Many in our nation wonder why there have been little to no success not only in their personal lives but also in the nation at large. The economy is worse than it has been since the Great Depression. Immorality is on the rise and violence seems to be the order of the day in many of our cities. Yet a cursory look at the spiritual condition of not just the citizens at large but also at the political leaders clearly shows that there is a pulling from God in exchange for ungodly persuasions that seek only to further the work of our common enemy.
This phenomenon is not new to mankind. Recall the books of Chronicles wherein regal recounting of the events of God’s people showed most of the kings of Israel operated outside the law of God. As a result of these ungodly actions Israel fell into sin on a number of levels. Despite the sins of a nation Solomon had enough regard that he humbled himself in prayer as he reflected on the promises God made to his father David. Yet Solomon did not pray secretly but as the leader of a nation he prayed before the people. The prayer of Solomon is recorded in II Chronicles chapter six.
God responded to Solomon’s prayer in II Chronicles chapter seven. While Solomon sought God’s blessings earlier God promises to uphold His Word. However there were conditions to God’s blessings and those conditions are noted in II Chronicles 7:14:
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
One action that stands out in God’s requirements is that the people of God “turn from their wicked ways.” To turn from wicked ways means to repent of those ways. The first step to repentance is to first acknowledge that there are wicked ways. Wickedness is abominable and pulls from the holiness of God. Psalm fifty-one is an excellent example of acknowledging the evil that men often indulge in. Yet the simple acknowledgement of our sinful nature is sufficient to begin the road to healing and the ultimate turning from sin which is the catalyst of true repentance. With this it is evident that God called His people to repentance.
After the repentance the promise is that there would be a healing of the land. While many may see this healing as the healing of the earth there is no doubt that the spirit of mean dwells in earthen vessels. And if man dwells in earthen vessels and God will forgive the sin and heal the land then it can be extended to say that there will be healing in the bodies of those that seek after God while turning from sinful lifestyles. This healing can be further extended to the idea of not only bodies being healed but also reconciliation cannot be ignored as a consequence of repentance. Acts 3:19:
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
The idea of sins being blotted out might be counted synonymous with healing. When sins are no longer present then the people of God are placed in a right relationship with God. With this right relationship in place the people of God can then enjoy Messianic blessings that extend from healing refreshment.
Yet there are many that continue in sin thinking that they can simply make a verbal request for forgiveness only because they want to be forgiven for wrongdoings even while there is neither change of heart nor change of actions. But shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid! God is not fooled by pretentious words of false remorse. Neither do truculent attitudes of self-righteousness move Him. Rather God is moved by a contrite spirit coupled by humility.
Even so there are many that continue in wickedness. For instance there a number of people that see reason to lie to suit their own benefits. Repentance is necessary. Others have sought divorce against undeserving spouses. Repentance is necessary. Thieves need also to repent as well as truce breakers and gossipers. Whatever thing that is in your life that is not pleasing to God needs to be exterminated while we pull closer to the majesty of God. And when this is done there will be forgiveness, there will be right standing and there will be the healing of our land.
My prayer of Repentance
Heavenly Father, I come before you asking you to forgive me of any evil way that is found in me. Father, I want to serve you with all my heart and want nothing more than to be in good standing with you. I am truly sorry for any thought that I did not take into captivity. I did not mean to utter hurtful words to anyone. Neither did I mean to misrepresent your love. I am so very sorry for any that I may have misled. I did not mean to.
Father, I am also asking your forgiveness for not being the witness you have called me to be. Sometimes my attitude is not acceptable and there are times when I just don’t listen. I am sorry and ask that you create in me a more perfect heart.
Thank you so much for your forgiveness.
It cannot be said enough that holiness is a way of life required by God of His people. Holiness is not a mere suggestion of upright living rather it is a mandate to live outside the dictates of worldviews which are contrary to God’s Word. Even with this simplicity in explanation many seem utterly confused as to what holiness consists of and leave the matter to those clergy members who have no choice but to be holy. Yet scriptural text is not specific to clergy members alone rather the standards are required of all who name the Name of Christ.
The matter of holiness was addressed in considerable detail by Paul to the church at Galatia. He pointed out some very specific hedonistic practices that not only pull from holiness but also lend to the probability of eternal damnation if the practices continued. Galatians 5:19-21 points out “the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Many Christians are very familiar with some of the issues raised in this text yet many choose to overlook many of them for reason of convenience or even more sinister reasons. Most understand that the cry against adultery is a call for monogamous sexual relations in marriage yet the idea of fornication is often limited to heterosexual sex outside of marriage. This is a fallacy that needs to be debunked on every level. While fornication does include the noted definition the idea goes well beyond this over simplicity. Fornication includes all sexual sin including pedophilia, homosexuality, lesbianism and bestiality. As such the call to return to sex in marriage between one man and one woman only is a return to holiness.
However, Paul did not only address matters of sexual impurity. Matters of the heart also prove to be prominent in his admonishment to turn a people to holiness. The fact is that the hearts of some people are contentious and seek to fight no matter the situation. They choose not to live in peace and are continually seeking ways to create strife on one end or the other. Paul calls this condition “variance.” Scripture advises us to live in peace (II Corinthians 13:11) yet variance is the antithesis of peace. Sowing seeds of discord and backbiting brings about matters that pull away from the idea of holiness through peace.
And there are other acts that are not conducive to Christendom. Drunkenness and dancing in the streets also pull form holiness. Paul calls the idea of dancing in the street with drunkenness “reveling” yet so many see no harm in this practice. It is true that this type of partying has moved from the streets, in most cases, into clubs and other venues. Yet the idea remains the same while the party goers honor false deities or other “icons” under the guises of having a good time. Further complicating the matter of reveling many have pulled this unholy practice into the House of God. Yes, the Christian can enjoy life but reveling and partying is an unholy alliance with the standard of godliness.
This brief overview of holiness points out the fact that God is holy. Those that worship Him must do so with not only the actions of holiness but also a life exemplifying the life of Jesus as well as an attitude that seeks only to please God. If the attitude to please God is pure in nature then the idea of holiness is not a matter for the clergy alone but is a matter for those that enjoy being an heir with Christ and being part of a holy nation.
I have visited a number of churches over the years. While I greatly enjoy spending time with the people of God I have found that many congregants lack understanding of proper church protocol. With that I am wondering if I should go on tour teaching church etiquette to those bodies wherein the pastor would welcome such an idea.
So, if you are a pastor or have some authority in your local house and desire such a service or know of a body that could benefit please let me know. If you want to contact me visit my site christianperspective.intuitwebsites.com/ and fill out the “Request Information” dialogue box.
God Speed!
Looking at the societal impact on Christianity one would think that holiness is a thing of the past. One can hardly tell the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian. Holiness has nearly become a curse word even in Houses of Worship. Moreover, the idea of holiness has become just shy of being taboo even among those that say that love God. Things have become so bad that it has become extremely difficult to differentiate between the church and the club.
The fact of the matter is that God is not pleased with this lack of holiness. God has made it known early on that He requires a high standard of His people. Exodus 22:31 points to that high standard without equivocation. The words “And ye shall be holy men unto me” is not a mere suggestion of how God wants His people rather it is a mandate that the people of God be separate and apart from the world in every aspect of life. God requires holiness of His people because of His own holiness (Leviticus 11:44). His is not in the world nor can God be part of the world system. And, if Christians are to immolate the teachings of Christ neither can they be a party to the things of the world that pull from holiness.
Paul recognized the lack of holiness in the Corinthian church. The people were found not only sympathetic with nonbelievers but that they also became party to much of what God called them out from. Among the things they gave in to was the idea of hedonistic practices which were the antithesis of the teaching of Christ. Yet the same practices are common today. The idea is if it feels good, do it. Hence we have many “Christian” entities endorsing homosexuality because the practice of this sin does not hurt anyone. It is the sexual preference of those involved and there is no one can determine who someone else will love. Still, the Scripture requires that the followers of Christ “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you (II Corinthians 6:17). This declaration by Paul is a call to holiness.
While the way some act in the walls of the church building is quite sickening it is only a type of the way they act outside the church. God never intended the church to be like the world. In fact, the word “church” stems from the Greek ecclesia which means “the called out ones.” This is to say the Church, which is the people, are called out from the world in order to promote the virtues of Christ. It means the influence of the world at best minimally impacts those that seek to please the Most High. The idea of coming out from among them that that live riotous lives means that there is no conforming to the world or the world’s ideas (Romans 12:2).
This is why the idea of “Christian” alternatives must be taken issue with. Nowhere in the scriptural text is there any suggestion that the people of God are to seek alternatives to the world. This idea of alternatives only creates double standards among what is supposed to be a holy people. The fact is that if a certain thing derived from the things of the world that very thing or idea has no place among God’s people. It does not matter if it is ungodly dress, music or even ways of speaking; ungodliness is ungodliness and has no place among the people of God. It is high time the people of God relented on acquiescing to the dictates of the world choosing rather stand on the truths of the Word of God.
The lack of holiness not only means displeasure for God but also is a certainty for eternal damnation. Hebrews 12:14 clearly shows that holiness is a prerequisite for seeing God and without holiness, no man shall see God. If anyone does not see God it means that he is totally separated from God. Holiness, then, is not a simple way of thinking rather it is a way of life. This is because “God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness (I Thessalonians 4:7). Holiness means that there are distinct differences between the Christian and the non-Christian. The two have nothing in common.
The Church needs to return the old landmarks of holiness. Christians need to be holy in where they go, holy in what they see and holy in what they do. There should be neither smell nor likeness of the world on the Christian. Christians are called to be a holy nation and if holiness is not prevalent in Christendom that it could be safely argued that those claiming Christianity may well be not Christians by reason of their lack of holiness. Yes, it is high time the Christian returned to holiness.
I just wanted to share this lesson I taught recently in respect to the blood as discussed in Scripture. All too often the blood is misapplied yet it is my hope that understanding the blood will bring about certain growth.
Understanding the Blood
For
Springs of Refreshing Fellowship Church
1932 Gwynn Oak Ave
Woodlawn, MD 21207
Prepared by:
Elder William James Carter, The 1st
1 August 2013
© The Christian Perspective
Understanding the Blood
It has been said many times that there is a bloodline that runs from Genesis through Revelations. While this may be difficult to prove scripturally the thing that is evident is that the blood has a most definitive place in the spiritual healing of mankind. With that knowledge it is necessary to understand how the blood was used in the Old Testament and how that usage spilled over into the New Testament. However, there must first be an understanding of what blood is.
There are several definitions for the word “blood” used in Scripture. Among those definitions are:
No matter the specific definition “blood” in Scripture is often a reference to sacrifice or atonement. Of the 362 times the word “blood” is employed in the Old Testament it is linked one 103 times to sacrifices. This is significant because blood is an absolute in the washing away of sin – Hebrews 9:22:
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission
Before delving into the Hebraic text it is necessary to explore some history of the use of blood in the Old Testament. Exodus is an example of how God used the blood of animals to bring redemption to His people. The instructions were given to Moses in Chapter 12:3-7:
Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
Then came the obedience – Versus 28-29:
And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
It is because of the obedience of the Israelites that they did not suffer with the Egyptians. The obedience meant that they were atoned not only by their obedience but also by the proper application of the blood of the lamb. That is to say that there were specific instructions given that had to be adhered to. If the blood had not been properly applied on the doors of the Israelites then those that did not properly apply the blood would have suffered the same fate as the Egyptians.
This moves the discussion to the Levitical application of sacrifices and atonement. Levitical law goes into significant detail as to types of sacrifices sufficient to atone for sin. However the most signicant reasoning for sacrifices is found in Leviticus 17:11:
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
It is important to note that many of the sacrifices described in Leviticus do not directly mention blood. The reason for this is quite simple because in using an animal for sacrifices by extension means that there has to be a death. It is this death that brings to light the spilling of blood. Hence the first definition of blood comes into play which is the death of someone or something. This is to say that unless there is death or the spilling of blood it is not possible to atone for sin. Hereby atonement must be identified.
Atonement – the act by which God restores a relationship of harmony and unity between Himself and human beings (Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary).
Another definition of “atonement” is:
To avert punishment, especially divine anger, by the payment of a koper, a ransom, which may be of money of which may be of life, Morris, Apostolic Preaching of the Cross, 166 (Evangelical Dictionary of Theology).
This idea of atonement is interesting because when it comes to atoning for sin money was never an issue. There had to be a life taken because the sinner’s penalty for sin was always death (Romans 6:23). Even more the thing scarified for the sinner had to be pure. There had to be neither spot nor blemish or it would not qualify as a sacrifice. Leviticus chapter one gives some insight as to the purity of the animal to be sacrificed.
The animal had to be without blemish. This is the same idea of purity as discussed in Numbers 19:2 wherein the animal had to be without spot. In other words the animal could have no marks upon it and had to be clean in every way. Also, the animal could not have been used in farming. It was to have been an animal specifically set aside for the specific purpose of sacrifice. This is to say that it had to be a “holy” animal because its specific purpose was to stand in for those that deserved the penalty of death because of sin.
It is also important to note that the blood of the animal was to be sprinkled on the altar. Multiple versus point to this requirement but Leviticus 1:5 clearly shows how the blood should be handled. The text:
And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Looking back on verse four of the levitical text it becomes clear that the sacrifice of the animal and the sprinkling of the blood upon the altar was sufficient for God for the atonement of sin or to bring reconciliation between sinful man and a holy God. Additionally the sacrifice of a pure and spotless animal served as a shadow of what was to come concerning the shed blood of Jesus for the sin of the world. The sacrifice was completely and totally innocent in every area and did not deserve to die. Instead the converse is true because of the spotless nature of the sacrifice.
The fact is that Jesus was incarnated for the specific purpose of allowing Himself to be sacrificed. This is the reason that Jesus had to be pure and without blemish. There could be no spots on Him or He would not have qualified to be a sacrificed. Further, Christ had to come through a pure vessel. This is the reason that His earthly birth had to be from a virgin. Moreover Christ could not be tainted with the sinful blood of man. Because of that Jesus was not conceived of in the normal fashion rather the Holy Spirit moved upon Mary and she impregnated with a Pure Vessel so that the blood to be shed would be able to atone for the sin of man.
There is great familiarity with the Passion of Christ. After His false conviction Jesus was whipped, beard pulled and had a crown of thirty-two thorns placed on His head. Even more after He was beat with the cat-of-nine tails a purple robe was placed on His back to mock Him. Later the robe was pulled off. All this meant that there was blood spilled in a number of places. Then a purple robe was placed on His back to mock Him. Later the robe was pulled off. All this meant that there was blood spilled in a number of places. Going down the Via Dolorosa likely meant that more of His blood was spilled. This is not to mention the fact that Christ was nailed to the cross and then pierced in the side to confirm His death.
Romans 3:21-25:
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
With this we can see that the blood of Jesus was spilled in two senses. The first is noted in our first definition of blood in that Jesus lost His physical life thereby His blood was spilled. Additionally the physical blood of Jesus was poured out from His body. This is evident especially in the fact that He was beat with thirty-nine stripes, one less than the legal limit of the day. The blood of Jesus, though, was not ordinary blood rather the blood of Jesus was pure and had not been marred by the sin of man. His blood did not come through Joseph who was born with a sin nature.
This is why the sacrifice of Jesus is so significant. He was able to be the propitiation because of the pureness of His spilled blood. Further, because Jesus voluntarily placed His life in jeopardy His death becomes extremely significant. Not only does His spilled blood appease the Father but that Jesus yielded His life in death (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Romans). This is to say that being temporarily separated from His Father He surrendered His life to the Father (Luke 23:46).
Still the death of Jesus was not the end of what was required to atone for the sin of mankind. It was still necessary to sprinkle the blood on the altar in keeping with the law and set precedent. The fact is that that the blood of bulls and goats provided only a temporary covering for sin. This is the reason the high priest went into the Holy of Holies yearly to sacrifice. Jesus went into the holy place once and for all to atone for the sin of all. Hebrews 9:11-13:
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
I Peter 1:18-19:
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Revelation 1:5-6
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
preachercarter 