayers as – We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. (John 9:31 NIV) So, why not talk back to Him? Intercede, thank and praise Him more than you ask, because, by so doing, you miss nothing.

In praying, one can receive the very thing he asked just as Prophet Jonah received. Please, let us take pains to read Jonah’s comments in “Jonah 2:1-10 NIV”

{1}From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.

He said,

In my distress, I called to the Lord,

and he answered me.

{2}From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,

and you listened to my cry.

[3]You hurled me into the depths,

into the very heart of the seas,

and the currents swirled about me;

all your waves and breakers

swept over me.

[4]I said, ‘I have been banished

from your sight;

yet I will look again

toward your holy temple.’

[5]The engulfing waters threatened me,

the deep surrounded me;

seaweed was wrapped around my head.

[6]To the roots of the mountains I sank down;

the earth beneath barred me in forever.

But you, Lord my God,

brought my life up from the pit.

[7]“When my life was ebbing away,

I remembered you, Lord,

and my prayer rose to you,

to your holy temple.

[8]“Those who cling to worthless idols

turn away from God’s love for them.

I, with shouts of grateful praise,

will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good.

I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ ”

[10]And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

At times, one receives more than that which he asked for like King Solomon in “1 Kings 3:9-13 NIV”

” So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great person of yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.

So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,

I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.”

May we learn to pray well (Luke 11:1) so that it will not be burdensome for God to bless us in our generation, especially, not seeking an opportunity for the death of ignorant unbelievers in Christ who persecute us ignorantly. Jesus, God’s Christ, neither desires us to bar people from coming to Him in words or deeds like the unbelieving elders of the Jews we read of in His days nor call down fire from heaven to consume any ignorant evildoer in our prayers. Hear this in “Luke 9:51-56 NKJV”

Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,

and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.

But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.

And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”

But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “ *You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.*

For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them. ” And they went to another village.

Such is the new covenant (constitution) manner of praying and not what you find in “Lev. 24:19,20” from the first covenant (constitution) that Moses did midwife which Jesus Christ has warned us not to follow as worshippers of God under Him today. Permit us to read both the former and latter covenants’ directives:

If a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done, so shall it be done to him – fracture for fracture, eye for an eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him.(Leviticus 24:19-20 NKJV)

” You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’

But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.

And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matt. 5:38-44 NKJV) Not all our enemies are witches. Some are just ignorantly envious of our successes and so deserve not to die but to repent through our intercessions.

One of Dr. Jesus’ teachings that teachers of His faith have misconstrued is in “Matt. 5:17-18 NKJV”

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one title will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Many who agree that Jesus fulfilled the provisions of the old covenant (constitution) by surrendering His life as a final sacrifice also turn to disagree that His fulfilling them does not render them unbinding on us, saying that He (Jesus) says that He never came to destroy God’s law given through Moses. Practically, such reasoning is illogical because to fulfill a thing is to satisfy or be at peace with to whom the thing is concerned. For instance, a teacher says, “I will not come to class until 11 am.” this does not mean, after he tarries until 11 am before commencing teaching, he has destroyed the earlier pledge he made. Neither is he to be blamed for not coming before 11 am and for coming after 11 am. He should, instead, be praised for being honest and dependable because he gave a time and followed accordingly – 11 am – the terminal time having acted on the future time word until or till.

That is the spirit of “Matt. 5:17,18”. By the statement, Jesus was simply saying that the Law of God given through Moses (the first constitution) will be set aside but cannot until or till He (Jesus) fulfills its provisions for all God’s creation. (See Heb. 10:5-10)

If the first covenant (constitution) which had the Church and worship traditions of this elemental world subsist, then God cannot operate with Jesus using two conflicting constitutions. Hear this in “Hebrews 9:1,8 NKJV”:

Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary.

the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.

The first tabernacle existed through the provisions (power) of the first covenant (constitution) even as the body of Christ that leads us into the Most Holy Place has come through the provisions (power) of the new covenant (constitution). I remember Jesus saying, ” This is My blood of the new covenant (constitution) (Matt. 26:28 KJV).

Again, Jesus, a High Priest from the tribe of Judah (not Levi or the tribe of Aaron), as was permitted or provided for under the old covenant (constitution) could not be if God does not change (not amend) the old covenant (constitution). That would have equally made God and Christ lawbreakers. (Read Heb. 7:11-14)

Sometimes God answers our prayers by exchanging what we have asked Him with something else for our good. Moses asked that he may enter Canaan with his legs. But God said with his eyes he would see (enter) instead. See “Deut. 3:23-27 NKJV”

Then I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying:

‘O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?

I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’

But the Lord was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the Lord said to me: ‘Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter.

Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan.

This was truly an exchange.

Sometimes God can ask us to continue praying, believing, and waiting. Consider the following Scripture:

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.

Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’

And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,

yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.

And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:1-8 NKJV.

Finally, in answering our prayers, God can say, No either because the timing is wrong (not the fullness of time Gal.4:4,5) or it does not meet His good will – it will neither glorify Him nor add value to our lives if He grants. (cf. Jam. 4:1-6).

Teaching and preaching God’s word is also a sacrifice as it is also done in the name of Jesus to the glory of the Father. See “Colossians 3:17 NKJV”

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Reading of Scriptures, preaching, and teaching from same to people, is also a command and our obedience thereto is positively rewarding. Evangelist Timothy was directed to do so in “1 Timothy 4:13,16 NKJV”

Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Mean men cannot successfully obey such. In the same vein, Those who make merchandise of God’s word can seldom be in the voluntary business of witnessing Jesus and for Jesus ( Jesus’ witnesses – Acts 1:8) Hear the below Scripture – 2 Cor.2:14-17 NKJV –

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Preaching is simpler than teaching. Preaching may be a reminder, but teaching is revelational and expository; it is in-depth which cannot be done by illiterates, unlike preaching. Preaching can however be done by illiterates as it primarily concerns information on the moral living. But teaching is more than that in the mind of Christ and so He wonders querying, ” How Readest Thou?” in ‘Luke 10:26 – KJV’. He also reiterated the importance of Scripture search which is not expected of a novice in “John 5:39 NKJV”

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me..

By the above Scripture, Jesus never expected an illiterate to undertake the task of searching and teaching Scriptures. The preacher without the teacher in the midst of God’s people cannot meet the teaching needs of the people. But practically the teacher can meet the preaching needs of the people where there is no preacher. The preacher is more effective in the midst of unbelievers (unbelievers’ habitation) than among believers in Christ. In other words, the preacher is an evangelist preaching to win them into the fold. The prophets mentioned in “Acts 13:1” and “1Cor.14:29” best refer to those instructing the infant believers who voluntarily attended Christian gatherings. Ninety-five per cent of the ministers of the Christian Gospel I have come by, listening to them, are good preachers. Little wonder the Apostle James warns us not to force ourselves to be teachers in “James 3:1 NKJV”

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

It does not say, ” not many of you should presume to be preachers…

Teaching only takes place where there are learners, but preaching can be a reminder to many believers for encouragement and uplift. (cf. Heb. 10:25) Without thorough planning, teaching, unlike preaching can turn an exercise into futility. It has to be done mostly in season and not out of season, accounting for what we have today as curriculum planning broken into syllabi and further broken into notes of lessons to enhance the achievement of intended outcomes and behavioral objectives of lessons taught.

Teaching or preaching the message of Christ is not so much about what Satan can do as it is about what God in Christ can do through the Holy Spirit. So, we have got to separate the gospel of faith from that of fear for God did not give us the spirit of timidity. (See 2Tim.1:7) What Satan does unveils fear in men’s hearts.

After the compulsory offering of our bodies as living vessels for God’s habitation, (Rom.12:1,2) offerings of our substances for meeting the needs of one another are honourable before God our Father. God charges:

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. _Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:1-2 NIV)

Corporate offerings to meet brethren’s needs are the last resort, in that, the needs could not be met individually. If an individual or group of individuals could meet any material need without bringing it to the congregation of believers during spiritual edification is honourable in the sight of God considering the spirit of “1 Tim. 5:3-4,16 NIV”:

Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.

If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.

In obeying such Scriptures, the Church will, without any form of distraction and frivolity, focus on preaching, teaching, and praying as was in the beginning of the Gospel era in Jerusalem. Read the Apostolic example in “Acts 6:3-4 NIV” :

Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them

and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

Another item of corporate worship is the breaking of bread also known as communion of the saints with the body and blood of Jesus Christ we read in “1 Cor. 10:15-17 NIV”:

I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.

The bread – symbolic of the body of Christ – and the fruit of the vine – symbolic of the blood of Christ – is given to those who confess Christ as their Lord and Saviour. No one is fit to examine the other to deem fit to partake – see 2Cor.13:5. It must be that open because it is seen as the practice for the theory of preaching and/or teaching Christ with words of mouth. If, therefore, someone was allowed to listen to the verbal preaching of Christ, the same should be allowed to partake in the practical illustrated in the breaking of the bread for His body and drinking of the fruit of the vine for His blood. Let us hear the foundation member speaking on it in “1 Cor. 11:23-26 NIV”:

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,

and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The Scripture above speaks of whenever, an indication that the timing depends on us based on our knowledge of Scripture and of Christ. (cf. Matt. 22:29) It also designates the breaking of the bread in communion as to commemorate and proclaim Christ’s death or Gospel. Thus, the hallmark of all these God has directed us is to ensure that we are continuously united with Him in His Son, Jesus Christ Who is now our peace in the spirit. It is not the orderly rituals that facilitated this command by God. Let us, therefore, make fewer rituals out of the communion with Christ in the bread and wine and see it rather as a reinforcement of the Christian peace and unity among us in the love of Christ.

When Jesus inaugurated this communion get together, it had a deliverance background: they were commemorating a bodily deliverance from Egyptian slavery that took place in the past when Jesus reminded them of the big and eternal deliverance of the soul from the bondage of sin He is to wrought on Calvary a few days ahead. That is what will replace the remembrance of deliverance from fleshly bondage they were doing annually called Passover. Therefore, in breaking of the bread as it was tagged then, God is reminding us of the fact that our sin that killed Jesus Christ must be avoided as we proclaim His death through this medium.

We have seen already that worship of the only true God through His Christ enables us to maintain our domineering status as a masterpiece in God’s creation:

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

(Gen.1:26-28 NIV)

Such dominance, Jesus Christ has repurchased for us in His death and resurrection and by worshipping in His name (i. e. by His authority), sustenance of the gesture is guaranteed: consider “Col. 1:16-18 NIV” :

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

He is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

Everything Jesus has been revealed to be or possess is for the welfare of His believers in the world and, whenever we think is not suitable to hallow or worship God through Him in our thoughts, words, and works, we equally have surrendered our authority to Satan, demons and the spirits in the elemental world. This is so because worship is a merger of humanity with divinity. Satisfactory living is only guaranteed in worshipful living as well. Connection with God in ceaseless worship encapsulates spirit and life. When Jesus reveals to us that His word is spirit and life in “John 6:63”, He was simply telling us that worshipping God in spirit and truth in His name is the source of a blissful life here on the earth to eternity.

In worship in spirit and truth, God rewards the intentions and motives of the hearts of the worshippers and not just the acts of worship. This knowledge for the true worshippers is mandatory because God Himself desires that worship should be a consequence of His love in the heart for Christ’s sake. That is why we have some Scriptures like:

[1] If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but does not have love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

(1Cor.13:1-3 NIV)

Love answers the question, why are you doing it? and follows a Biblical answer in “2Cor. 5:14-15 NIV”:

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

As Scripture also states that only what comes out of man can defile him in “Mark 7:14-23”, it is accordingly ideal to believe that only what comes from the heart too can bless the man as well if it is in agreement with the Spirit of Christ. (cf. Rom. 8:9,14) We do not worship God in vain if we teach and practice the precepts (doctrine) of Christ unlike those Christ referred to in “Matt. 15:7-9” (NIV) You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

“ ‘ These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain;

their teachings are merely human rules.’ ”

It is the heart that God watches from which to receive worship and, as such, the heart, as already shown, is the altar of worship. This is the reason the Christian faith is mainly concerned with the purity of the heart and relief for the needy – cf. Jam. 1:27. God holds our hearts in high honour evident in such Scriptures as “Prov. 4:23 NIV:

_Above all else, guard your heart,

for everything you do flows from it.

Let us, therefore, occupy our hearts with the teachings of Christ, filling it therewith: see Col. 3:16 NIV:

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

An additional fact is that true worship is in spirit and in truth everywhere re-echoes the freedom of the worshipper. As unlimited to any one place as it is, it reiterates and testifies to the full-time blessedness of the worshipper: as the worshipper thinks in his heart about Christ’s love every time waiting for an opportunity to show it, so is he blessed by his Maker ceaselessly. Read “Gal. 6:10 NIV” : Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

The sin-free leadership model of our Mediator and High Priest (Christ Jesus, the Righteous) guarantees divine acceptability. He came from flawless heaven and speaks from there – The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.

He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.

For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

(John 3:31-34 NIV)

The true sanctuary into which Christ, our High Priest has led all the Christians as priests are invisible and eternal and demand such a perfected leader like Christ to guarantee unalloyed obedience of all the other spirits in the heavenly (spiritual) places. Worship in spirit and truth under Christ in this Christian era, God has recommended, is ordered to be in the directive (oracle) of Christ Jesus to sweeten the Father without which worshippers worship in vain. (ibid) His original Apostles are the custodians of His oracle of worship. The following are the words of His last recorded prayer for His Apostles in “John 17:14” (NIV)

I have given them (the Apostles) your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.

Where will Jesus be after giving His Apostles God’s word for humanity? Read verse thirteen of the same prayer chapter :

“ I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. (John 17:13 NIV)

By the forehead Scripture, Christ, in less than two months will be away from the body to join the Father in heaven. So, we must hear Jesus’ directives for the worship of the Father through His original Apostles. (Read again 1 John 4:1,4-6) Still in Christ’s last recorded prayer before His death, let us read verses twenty and twenty-one:

“ My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,

that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

(John 17:20-21 NIV)

We ought to be the more thankful to God that they wrote them down for us these prophecies of Christ even as they themselves expressed joy for the feat:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched

this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

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.

We write this to make our joy complete. (1 John 1:1-4 NIV)

Keep reading Scriptures on this great subject matter:

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.” (Rev. 19:9-10 NIV)

If the Spirit of the Father does not take glory to Jesus Christ as we engage in worshipping God through Him, we are, then into idolatry. (See John16:12-14; 1Cor.2:10) Idolatry is simply anything humans think of, talk and do contrary to Christian worship ethics. – cf. John 4:23,24; Mark 7:6-9.

What Christ has given to us handed down to us via His original Apostles is not a code of ordinances. Their writings are more a guide book than a law book. Religious and/or Scriptural idolatry takes place when we, in ignorance, try to enforce the principles of the old covenant (constitution) rejected by God for the new one to take its place. This is so true because whatever God so rejects or sets aside is immediately adopted by Satan. It is that automatic and serious, honestly. Anyone that is punished or praised for either disobeying or obeying the old covenant (constitution) regulations is not because of God’s disapproval or approval, but because of principalities who are heads in spirits’ settlements watching those regulations God had set aside. From that point God replace it, it turns magical when applied and functions in pretense (witchcraft) through manipulation of events aided by supernatural agencies – (necromancy – communicating with the spirits of the dead in the heavens in order to learn about the future through divination, clever guesses in an attempt to discover the unknown by supernatural means and all such primitive superstitious practices.

The sketch of our Christian worship is drawn from the old covenant’s (constitution) shadow worship. This is the reason the first preachers of the Gospel to the Jews received grace to preach to prove that Jesus is the Christ quoting from the Septuagint (Greek version of the old testament (constitution) and the Apocrypha which were written in Hebrew and Aramaic languages. They quoted from the writings of Moses, the prophets, and the psalmists to show how they fulfilled in the life and teachings of Jesus. Jesus Himself reminded them thus,

He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the *Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”*

(Luke 24:44 NIV)

Let us take, for instance, Jesus is called the Lamb of God or the Pascal (Passover) Lamb. This is so because, in the old covenant (constitution) as a shadow worship manual then, (see Col. 2:16,17) the deliverance of natural Israel in Egypt did not come until after the killing of a lamb the night before. Hear this charge:

Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.

Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1Cor. 5:7-8 NIV) Read also ‘John 1:29’ and ‘Rev. 5:6’ to see Jesus as the true Lamb foreshadowed in the old covenant sketch.

The question is, ” why did the prophecy say Jesus will die outside the walled city of Jerusalem?” It is in order so that, like the bodies of animals sacrifices whose blood was taken into the Most Holy Place by the High Priest that was burnt outside the camp of the people, Jesus’ body should be crucified outside the walled city at Golgotha as the substance of what was sketched in the sin offerings of the old covenant (constitution) arrangement. See the below Scripture:

The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp.

And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.

Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.(Hebrews 13:11-13 NIV)

A careful study of the ‘Book of Hebrews’ will uncover the fulfillment of the Law of God through Moses, the prophets and the psalms on Jesus as the Bearer of the real blessings foreshadowed before now in those Scriptures which God deliberately packaged for us even before the foundation of the world. So, God directs in ‘Heb. 12:1-2 NIV’:

[1] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We must also bear in mind our exalted place as the true or spiritual Israel because of our faith in Christ’s message handed down to us through His original Apostles and their associates. The Apostle Paul, concluding his epistle to the Galatian Christians said, ” peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even the Israel of God.” (Gal. 6:16 NIV)

Therefore, it can be seen that whatever good God would have lived in the world to do for His humanity, He expects His worshippers to do for Him. This is the explanation for calling them co – workers. (see 1Cor. 3:9 NIV.)

For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

God would have fed, clothed and protected His people He paid for with the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, if He had lived in the flesh with them. As such, He recruited workers through the preaching of His love that is in Christ. (Read 2Cor. 5:14-15) For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (Emphasis mine)

Obeying the preaching is taken as accepting service to the welfare of His world. So, as many as accept to join Jesus Christ to sacrifice themselves for the continued well-being of humanity receive an all – round empowerment thereto. Consider the following Scripture: (John 1:11-13 NIV) He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the RIGHT (POWER) to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

PRAYER: Lord, I bless Thy name for calling everyone including those like me. Be my courage when the storms seem to prevail and my joy when Thy Light Thy creation sees through Thy Holy One, Christ Jesus. 🙏

If the worshipper is a co -worker, he is also a co – benefactor with God. God is the Debutant Benefactor who produces relief for His world. His worshippers through whom He passes this relief are also benefactors with Him. As many beneficiaries get God’s benefits from His worshippers, it clearly justifies why God tagged them priests to His glory and joy to His mankind. True! The priest is a bridge through which the unbelievers in God pass to meet God and vice versa. This calls for a formidable spirit of God’s worshippers to enable them fight any compromise to divine standards as models of emulation and as living spectacles to the heathens. (See 1Cor. 4:9 NIV)

For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. (Emphasis mine)

It is written in Scriptures that worshippers who give to relieve the poor lend to God; that God will repay them – exciting indeed! Isn’t it? The beautiful thing is that, when God shall repay, He increases. Hey! Not only that, worshippers are lenders to God. Confirm below:

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,

and he will reward them for what they have done. (Prov.19:17 NIV) So, if one only lends to fellow rich people, it is not God that will repay him for what he has done. We can understand that without interpretation. This is practically when God can be hungry in the world and have no clothes as well as shelter that we read about in “Matt. 25:31-46”. With this consciousness, let us sing below a song with the title, “NO LONGER VANITY UPON VANITY” taken from that Scripture:-

1. I have discovered that I can send my belongings

I can send my belongings to heaven (DC)

That I can send my foods; I can send my clothes

I can send in Christ through the poor on earth

No longer vanity upon vanity (2x)

CHORUS: No longer vanity upon vanity

Vanity upon vanity Vanity upon vanity in Jesus

No longer vanity upon vanity

Vanity upon vanity

Vanity upon vanity there.

2. I have discovered that I can send my finances

I can send my finances to heaven (DC)

That I can send money; I can send my cheques

I can send my cash through the poor on earth

No longer vanity upon vanity (2x)

3. I have discovered that I can send my possessions

I can send my possessions to heaven (DC)

That I can send my cars; I can send my house

I can send in Christ through the poor on earth

No longer vanity upon vanity (2x)

4. I have discovered that I can send my family

I can send my family to heaven (DC)

That I can send my wife, husband my children

I can send in Christ showing them the truth

No longer vanity upon vanity (2x)

5. I have discovered that I can send all my neighbours

I can send all my neighbours to heaven (DC)

That I can pay their way; when I live Jesus

As I preach Jesus showing them His love

No longer vanity upon vanity (2x).

10. MISTAKE OF MAJORING IN MINORS

We have a system of faith in which people are taught the importance of corporate worship to the detriment of individual worship which remains the more important. The fact remains that the corporate worship emphasized depends on individual worship for divine acceptance and positive rewards. God sees the individual worshipper as first point of contact before the group since He does not offer corporate salvation. There are no pure groups of worshippers without the individual components who must be pure. (cf. John 9:31) Emphasis, therefore, should be wisely placed on the individual worshippers who are coming together for corporate worship for purity. It should not be on groups’ nomenclature (names) as is seemingly prevalent in our time. It is incorrect for us to give spiritual credence to a group at the mention of it. Being so, because there is no group salvation in the Scripture. (cf. Ezek. 18:4,20)

If God needed a million dollars and was contributed by a group of worshippers, He will never give their rewards to the worshippers’ leaders to share to them. Instead, God will share Himself through His elect angels, because, it is not the physical quantity or quality that He is rewarding, but the intentions and/or motives of the givers’ hearts. So, in no time will God deal with the group of worshippers in sharing His rewards as He will always narrow it down to personal salvation Therefore, let us read “Mark 12:41-44 NIV”:

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.

But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” In the above giving, Jesus watched and gave the commendation alone because He possesses extrasensory powers with which to see beyond the visible and the present.

There are also worshippers who separate themselves from other worshippers in respect of worship days and hours of praying. For instance, if SDA chooses Saturday for corporate worship which is Scripturally acceptable, they should be wise enough to know that worship of the true God which is in spirit and truth cannot be reduced to one day in a week. Others, that same time, who do not congregate are into individual worship anywhere they choose to do so through knowledge of the Son of God.

The Scripture says we must worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:23,24); not in days, weeks and seasons. Instead, the latter is even forbidden reading “Gal. 4:9-11” when we errantly think that there is an acceptable divine day or week or month or year, or season in which to assemble for corporate worship. The word of God in “Rom. 14:5,6” should solve that problem of ignorance if we go for knowledge God has provided therein. No one material time can be superior or inferior before God for the assemblage of His children for worship:

One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.

Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.(Rom. 14:5-6 NIV)

God does not live in days, weeks, months, years, and seasons to achieve salvation for His mankind as He does in His believers. Emphasis, therefore, should be wisely placed in keeping where God abides to remain perpetually holy (i.e. humans He made in His likeness) and not any other inferior thing(s) He made for their use and welfare.

There are barriers and distractions arising also from the exaltation of ceremonies and activities of corporate worshippers. Viz:- burials (interments), marriages, child(ren) thanksgiving, first Sunday of the month’s services, etc. Our burial traditions must be reviewed in line with the spirit of “1Cor.10:23” (NIV) which says,

“ I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

In conducting our burials, Christians must be taught by watchers over them to take cognizance of their economic status and avoid wastage. As the Scripture above did state, everything is legal and permissible in the face of the civil laws of the land. However, in this earth God gave to us to manage, we must draw proactive strategies to ensure that, as God certified it good before handing it to us, we have a duty to maintain it to run likewise perpetually in such a way that the benefits inherent in it for us and the generations after us are sustained. What justification will we give to our Maker if we squander the limited resources that belonged to a family in respect of burying a deceased member of such family? Properties, at times, are sold outright in order to raise funds for burial ceremonies to be conducted by a Christ’s believing community that is expected to be the light of the world and the pillar and ground of the truth as well. (See 1Tim.3:15)

At least, our Master, Jesus, was buried after He died and that, not in His hometown – Nazareth or His province – Galilee. His corpse was not mummified (embalmed) for preparation to do a befitting(?) burial as some of us would posit today. This our Lord’s burial style can be adopted by our leaderships in various religious levels in order to checkmate the avoidable excesses arising from such activities that seem to take a great deal of preeminence over major things of the faith.

From when did aspiration for a befitting burial of the dead become a reason for Christian commitment to Christ as some of our Christian brethren believe and discuss? An old woman believer once said that, at her burial, the Church’s bell and choir will make a joyful noise during her travel back home. Just as, in our cars, there can be soft music playing while we travel here on earth, it will be the same with this woman at death. Whose Church teacher taught her that mentality? Such has been the pivotal reason for her commitment. But let the truth be said here: while she is dead, how will she still enjoy the songs that are sung to magnify the God that created and preserved her all her life on earth? For me, that is a clear case of idolatry because, if that is possible, the glory due God alone would be shared with her.

Please, for the records, anything dedicated to spirits other than the one true God becomes idolatry which is the worship of demons and/or fallen angels. If the bell ringing during Christian burials by living Christians (Church) is to honor the dead or any such thing targeting the spirit of the dead person is idolatry. Every other similar practice targeting to please the spirit of the dead during burials, marriages, foundation laying ceremonies, etc. is idolatry in the sight of God. Because these things have been done by Christians for quite a long time without any Christian raising eyebrows, these weak followers of Christ beat their chests to ensure that such things must be done in their turn with the threat to kill if not done when they die. It is pretty unfortunate. But Jesus did not call us to give us befitting(?) burials when we die a physical death, marriages (weddings), or any other thing ceremonial… The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23).

TEN VIRUSES ATTACKING THE PEACE AND UNITY IN CHRIST

1.NOMENCLATURE DIFFERENCE:

2. OWNERSHIP VIRUS:

3. CONFUSION OF ‘CHURCH HALL’ FOR ‘CHURCH’

4. FORCEFUL FREEDOM FROM POVERTY:

5. AVARICE FOR LEADERSHIP:

6. IGNORANCE OF THE GOSPEL KIND.

7. IGNORANCE OF KING JESUS’ CONSTITUTION

8. PITFALLS OF SCRIPTURES’ INTERPRETATION

9. IGNORANCE OF NEW COVENANT WORSHIP UPDATES.

10. MISTAKE OF MAJORING IN MINORS

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