TOPIC: BEWARE OF RELIGIOUS SPIRIT (1)
Text: Matthew 15:14
While God formed the human body from the dust of the earth, the human spirit was the breath of life from God. (Gen. 2:7). There is therefore an inborn or innate passion in every man for God. This is why the heart of man can never be completely satisfied with anything material, regardless of its value or vastness. The heart or spirit of man is from above and will always long for something that transcends the earth. In man’s desperate efforts to either suppress or satisfy his innate hunger for the supernatural, he has invented or fashioned diverse gods for himself. However, what the heart of man is longing for is not many gods but the true God, his maker and source. Until God occupies a man’s heart, his heart will never be satisfied.
(Psa. 16:4).
Religion is man’s effort to discover and satisfy his innate hunger for God. It is man’s expression of his veneration or passion for the supernatural. There are diverse religions in the world today because there are diverse efforts and inventions to discover, satisfy, and express man’s strongest inborn passion. Unfortunately, all man’s efforts to satisfy his innate hunger for God have proved abortive. This is why new religions are springing up every day. On our own, we can neither discover nor please God. We all were born dead and lost in sins, completely separated or alienated from God. The Scripture testifies: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way...” (Isa. 53:6).
Every man without Christ is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (John1:4).
Without God revealing Himself and reaching out to mankind through Jesus Christ, we shall continue to grope in darkness, seeking frantically in vain for God. Christ did not come into the world to pioneer a new religion, but to fully reveal God to us and to make open for us, through His flesh, the way back to God. It is only in Christ that God is made manifest to us and it is only through Christ that the sinful man has access and boldness to approach the holy God. The Scripture testifies: “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” (John 1:18). “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh. (Heb. 10:19-20). “Jesus said to him,"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6).
Anyone who rejects Jesus Christ as the Son of God will forever search in vain for God, for Christ is the image of the invisible God and the brightness of God’s glory. Any man who rejects Jesus Christ as the Son of God sent into the world to reveal God to mankind, and to redeem and restore us to God has rejected God’s revelation and salvation. He has made God a liar by rejecting God’s testimony of His Son, Jesus Christ. “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:10-12). Anyone who rejects Jesus Christ as the Son of God will forever search in vain for God, for Christ is the image of the invisible God and the brightness of God’s glory. (Col. 1:15, Heb. 1:3).
Every religion in the world today claims to be a custodian of God’s knowledge and offers us diverse ways or approaches to God. However, God has completely manifested Himself to us in Christ Jesus. God has also given us eternal life and this life is in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. (1John 5:11). No religion can claim to offer new or eternal life to sinners. At best, religion teaches ethics or morals, but cannot regenerate or transform a sinner to a saint. Sadly, religion emphasizes good works or morals, yet it cannot impart new life and power to live a holy life. No wonder there are many religious sinners today, a bunch of hypocrites, who outwardly appears to be righteous but inside are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matt. 23:28)
Beloved, beware of placing your faith and confidence in any religion, for no religion redeems from the tyranny of sin and offers eternal life. Jesus warns:"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."(John 8:24). While religion neither offers true revelation of God or salvation to man, yet it rejects Christ – God’s perfect revelation of Himself and Saviour of the world. “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” (Rom. 10:3). Unfortunately, there are many people in the world today groping in the darkness of religion, faithfully observing strict religious rites and rules, and passionately but blindly following their religious leaders. The Scripture asks:"Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?” (Luke 6:39). How do I know if I am only in empty religion and not in a living relationship with God? What are the manifestations of the religious spirit? Find out in the subsequent piece on this series.
My Dear Heavenly Father, I believe the testimony You gave of Your Son, Jesus Christ, that You have given me eternal life and this life is in Christ. I receive today the eternal life that You have given me in Christ, in Jesus’ name. Amen
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Friday, 13 April 2012
One With Christ
Text: Corinthians 6:16-17.
We might miss the ultimate purpose and blessing of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension if we remotely regard it as historical event. If all that we know and believe is that Christ died for our transgressions, rose up for our justification, and He is now seated at the right hand of God the Father making intercession for us, then we are too shallow in our understanding and revelation of the spiritual significance and implication of Jesus’ crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. From God’s viewpoint, Christ did not just die and rose up for us, but we also died and rose up with Him.
For “we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom. 6:4). As far as God is concerned, the believers were crucified and buried with Christ, and were made alive together with Christ, and raised up together with Christ and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ. (Eph. 2: 4-6). If we miss this truth, we have missed God’s best for our lives and the whole of essence of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension. In a way we might never comprehend fully, God has placed us in Christ. The Scripture testifies: “But God has given you a place in Christ Jesus, through whom God has given us wisdom and righteousness and salvation, and made us holy.” (1 Cor. 1:30).
As in a marriage relationship, when two become one flesh, through our repentance and surrender and faith in Christ, we are perfectly joined to the Lord Jesus and have become one with Him. “Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For"the two,"He says,"shall become one flesh."But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1 Cor. 6:16-17). While we might never understand fully the mystery of our spiritual union with Christ, it is however clear that since we were in Christ and perfectly joined together to Him, we experienced the crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension with Him. The Scripture testifies: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Rom. 6:3).
“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” (Rom. 6:5). “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:4-6). As far as God is concerned, the believers were crucified and buried with Christ, and were made alive together with Christ, and raised up together with Christ and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ. Our natural and sinful life was terminated at the Cross where Christ was crucified for we were in Him.
“Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” (Rom. 6:6). Our sinful desires, passions, and inclinations were crucified with Christ on the Cross. That is why the Scripture declares: “And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal. 5:24). Likewise, our new and spiritual life begins at the Cross. “For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.” (Rom. 6:7-8). When Christ was raised from the dead by the Spirit of God, we also were raised together with Him to walk in newness of life, with new and godly passions and desires.
Hallelujah! Beloved, it is so crucial to your spiritual walk and fruitfulness to walk in the understanding of the truth that Christ did not only die for you but that you died with Him and you were also raised up together with Him, because in His wisdom, God has placed you in Christ and made you one with Him. Like Apostle Paul, you also can boldly declare:"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20). Friend, as a result of your spiritual union with Christ – your death and resurrection together with Him, you are now a brand new creation in Christ, the old things have passed away because your old life was terminated at the Cross, and all things have now become new. (2 Cor. 5:17).
It takes revelation knowledge of your spiritual union with Christ both in His death and resurrection to walk in newness of life. It is no longer you who live but Christ now lives in you, and you are now seated in Christ in the heavenly places. Praise God! My Heavenly Father, thank You for placing me in Your Son, Jesus Christ, and for making me one with Him in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. I declare today that I am one with Christ – dead, buried, and raised together with Christ, and I am now seated together in Christ in the heavenly places, in Jesus’ name. Amen
We might miss the ultimate purpose and blessing of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension if we remotely regard it as historical event. If all that we know and believe is that Christ died for our transgressions, rose up for our justification, and He is now seated at the right hand of God the Father making intercession for us, then we are too shallow in our understanding and revelation of the spiritual significance and implication of Jesus’ crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. From God’s viewpoint, Christ did not just die and rose up for us, but we also died and rose up with Him.
For “we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom. 6:4). As far as God is concerned, the believers were crucified and buried with Christ, and were made alive together with Christ, and raised up together with Christ and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ. (Eph. 2: 4-6). If we miss this truth, we have missed God’s best for our lives and the whole of essence of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension. In a way we might never comprehend fully, God has placed us in Christ. The Scripture testifies: “But God has given you a place in Christ Jesus, through whom God has given us wisdom and righteousness and salvation, and made us holy.” (1 Cor. 1:30).
As in a marriage relationship, when two become one flesh, through our repentance and surrender and faith in Christ, we are perfectly joined to the Lord Jesus and have become one with Him. “Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For"the two,"He says,"shall become one flesh."But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1 Cor. 6:16-17). While we might never understand fully the mystery of our spiritual union with Christ, it is however clear that since we were in Christ and perfectly joined together to Him, we experienced the crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension with Him. The Scripture testifies: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Rom. 6:3).
“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” (Rom. 6:5). “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:4-6). As far as God is concerned, the believers were crucified and buried with Christ, and were made alive together with Christ, and raised up together with Christ and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ. Our natural and sinful life was terminated at the Cross where Christ was crucified for we were in Him.
“Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” (Rom. 6:6). Our sinful desires, passions, and inclinations were crucified with Christ on the Cross. That is why the Scripture declares: “And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal. 5:24). Likewise, our new and spiritual life begins at the Cross. “For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.” (Rom. 6:7-8). When Christ was raised from the dead by the Spirit of God, we also were raised together with Him to walk in newness of life, with new and godly passions and desires.
Hallelujah! Beloved, it is so crucial to your spiritual walk and fruitfulness to walk in the understanding of the truth that Christ did not only die for you but that you died with Him and you were also raised up together with Him, because in His wisdom, God has placed you in Christ and made you one with Him. Like Apostle Paul, you also can boldly declare:"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20). Friend, as a result of your spiritual union with Christ – your death and resurrection together with Him, you are now a brand new creation in Christ, the old things have passed away because your old life was terminated at the Cross, and all things have now become new. (2 Cor. 5:17).
It takes revelation knowledge of your spiritual union with Christ both in His death and resurrection to walk in newness of life. It is no longer you who live but Christ now lives in you, and you are now seated in Christ in the heavenly places. Praise God! My Heavenly Father, thank You for placing me in Your Son, Jesus Christ, and for making me one with Him in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. I declare today that I am one with Christ – dead, buried, and raised together with Christ, and I am now seated together in Christ in the heavenly places, in Jesus’ name. Amen
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