Who is in Charge Here?

BIBLICAL MODEL FOR A CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP

By Ezekiel Kimosop

What does the Bible teach on the authority and structure under Christian marriage relationships?

Ephesians 5:22-33 teaches that Christian wives should submit to the leadership of their husbands.

This passage does not suggests or imply or promote  a complementarian relationship in which both husband and wife share authority as co-equals.

So who's in charge here?

Some liberal teachers are now promoting a set of heresy that attempts to misinterpret the passage to agree with modern cultural dynamics that are popular in the West.

What they are attempting to teach goes by one word: Christian heresy.

This is the act of deliberately misrepresentating the express teaching of Scripture to mean what was never intended by the author in the text.

Their attempt at introducing a set of biblical exegesis in support of their arguments is inconsistent with the passage context.

One "liberal" American feminist scholar attempted to revise this passage to teach that the man is the source rather than the head over the wife!

Unfortunately, there is nothing in the Greek text that permits the kind of discretion that the author sought to impose on the passage. Her arguments do not find the support of Scripture.

The above text clearly identifies the Christian husband as head over his wife IN THE SAME MANNER that Christ is Head over His Church. This divine formula is settled in Scripture and clearly reveals the mind of God.

The text holds divine implications for the leadership of Christian households.

I recommend that one carefully studies the passages of 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 3:1-7; Titus and 1:6-7. These passages authoritatively speak into the constitution of church offices and the exercise of spiritual authority in the church.

Now back to our discussion on the Christian marriage relationship...

While it is biblically true that the woman came from or was created from or sourced from the man in the context of the creation account in Genesis 2:18-25, the passage of Ephesians 5:22-24 nowhere speaks of the husband as the "source" of the wife!

That analogy by the feminist or "liberal" theologians is definitely not contemplated in the above text.

Does Ephesians 5:21 relate to the above passage?

Ephesians 5:21 concludes Paul's general exhortations to the Ephesian Christian community under the passage of Ephesians 5:15-21.

The exhortation that believers should submit one to another relates to Christian relationships in general

It is the foundation for effective Christian fellowship.

Even within the congregation, God has ordained leadership structures under which mature married male believers are to exercise spiritual authority as elders and overseers. This is God's order not ours. Any attempt to dispute this divine order is, in my view, heretical.

The Christian marriage divinely mirrors the relationship between Christ and His Church.

The passage of Ephesians 5:22-33 specifically addresses the Christian marriage. Paul used this passage to draw some important divine parallels between the two sets of relationships above. These are inalienable truths that are not subject to Christian revision or discretion. They bear the seal of the Holy Spirit who inspired the holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17.

My view is that those who dispute the headship of the husband in a Christian marriage relationship simply seek to circumvent biblical truth in order to agree with modern cultural dynamics that have radically affected Western Christian households. This approach is decidedly unbiblical.

Bible is the exclusive source of instruction for every Christian community. It should inform our faith and practices whether in the church or within the context of the family setting.
The Christian husband is therefore head over his wife.

Ezekiel Kimosop 2019

Yearning for the Latter Rains

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL REVIVAL?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

This is perhaps the million dollar question for every child of God and for every communion of people who place their hope in Christ.

There is absolutely no time that our quest for revival should be greater than in our day. What with a world in which wickedness and spiritual rebellion reigns galore?

We daily need the kind of spiritual revival that drives us to hunger more for God and for a deeper fellowship with Him who first loved us.

So what is spiritual revival? There are perhaps as many answers to this question as there are people. 

Revival is certainly not about emotional excitement or ecstacy; it is not about speaking in strange tongues as some claim, or dreaming dreams or seeing great visions unfold... neither is it about material increase or prosperity.

The Bible is the only reliable source for understanding the mind of God regarding this question.

Several passages of Scripture demonstrate God's terms for a true revival. This article is dedicated to exposing the biblical principles of biblical revival that can be identified in the passages of 2 Chronicles 7:14-16.

This passage appears to answer this question in part. It contains God's prescription for the return of God's covenant people to obedience. Revival is about returning to God in truth and seeking to worship and serve Him.

Here is the message:

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually."

Three pillars of revival that can be identified in this passage:

HUMILITY AND SUBMISSION TO GOD'S WILL

First, is humility, perhaps a prerequisite for the other two pillars. A person who walks in humility recognizes that they are living under God's grace and mercy and that they are accountable to God for their thoughts and actions. 

They submit to God's sovereign will and will readily acknowledge their sinfulness and disobedience without disputings. They will not explain away their indiscretions but will express brokenness and remorse for their disobedience.

David was remorseful for his sins of adultery and murder. He deserved death. His brokenness however  touchedthe heart of God and he was spared by God (Psalm 51:10-17).

PRAYER FROM BROKEN HEARTS

Prayer is the second pillar in 2 Chronicles 7:14. This scripture speaks of the prayer that is focused on restoring a broken relationship with God. 

What kind of prayer stands out a person as revived?

It is the prayer of brokenness; an acknowledgement that one has departed from the ways of God and is undeserving of God's grace. 

This may be similar in some aspects to the so called "sinner's prayer" by which a person is led to Christ. It is however far different in dimension and context.

The prayer of brokenness can be identified in Nehemiah 1:5-11 and in Daniel 9:1-19.

Notice the correlation between Nehemiah 1:5 and Daniel 9:5-12. Nehemiah and Daniel acknowledged the sinfulness of their people and pleaded on their behalf for God's mercy. The two were exercising a priestly obligation for their people.

Notice also that both men considered themselves as part and parcel of their sinful society. They were no less sinful than the people on whose behalf they stood in prayer.

The prayer of a revived heart is a "no-holds-barred" outpouring of one's heart which is smitten before God. This is the prayer that drives us to reconciliation, restoration, renewal and devotion to God. It is a powerful reminder of how far we had walked away from our Master.

TURNING FROM OUR WICKED WAYS

God gave specific conditions for His response to the people whenever they turned from their sinfulness and disobedience and returned to Him in truth. 

We have examined two of these, namely, humility and prayer.

The final pillar of revival is the act of turning away from or forsaking our wicked ways. This demonstrates a change of heart and mind. It marks a new direction in which God's leading shapes our thoughts and actions, going forward.

Someone may say that a believer cannot be possessed of wickedness because his sins have been nailed to the cross. 

That claim is providentially true. However, the odds stand against us. We live in a sinful and wicked world and scripture reveals that we are not perfect and that we are never without sin (1 John 1:8-10). 

Our eternal security in Christ is however not in doubt (Ephesians 4:30). However our fellowship with God can be ruined by our disobedience and stiffneckedness when our devotion to Christ wanes or is lost! 

This is the reason that Scripture speaks of our chastisement as sons of God (Hebrews 12:3-11). God may permit some afflictions to cause us to discover the narrow path (James 1:2-4). 

CONCLUSION

So what is spiritual revival?

My concluding view is that spiritual revival is the divine impact in the souls of God's people that results in more consciousness of God's presence with us; more yearning for His word and greater obedience in walking in spiritual and moral truth.

True revival impacts not only our mindsets or worldview but our devotion to Christ as well. It reengineers the order of our priorities so that the things of God are uppermost in our lives.  

It results in the restoration of our fellowship and intimacy with Christ and with God and a greater discernment of the leading of the Holy Spirit.

John 15:7 says "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

True revival cultivates a deeper sense of our consciousness of Christ's working within us, and the mission of His works through us.

It results in the celebration of God's grace and the mystery of the finished works of the cross.

Simply put, revival causes us to tremble at the voice of God. 

Isaiah 66:1-2 says: 

"Thus says the Lord:

“Heaven is My throne,

And earth is My footstool.

Where is the house that you will build Me?

And where is the place of My rest?

2 For all those things My hand has made,

And all those things exist,”

Says the Lord.

“But on this one will I look:

On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,

And who trembles at my word."

Uzziah Must Not Die!

UZZIAH MUST NOT DIE!

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Must Uzziah die? I guess someone may quickly say Yes, Uzziah must die!

Here is the truth....

Contrary to popular teaching, Isaiah 6:1 does not teach that Uzziah stood in the way of the calling of prophet Isaiah and that God had to strike him dead in order for Isaiah to receive his calling to ministry!

Uzziah's death was merely a coincidence of sorts. Most Jewish readers of Isaiah's day knew exactly  when King Uzziah died and could therefore identify precisely when Isaiah was called to ministry. This may not make sense to secondary readers of Scripture like us who are reading the Scripture nearly 2,700 years later!

The calling of Isaiah was the main idea here. The passage of Isaiah 6:1-6 goes on to describe the majesty of God's glory that was revealed to the prophet as he ministered in the temple. No attention is paid to Uzziah in the passage.

God's message to Isaiah was candid: He was looking for someone to speak on His behalf among the disobedient and sinful people of which Isaiah was part (Isaiah 6:5).

Isaiah offered to take that role and God graciously granted it to him. God therefore cleansed his sinful lips so that His word would be effectual through this human vessel (cf 2 Timothy 2:15-21).

Are you willing to speak the mind of God in our generation? The solution is to submit to God's cleansing so that you may discern the mind of God and speak His message plainly.

Isaiah rightfully discerned the divine distance between a holy, righteous God and a sinful and rebellious people. He sought to bridge the gap. He was passionate for righteousness.

We too can emulate this great prophet even though, as Scripture rightly says, "we are all as an unclean thing and our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).

Without the atonement that we have in Christ, our message of the cross would be ineffectual, a religion devoid of power.

Glory be to God for He has redeemed us in Christ by granting us legal justification in the presence of God and entrusting the gospel message to us.

This gives us the confidence in proclaiming Christ in a wicked world, having ourselves experienced His divine grace at Calvary.

Yes, Uzziah must not die...but die, he did... The death of a mortal does not obviate or circumvent the purposes of God, neither does it hinder His voice...

Now watch this....

Just consider someone saying that they were born the same year that Kenya attained Independence from Britain. The idea here is to know that they were born in 1963....

My view is that to teach that Uzziah must die is to misrepresent biblical truth and to mishandle the passage of Isaiah 6:1-6.

Once again, my view is that King Uzziah did not have to die so that Isaiah could receive his calling to ministry. The King did die in God's appointed time, just as we would, as Christ shall tarry.

To his credit, Uzziah was a righteous king who served the LORD with diligence though, like us, he made some mistakes and failed God's divine standards.

The LORD dealt with him for his excesses but ultimately counted him righteous, just as He did for King David despite his many failings (Acts 13:22).

The truth is that God NEVER treats us as our sins deserve! He is exceeding gracious and His compassions fail not (Lamentations 3:22).

Scripture declares in 2 Chronicles 26:3-5 that Uzziah did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD. This was a statement that surmarized God's view of the life of this faithful monarch.

We should therefore not contradict the word of God in an effort to get a "nice" and captivating sermon topic!

Let the Scriptures speak in context and in whole.

Uzziah must not die!

It is Never in Vain!

IT IS NEVER IN VAIN!

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Have you ever been overwhelmed by church ministry service?

Cheer up because your labor is never in vain!

The Bible says in 2 Cor. 9:10 "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness."

This scripture was written by Paul in his appreciation for the pledge by the Corinthian believers towards supporting the saints in Jerusalem who were faced with famine.

We learn from Paul's statement in 2 Cor. 9:1-2 that the Corinthians had delayed their gift by one year, possibly because of their leadership conflict recorded in First Corinthians.

After receiving the great news about the faithfulness of the Corinthians and their remorse for their rebellion, Paul sent Titus and some unnamed brethren to collect the contribution that they had pledged. He exhorted the Corinthians to be faithful in honoring their pledge so that his boasting about them to the Macedonians will not be in vain.

They were called upon to excel in their giving just as they did in other areas of Christian obedience.

2 Cor. 8:6-7 says "So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7 But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also."

What do we learn from this scripture?

We learn from this scripture and the  larger passage contexts of 2 Cor. 8-9 that those who faithfully serve God through their generous giving are blessed by God.

This principle applies to those who sacrificially offer their time, talents and resources for ministry service. It is a noble and honorable thing to serve God from a willing and cheerful heart.

The Bible proclaims in Hebrews 6:10-12 that "...God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

Are you zealous for the things of God?

Finally, we learn that it is a godly thing to fulfill one's pledges to God. Whatever we pledge to the church is pledged to God. Similarly, whatever is withheld from the church is withheld from God (cf. Acts 5:1-11).

We should therefore take stock of our unfulfilled pledges and make up for them. Again God is faithful to honor those who faithfully serve Him.

This is not about salvation by works but about diligence in the things of God by those who are already under a covenant relationship with Christ.

It is never in vain...

Peril of Unbridled Ambition

BQ NO 67 -  WHAT MORAL LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM THE LIFE OF ADONIJAH SON OF DAVID?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

ADONIJAH AND FAMILY

Adonijah is first introduced to the Bible reader in 2Samuel 3:4 where he is listed among the sons of David.

His mother was Haggith, the fourth of David’s seven wives. Incidentally, Adonijah was the fourth of David’s six sons born to him at Hebron. The first born son was Amnon whose mother was Ahinoam the Jezreelite who was David’s first wife.

Amnon was later involved in incest rape with his half sister Tamar and was killed by Absalom her brother in an act of revenge (2Sam 13).

David forgave Absalom for the murder of Amnon after his mother pleaded with the king to spare his life.

Unfortunately, Absalom did not appear to have learnt from his evil because he later staged an unsuccessful palace coup against his father David and died in his rebellion while fleeing from the royal army led by Joab (2Sam 19).

Now back to Adonijah.

ADONIJAH'S PALACE COUP PLOT

The next mention of Adonijah is in 1Kings 1 in connection with the succession intrigues in David’s palace.
Adonijah, like Absalom, was an ambitious prince. Both men had fixed their eyes on succeeding their father David but neither had his approval.

What prompted Adonijah to proclaim himself king?

Adonijah may have understood that David would not name him the crown prince. He therefore took advantage of his ageing father and decided to declare himself king without his blessings.

There is also strong evidence from the Bible that following the death of Amnon and Absalom, Adonijah may have considered himself the next in line.

Why was Chileab, David's second born son, not mentioned in the succession struggles?

Little is known of Chileab beyond his mention in 2Sam 3:3. Chileab probably died at a young age.

Some Bible scholars believe he is probably the same person named Daniel in 1Chron. 3:1, suggesting that he may have had a second name. Nothing is however heard of Chileab after this chronicle record.

If we assume that Chileab died young, then Adonjah had legitimate expectations of succeeding his father and this could probably explain his desire to become king after David.

However, all said and done, his secret succession plot was evil and treasonable.

The next question that begs is this: why was Solomon missing from the list of David’s sons mentioned in 2Sam 3:1-5?

It is not clear why the writer of the Book of 2Samuel did not mention Solomon among the sons of David in the first list.

Solomon’s birth is however recorded in 2Sam 12, suggesting that he may have been born much later. Some Bible scholars say that the list of sons contained in 2Sam 3:1-5 was recorded much earlier while David ruled only Judah and Ephraim from Hebron.

Ten other sons were later born to David in Jerusalem including Solomon by Bathsheba and nine other sons whose mothers are not mentioned in the Bible (ref. 1Chron. 3:6-8). We can called this the Jerusalem record.

The Jerusalem list also excludes David's other sons by his concubines but mentions his only daughter Tamar, the sister of Absalom who was raped by Amnon.

Now back to Adonijah.

The Bible states in 1 Kings 1:5-6  “Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.  6 (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, "Why have you done so?" He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.)”

Adonijah possibly knew that the king preferred Solomon and this could explain why he avoided David’s close advisors in selecting those to join his rebel camp.

Surprisingly, Joab the army commander and Abiathar the Priest were listed into the rebellion behind David's back, yet these were David's faithful men who stood by his side during his fugitive days.

1Kings 1:6 is instructive of Davids shortcomings. It indicates that David failed to discipline his children. David had apparently abdicated his moral duty as a father in failing to provide leadership for his large polygamous family.

BATHSHEBA'S PETITION & SOLOMON'S APPOINTMENT AS CROWN PRINCE

The royal conspiracy by Adonijah was apparently kept secret so that few royal officials were privy to it. Solomon’s mother Bathsheba was not aware of the goings on until Nathan the prophet spoke to her and guided her on how to approach the king over the delicate matter (1Kings 1:11-14).

Nathan knew that Adonijah would execute all contenders to the throne including their siblings if he managed to usurp the throne.

David was apparently unaware of the rebellion and when he was informed about it, he quickly confirmed his promise to Bathsheba that Solomon would reign after him.

He immediately proceeded to proclaim Solomon as the crown prince. There is no evidence that David abdicated the throne at this stage. He simply resolved the succession question.

Adonijah’s conspiracy miserably backfired and his team collapsed as each fled for their lives (1King 1:49).

Adonijah sensed that his fate was sealed and rushed to the sanctuary and took the horns of the altar in pleading for mercy. Solomon graciously forgave him on condition that he will behave himself going forward (1Kings 1:52-53)

SOLOMON SUCCEEDS DAVID AND EXECUTES THE COUP PLOTTERS

David’s death is recorded in 1Kings 2:10-12. Solomon took over from him immediately upon his death. Surprisingly Adonijah was not done with his life of conspiracy. He had more tricks in his bag.

He desired to have Abishag his father's consort as his wife.  This was a fatal miscalculation! Abishag the Shunamite was taking care of David his father before his death. She was now listed among David's concubines.

Adonijah approached Bathsheba to present his request to king Solomon.

Solomon rightly understood that the request was an act of treason!

By seeking Abishag's hand in marriage, Adonijah was in effect taking the place of David through the back door and thereby laying grounds for a legitimate claim over the throne!

Solomon ordered the immediate execution of Adonijah and Joab the key conspirators of the Adonijah succession.

He spared Abiathar the priest because he had stood with his father in the wilderness. He simply defrocked him from the priesthood, bringing a prophetic end to the house of Eli.

SEVEN LESSONS FROM ADONIJAH’S TRAGIC AMBITION

Let us now conclude by examining seven key moral lessons that we can learn from the rise and fall of Adonijah.

1) PRIDE COMES BEFORE A FALL.

Adonijah exalted himself and declared that he would be king. This was not God's will for him. In the end he was debased and destroyed by his evil ambition.

We need to remember that Satan was thrown down from heaven for exalting himself and seeking to overthrow God.

Proverbs 11:2-3 says “When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.  3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.”

The Bible also teaches that we should humble ourselves before the Lord and he will lift us up in due season (James 4:10).

Only God can exalt us into positions of privilege if we are willing to be patient. No matter how much we covet power, we can never access positions that God has reserved for others.

We should therefore patiently wait for God’s time for our visitation.

2) WE SHOULD SEEK DIVINE WISDOM IN OUR MAJOR PURSUITS OF LIFE.

Adonijah trusted in his untested wisdom and poor judgment and did not seek the counsel of God and that of his godly father concerning the succession. He took the royal office of King for granted, not realizing that God alone determines who will sit on David’s throne (cf. Psalm 75:5-7).

The Bible teaches in Proverbs 14:12 that “there is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” This is truly what happened in Adonijah’s case. His foolishness was his greatest undoing.

The Bible also teaches in Psalm 20:7 that some trust in chariots, others in horses but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Do you often remember to turn to God for direction each day?

3) WE SHOULD LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF OTHERS

Even after being spared by Solomon through a royal pardon, and having witnessed the deaths of his two brothers, Amnon and his elder brother Absalom, Adonijah appears to have learnt nothing from the twin tragedies.

Someone said that a wise person learns from the mistakes of others but a fool does not learn from his mistakes.

Adonijah should have considered the royal pardon as an opportunity for self reflection and reform. There are times that God seeks to teach us vital lessons through the perils suffered by those close to us.

4) WE SHOULD SUBMIT TO GOD'S WILL

We should humbly allow God to have His way in our lives. Jesus did the same and was ultimately exalted by the Father (Philippians 2:1-10).

He prayed in Luke 22:42 saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."

5) DISCIPLINE IS A VITAL INGREDIENT FOR GODLY CHARACTER

The Bible reveals in 1Kings 1:6 that David had habitually neglected to discipline his sons so that the results were devastating (cf. 2Sam 13:21-39).

David needlessly lost three sons, Amnon, Absalom and Adonijah partly because he failed as a father to admonish his children in the way of the Lord. Some say that David was busy fighting battles and had little time for his large family of more than 17 sons.

Conversely, children should on their part heed the wise counsel of their parents and elders so that they do not end up in moral ruin and depravity.

Proverbs 13:1 says “A wise son heeds his father's instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.”

6) WE SHOULD CHOOSE OUR FRIENDS AND ADVISERS WISELY.

We should make careful choice of people and counsel our friends in godly wisdom without being motivated by vested interests.

Joab was probably aware of David’s choice of Solomon as his successor but he only focused on his narrow interest of serving as army commander after David. This appears to have motivated his joining the Adonijah rebellion and suggests that David may have already sidelined him.

Abiathar the priest probably desired the office of high priest in the new royal order, a position he never achieved in life! It is regrettable that he was unable to offer wise spiritual counsel to the young prince.

There is also a dark side to this mystery... Watch this......

Joab was a man under a curse because he had spilled innocent blood after murdering Abner, Saul’s commander who had defected to David after Saul’s death (1Sam 31). He did this out of jealousy!

Joab had probably feared that his coveted royal position may slip out of his hands if Solomon succeeds David. He chose to eliminate his perceived rivals as a method of self preservation but he was later to pay dearly for this.

Abiathar the priest should have counseled Adonijah to tame his ambitions and abandon the conspiracy. Unfortunately, Abiathar too was living under a divine curse which God had placed on his ancestor, Eli the priest and his offspring. Abiathar was the last priest to serve in the line of Eli.

What kind of counsel are you receiving from those close to you?

Are they honest enough to speak you in the eye where you are wrong?

What motivates your association with people?

7) WE SHOULD NOT JUDGE PEOPLE ON THE BASIS OF THEIR PHYSICAL APPEARANCE BUT BY THE SUBSTANCE OF THEIR MORAL CHARACTER.

John Hagee, a leading American televangelist once said that love at first sight is cured by a second look!

Adonijah was reported to be an exceedingly handsome and comely young man and so was Absalom. Sadly, both men were devoid of moral character!

Physical features can be extremely deceiving and may conceal a ravenous evil heart that will eventually manifest itself! Read Jeremiah 17:9.

The Bible teaches in 1Sam 16:7 that the LORD seeth not as a man seeth for a man seeth on the outward but the LORD looks into the heart.

We should never substitute God's divine wisdom revealed in His word for our own frail and limited wisdom. We should never lean on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5).

Shalom


© Ezekiel Kimosop Teaching Series 2018

Why did God seek to kill Moses?

WHY DID GOD SEEK TO KILL MOSES IN EXODUS 4:24-25?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

This brief passage has puzzled theological scholars and lay Bible readers alike!

It is without doubt a difficult passage given that it is a juxtaposition to the description of Moses's return to Egypt (4:18-31) in furtherance of the divine assignment that God had given him earlier in Exodus 3.

However, given the actions of Zipporah Moses's wife in circumcising the son in a knee jerk manner, we can at least infer that Moses was guilty of a serious act of omission by neglecting to circumcise his son earlier in accordance with the command of Genesis 17:10-12.

Is it possible also that the son was born while Moses was away and Zipporah had apparently initially neglected to perform the rite on the eight day?

There are a number of theological suppositions that have been advanced by scholars to explain this strange incident.

Some say that Zipporah may have initially prevailed on Moses to leave one of their sons uncircumcised until adult age as was the custom of her Midianite people who are said to circumcise a groom on the eve of marriage.

This theory however cannot find the direct support of any passage of the Bible.

Unlike the Hebrew, Bible historians say the Midianites did not circumcise infants.

The second and most plausible reason advanced by scholars is that Moses may have been influenced by Egyptian culture under which he grew up. This is by reason that the Egyptians never circumcised their sons and this may explain why Moses had ignored this Hebrew rite.

There is also a difficult side to the interpretation of this passage which we shall briefly examine below.

Some Bible scholars say that the Hebrew translation of this passage by a number of Bible translation editors is wanting. They cite the NIV among other dynamic thought equivalent translations as an example in which the mention of Moses is not consistent with the literal rendering of the original Hebrew text.

The Young Literal Translation (YLT) which is a respected old literal translation of the Hebrew text does not mention Moses and leaves the male pronoun open to the interpretation that it may have referred to the son rather than to Moses himself.

This then implies that Moses may not have been the subject of God's wrath in this passage but rather that God sought to kill the baby boy probably to teach Moses a lesson!

Whatever the case, the fact remains that Moses was ultimately responsible for performing this rite upon his sons in accordance with Hebrew culture and God's law.

It is therefore not conclusively clear from the passage why this rite was neglected.

Any Hebrew male who was not circumcised could not be counted as a legitimate member of the covenant community of God's people (cf. Joshua 5:2-9).

Notice here that God considered it a reproach to have uncircumcised people among the Israelites (see Joshua 2:9). This suggests that this practice had been ignored for decades since the Israelites left Egypt!

We can conclude that God was perhaps angry with Moses for being a bad example to the Hebrew community that he was about to lead out of Egypt.

However, it is not clear why Zipporah had to carry out the rite on the son yet this was the responsibility of the household head!

Again this could be a pointer to Zipporah's negligence! Moses may have given instructions for the boy to be circumcised in his absence and Zipporah may have objected to it and hence drawing God's wrath.

The moral we can draw from this incident is that God is sorely displeased by our deliberate acts of omission.

When we appreciate that a particular act or omission is sinful, we should expect God's punishment for the dereliction of duty unless we repent and do things right. Of course we are saved by grace and not works but God has His expectations and standards.

The Bible says in Romans 14:23 that whatever is not [done] from faith is sin. Moses should have done better than neglect a duty that he knew was based on God's express command.

We also learn that God is not a respecter of persons. He punishes the low and the mighty alike. The blood of Jesus offers us the only protection from sin.

Finally, we learn from this story that our discretions in life can have far reaching consequences if left unchecked. They can be contagious and can harm innocent people.

God demands unqualified obedience and His standards cannot be lowered to suit ours. We must rise up by His enabling grace and seek to please Him so that His divine purposes are fulfilled in our lives.

Commanding Your Morning Theology

https://sakayowambua.blogspot.com/2019/06/on-commanding-your-morning-theology-by.html

Should Christians engage in Gambling?

MY BIBLICAL OPINION ON BETTING

By Ezekiel Kimosop

There is considerable debate as to whether a Christian should engage in betting or gambling.

I am hesitant to admit that gambling is a biblical practice.

Several passages of Scripture praise hardworking people and condemn laziness.

I find 1Corinthians 6:19 to be relevant in the context that it would be ungodly for believers to engage in practices that put into question their moral and spiritual standing in Christ.

By engaging in betting, a believer is guided by the "win factor" and opts to resign his success in life to mathematical probabilities rather than the prudence of investing his resources in a gainful way that glorifies God.

Then there is the addiction factor in betting. The more a person engages in this practice, the more they are convinced that they are closer to the jackpot. This is where the deception lies!

Many gamblers face this disturbing reality and even what may appear as a casual stroke of picking a lottery ticket may eventually draw someone into the dark city casinos!

MY SCRIPTURAL OPINION

I find the following Scriptures relevant to this debate:

1) Proverbs 14:12 says that there is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death.

Few gamblers can convincingly argue that they have sought the guidance of God when drawing into gambling or betting. It is an impulse thing for many to bet.

2) 2 Thessalonians 3:12 teaches that believers are to "work in quietness and eat their own bread". 

Paul actually warned the Thessalonians against idleness saying that he had received reports that some among them were busybodies, not working at all but living off the sweat of others.

In fact I would encourage that one read the entire passage of 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15.

3) 1Timothy 6:6-10 teaches that "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

The same passage warns in 1Timothy 6:9 that "those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition" (NKJ).

This Scripture does not suggest that financial prudence and investment is ungodly for believers as some claim. It simply sounds a warning that the "get quick rich" mentality is self destructive because it often leads people away from Christ.

Those who gamble throw away their hard earned sweat to probability. Only a "lucky few" make it to the jackpot listing!

So what motivates people into engaging in betting or lottery?

It is the unbridled desire to get rich without working for the success that comes with it. Someone said that the only place where success comes before work is in the English dictionary. How true!

Is it any wonder then that most gamblers lead miserable and lonely lives?

The truth is that in their snare of addictive and impulsive habits, anything that stands between them and the jackpot dream is considered an obstacle.

Many gamblers ignore their family responsibilities and waste away their assets in pursuing the elusive jackpot dream that never comes to pass.

My concluding view is that betting or gambling by any other name is unbiblical and believers have no business engaging in such.

Our God has promised that He will bless the work of our hands and provide for us by guiding our efforts so that we can lead descent godly lives to His glory.

This is not to suggest that seeking or acquiring riches is evil or ungodly in itself but that the unbridled or uncontrolled desire for quick riches is what has destroyed and has destroyed the faith of many (cf James 4:1-5).

How should believers view gambling?

My answer to this is simple: keep away from the snare of gambling or betting and you will be safe.

We should be contented with God's blessings as we engage in meaningful income generating activities.

Artificial Insemination and the Believer

BIBLICAL OPINION ON ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION BY CHRISTIAN COUPLE

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Is it biblical for a Christian couple to engage in artificial insemination?

To answer the question regarding the admissibility or exclusion of artificial insemination for Christians, allow me to first address the biblical context on child bearing.

The Bible identifies a Christian marriage as the basis for godly procreation.

God ordained the marriage sacrament in Genesis 2:21-24 in which He united Adam and Eve in holy marriage and commanded them to multiply and subdue the earth.

In the New Testament Scripture, Christian marriage is given considerable attention in several passages of Scripture, most notably in Ephesians 5:22-33 and 1 Corinthians 7.

The Bible also recognizes marriage as a blessing, and the wife (or husband) as a gift from God.

Even within a Christian marriage, children are considered a heritage from God that He grants at His divine discretion (cf.Psalm 127:3-5).

There are millions of Christian couples the world over who are not blessed with children yet they faithfully hold on to their marriage vows.

There is evidence from Scripture that not every marriage would result in the blessing of children but faithfulness is required for those who take the marriage vow irrespective of their experience.

There are several biblical characters who were childless yet they obediently walked with God. Abraham and Sarah are perhaps the classic example. They had no children until God miraculously intervened.

This was true of Hannah and Elkanah, until God opened Hannah's womb (1Samuel 1:1-2:21).

There are several other cases of faithful people of God who were not blessed with children.

Having laid the biblical foundation, I wish to turn to the issue at hand.

The article posted by a forum participant reports that a single Christian lady opted for artificial insemination in order to conceive a child and beat the menopause biological clock.

The reason for this decision is that she was afraid that she would not conceive even if she later got married.

This reasoning is unbiblical because Christian marriage is not primarily about having children but focuses on the couple living in a loving relationship in obedience to God.

The argument by our sister in question is premised on the narrow modernist thinking that since she never conceived through lying with a man, she probably did not commit adultery! Nothing can be further from the truth!

Christians should beware of the deceptions that are hidden behind scientific innovations!

Under standard scientific practice of artificial insemination on animals, the semen, even that of a choice hybrid bull, is attributed to a named "donor" animal whose biological data is recorded by the insemination station.

The bull is rightfully registered as the father or sire of the calf and the heifer is listed as the dame or mother.

The artificial insemination from the semen of an unknown male is unusual.

To opt for human artificial insemination with a strange donor is in my view even worse than adultery because the other party remains unidentified perhaps for legal reasons or to remove any emotional attachment.

The argument that the lady did not commit any fornication or adultery with a man is sheepish and a biblical fraud!

The truth is that the sister in question is guilty of violating God's divine order by submitting herself to artificial insemination with semen from a man to whom she was not biblically married.

How was she going to explain to her child concerning their test tube origin?

Is the father or male donor identified through this procedure?

As far as Scripture is concerned, the union between her ovum and the male donor sperm is in effect a mechanically assisted fornication or adultery!

This act automatically entitles her to church discipline and moral sanctions. She should have known better.

Biblical marriage is primarily about a relationship between a Christian man and a Christian woman of mature age and even if this marriage comes after a woman has hit menopause, it should be accepted that God never intended the couple to have children.

The couple can however choose to adopt a child/children and continue with their journey of obedience.

This is my considered opinion.

Christ our Sabbath Rest

WHY JESUS ALONE IS OUR SABBATH REST

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Have you ever met someone who told you to your face that worshipping God on Sunday is in breach of the Sabbath law?

Please don't panic or be confused about it. Here is what I consider as biblical truth that the Bible teaches regarding this controversial issue.

Genesis 2:2 teaches that God rested from His works on the seventh day. This is not to suggest that God was tired like us so that He needed some vacation but that He had accomplished all that He had divinely determined to do during the Creation week.

The law of Moses later required that the Jews should observe the Sabbath on the seventh day and this day was hallowed unto the LORD (Exodus 20).

In the New Testament, Jesus taught that He was the Lord also of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8), meaning that He had divine authority to exercise discretion over its interpretation and that He came to fulfill the requirements of the law.

Jesus was reacting to the legalism of the Pharisees who had questioned Him regarding His healing ministry on the Sabbath.

So how should we understand the Sabbath?

Hebrews 4:9-11 says "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience"

Whose example is under reference here?

It is the example of the Jews who even after receiving the law continued in disobedience to God.

The law was not a cure for their sinfulness but was simply a shadow of things to come when Christ shall be revealed.

The Jews practiced a religious system that never brought them into a lasting relationship with God despite the ritual sacrifices of bulls.

The Pharisees of Jesus' day best exemplified the futility of human rituals by men when their hearts were far from God! This is what is commonly meant by the word "lip service".

The passage of Hebrews 4:9-11 reveals the divine connection between Christ's atoning death and the fulfilment of the Sabbath law.

My biblical deduction is therefore that believers can and should be free to worship God on any day of the week because Jesus became our true Rest when He paid the ultimate sacrifice for our reconciliation with God.

Those who are in Christ have entered His Rest once and for all.

There is nothing more that we need to do beyond what Christ has accomplished at Calvary through which we have obtained divine freedom from the curse of the law. Ours is to submit fully to His lordship.

Those who insist on keeping a ritual Sabbath or "seventh day" worship are doing so purely out of their religious convictions and should not impose their doctrine on other believers who hold a different view.

To teach that it is a continuing biblical requirement for believers to observe the Jewish Sabbath, is to attempt to turn back the divine clock past Calvary!




© Ezekiel Kimosop Teaching Series 2016

Celebrating Joshua son Nun

WHAT MORAL LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JOSHUA SON OF NUN?

Ezekiel Kimosop

Joshua is first introduced in the Bible in Exodus 17:9-16 where Moses commands him to select men to go up and fight the Amalekites who were a thorn in the flesh to the Israelites.

God used Joshua in a mighty way and he resoundingly vanquished the enemy so that God commanded Moses to make a memorial to the fact that God had blotted the Amalekites from His presence forever (Exodus 17:13-16).

Moses then built an altar which he called Jehovahnissi, which means "Jehovah is my banner". This was to signify that God will have war with the Amalekites for all generations to come. 

In Exodus 24:13, Joshua is described as Moses’ minister. The Hebrew word for minister as used here is “Sharath” which can best be translated as a person who ministers to or serves another.

This is far different from the Hebrew word “Ebed” for slave or servant. It appears that Joshua may have been serving as a direct assistant to Moses, implying that he may have been a judge in his own right.

Joshua built his legacy with diligence.  Notice that Joshua is the one who alerted Moses when he heard the noise of the orgy from below the mountain as Moses came down from the mountain of God. This confirms that Joshua probably went up the mountain with Moses at God’s command.

Exodus 32:17-18  says “And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.  18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.”

Joshua was apparently more spiritually duscernful than Aaron, Moses’ brother, who had in given in to the wicked demands of the people and had erected the golden calf for the people to worship.

To his credit, Joshua was able to discern the apostasy from a distance and quickly alerted his master, Moses.

This act of courage teaches us that church leadership is about having foresight that enables us to see things afar and take remedial steps in good time. Undiscerning leaders are easily swept by spiritual and moral storms in ministry.

How could Aaron, a noble leader, have knowingly yielded to the evil suggestions on idolatry yet he had seen the hand of God in the wilderness?

Aaron and his sons had been consecrated priests unto the LORD in Exodus 29, yet by Exodus 32, the man had seemingly forgotten his priestly calling!

Aaron had casually yielded to the people's demands. Notice his lame reply to a furious Moses in Exodus 32:23-25 (NKJ): “For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.  24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.  25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)”

Whenever priesthood is not focused on God, it will be hijacked by Satan for his wicked purposes! Aaron failed his priestly stewardship by facilitating the idolatry even though he himself did not worship the golden calf.

He was privy by gross negligence to the people’s wickedness. It is what is referred to in legal theory as contributory negligence. It is instructive that Aaron never made it to the Promised Land.

This is a lesson in leadership that we should never be actors or catalysts in the evils of others by encouraging them in their evil as bystanders or by failing to act with prudence where God requires us to act differently.

Aaron lacked the spine to rebuke the people and remind them of the law of God.  By this he miserably failed.

There are church leaders today under whose watch church ministries have drifted away from the way of the cross and into heresy and apostasy. These leaders shall not escape God's judgement!

Aaron may have imagined that his elder brother Moses would never return. Perhaps his worst sin was the loss of faith in the God of Israel and his failure to acknowledge God as their ultimate leader.

Aaron led the people in breaking the first three commandments which God had earlier given in Exodus 20.

Now moving on to our pursuit of Joshua, we notice in Exodus 33:11 that Joshua never departed from the tabernacle of God even as Moses walked in and out of the presence of God. This confirms that Joshua regularly stayed in the presence of God as part of his spiritual mentorship. He heard from God.

There can be no greater way to raise spiritual leaders than by steadying them in God's ways and instructing them by His word.

What greater experience can we ever have in our walk of faith than to dwell in the presence of God and receive His divine instructions?

Successful leaders are those who learn to stay close to the word of God and to seek His face for guidance.

We may read tons of leadership books and articles but none of these can measure up to what God can teach us if we stay close to His word. There is simply no substitute for God's word.

In Numbers 11:28, Joshua witnessed a rare event where the Spirit of God who was in Moses rested upon the seventy elders chosen by Moses to assist him in leadership.

When two elders who were left in the camp prophesied, Joshua, here depicted as a young man, asked his master Moses to forbid them.

Moses rebuked him for his unrefined wisdom. Joshua was yet to learn that God can expand the scope of ministry leadership without weakening the mandate or substance of those he had previously called.

Have you ever felt threatened as a church leader when God raises others to share in the ministry burden?

There is no reason to feel insecure at all because God will call men and women to serve Him from time to time and we need to give them space even as we too continue to serve Him with them. Never obstruct the work of those who God has called simply because of narrow personal interest.

Joshua is next mentioned in Numbers 14:6-25 where he and Caleb son of Jephunneh gave a positive report about the land of Canaan after their spy mission. Majority of the spies had earlier given an evil report and discouraged the people (Numbers 13:25-33).

Joshua and Caleb demonstrated their bravery and distinction as a sound leaders whose faith in God was not shaken by physical realities around them. They stood on God’s side as men of courage and resisted the popular script that the majority of the spies had fallen for.

We learn from this passage that great leaders will not sell their souls to evil and fear. They will be the last ones standing on God’s side when everyone else has left.

Walking with God is not about numbers or majority opinion but about what is always right no matter how unpopular it may sound to many. 

God stood by the testimony of Joshua and Caleb and swore that those who rebelled against God by their unbelief would not enter the Promised Land except the two courageous men.

Notice that God pronounced the curse on those who were 20 years and upward because they had attained the age of spiritual responsibility. He graciously preserved the young ones who may have been emotionally carried along by the rebels (Numbers 14:26-39.

When the rebels attempted to proceed to the Promised Land without God's blessings, Moses once again warned them of the dire consequences.

Unfortunately they did not heed his warning and were verociously attacked by the Amalekites and Canaanites (Numbers 14:40-45).

Numbers 14:45  (NKJ) says “Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah.”

Again this is a lesson that we can never succeed in any venture without the hand of God being with us.

Joshua is finally appointed as Moses’ successor in Numbers 27:18-23. Here we learn in Numbers 27:18 that Joshua was “a man in whom is the Spirit”.

God commanded Moses to lay his hands upon him and also consecrate Elieazer, Aaron’s son to succeed his father as High Priest.

Joshua and Eleazar the priest are later appointed to head a land commission that would oversee the successful subdivision of the land. The commission consisted of the two and appointees from the 12 tribes of Israel (Numbers 34:16-29). 

Moses later dies in the wilderness of Moab and the LORD buried him (Deut. 34).

The Book of Joshua is dedicated to the leaderships and exploits of Joshua and his generation of faithful men.

God spoke to him and gave him the leadership commission (Joshua 1:1-9). God had earlier given Joshua a charge in the presence of Moses (Deut. 31:14-19). 

In this charge, God made it clear to the two leaders that if the people walked away from His ways, He will hide His face from them. Moses was commanded to write a song to be sung as a memorial to the people that they should not wander from the paths that God had ordained for them when they entered the Promised Land.

The song was to be a witness against God’s people when they disobeyed Him.
What better song do we have today than the powerful voice of the word of God and of His Spirit?

If we neglect the word and walk away from His paths we should expect nothing short of God's judgment unless we repent and return to Him.

The word of God remains a witness to God’s faithfulness and will definitely condemn us in our disobedience (1John 3:19-24).

Joshua was a gallant leader who led the conquest of Canaan and was careful to obey the voice of God all his life. He secured the land and kept the people focused on God during his long leadership. He judged right; punished the wicked and upheld justice.

Perhaps a significant event in Joshua’s life is the covenant renewal that he led the children of Israel to affirm (Joshua 8).

The death of Joshua and Eleazar is recorded in Joshua 24:29-33 and this passage concludes the book of Joshua. It also confirms that the book of Joshua was compiled after his death.

The greatest tribute to Joshua is recorded in Joshua 24:31 (KJV) which says “And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.”

Joshua began well and finished well, thanks to the mentorship of Moses and the elders and the empowerment of God.

As we conclude the story on Joshua, we can summarize the following spiritual truths drawn from our study of the character and ministry of Joshua:

1) Spiritual leadership is learnt and built under godly mentorship. Many church leaders today do not effectively mentor successors because of their insecurity over the church leadership positions they occupy. This is ungodly and selfish and often plunges the church into turmoil after they depart.

2) Leadership is for a season. When the time appointed by God for a leader is concluded, they should be prepared to peacefully hand over to their successors.

3) We shall all be accountable to God for the time we serve as leaders and it is best that we listen to the voice of God by staying close to the word of God.

4) A leader should always be alert as they lead God’s people and should provide godly spiritual direction for those under His care.

Aaron failed but Joshua succeeded because Joshua learnt to discern the voice of God and to obey Him.

Do you hear the voice of God?

5) Spiritual leaders should be obedient to God and should consciously stand on God’s side at all times.

They represent the mind of God among the people as His prophets even as they represent the people to God as priests.

Joshua and Moses stood on the side of God when the people walked away in rebellion and they were vindicated and commended by God in the end.

Are you facing a popular and ungodly rebellion in your church community?

Stay on God’s side and you will be safe. It is not a matter of majority view. God’s word settles our conflicts.

6) We need to start well with God and finish well with Him even as Joshua did. It is sad today to see church leaders who started well with God but have left the paths of God and followed the popular doctrines of men (cf. 2Timothy 3:1-9).

7) Ministry leadership is a stewardship mandate. It is not held as of a right but by the grace of God. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 says “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.  2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

8) There is a reward for faithful leaders. Joshua and Caleb were rewarded. They entered the Promised Land because they were steadfast in their faith in God. Those who faithfully walk with Christ shall enter His rest when the last trumpet sounds...

Hebrews 11:1-2  says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.”

Do you walk by faith before God?

Hebrews 11:6  says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”



© Ezekiel Kimosop Teaching Series 2016

Did you Pray for This?

DO ALL HEALING EXPERIENCES OCCUR PURELY BECAUSE WE HAVE PRAYED? OR PUT DIFFERENTLY AND BROADLY: ARE ALL MIRACLES OR DIVINE INTERVENTIONS ALWAYS THE RESULT OF OUR PRAYER EFFORT?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

My answer to these two questions at the outset is No.

Please hold your horses and let me qualify my opinion....

While prayer is an important tool for "moving the hand of God" so to speak, my biblical view is that not every divine experience is necessarily attributed to our prayers.

My view is that God can and often does [in the exercise of His sovereign power], make interventions for us because of our covenant relationship with Him and primarily in accordance with His higher purposes.

Do you remember Abraham's story in Genesis 12 when he went to Egypt and Pharaoh sought to take away his wife from him? Abraham feared for his life and chose to lie that Sarah was his sister! However, we know from the Bible that God intervened and rescued his wife so that the covenant seed is not corrupted!

There are numerous other illustrations in the Bible that demonstrate that God took personal initiative which was not at the prompting of prayer.

When God visited Abraham in Genesis 18, He sovereignly chose to reveal to Abraham His intention to destroy the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness that stung to high heavens.

This gave Abraham an opportunity to plead for God's mercy on the righteous in that city, knowing that his nephew Lot dwelt there.

God finally spared Abraham's nephew and his two daughters from the hail and brimstone that ultimately rained on the city.

Was Lot spared because he prayed in advance? Absolutely not! God graciously preserved him for His higher purposes!

Lot went on to become the ancestor of the Moabites and the Ammonites through his incestuous relationship with his two daughters (Genesis 19).

The Moabites and the Ammonites later became great enemies of Israel because of  their idolatry.

We know from the Bible that these two great men of faith, despite their failings and separation through centuries, were later reunited by God through Ruth, the faithful Moabite widow who followed Naomi back to Bethlehem. Ruth married Boaz the man from the house of Judah [Abraham's lineage] and by God's grace the two became the great grand parents of King David and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Do you now see why God spared Lot, a man who pitched his tent towards Sodom and finally dwelt among wicked Sodomites? (Read Genesis 13).

Does this story not speak to the sinfulness and disobedience which described us before Christ graciously rescued us? (Read Romans 5:8).

In 1 Samuel, we come across the story of a great woman of faith called Hannah who was barren and who cried to God for a son.

God exceeded her expectations and added her more children, three sons and daughters beside Samuel (see 1 Sam. 2:21).

Now fast forward to King Solomon...

This great king prayed for wisdom to rule his people well. God went beyond his request and granted him unparalleled wealth! Had he petitioned God for riches? Of course not!

In the New Testament Scripture, we see God making several interventions even where the beneficiaries were unaware of His divine moves.

He provided bread to the five thousand people who were following Jesus like sheep.

Jesus at one point told Peter that Satan desired to sift him like wheat but He (Christ) had prayed for him that his faith may not fail him. Peter was definitely not aware of what was going on until Christ revealed this fact to him!

CONCLUSION

Let me conclude by saying that there are many situations, known or unknown to us, under which God miraculously intervenes in our lives (cf. Job 37). This is not to suggest that prayer is not important. It simply affirms that God is sovereignly at the centre of our lives, always seeking to fulfill His divine purposes in our lives.

I wish to underscore the fact that God primarily preserves His saints in all generations of human civilization because of His covenant relationship with them.

The psalmist teaches in Psalm 37:25 that God never forsakes the righteous or subjects their children to disgrace.

As we daily seek the face of God and petition Him over our needs, let's always bear in mind that God is exceedingly gracious and lovingly attends to our needs because we are members of His divine household.

God also graciously preserves the unrighteousness and the wicked, giving them bread and releasing the rains upon the righteous and the wicked alike.

We know that the unrighteous men never pray to God neither do they know Him yet God sustains them. This is what theologians refer to as God's sustaining grace.

This does not however suggest that God overlooks the works of the wicked. The truth is that God has reserved a window of opportunity for all men to repent.

When that window closes, He will judge all men and recompense each man according as he deserves.

Shalom.



© Ezekiel Kimosop Teaching Series 2016

Giving to Caesar What is Caesars....

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES ON CHRISTIAN GIVING - LESSONS FROM THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

There is so much confusion today regarding Christian giving so that our reasoning in this context largely depends on the teaching in our church traditions as to what constitutes sound biblical giving.

This article will not exhaustively address this issue but I wish to narrow down to a particular area of teaching by Jesus which hopefully gives us a glimpse into what should inform our giving.

Jesus taught in Matthew 22:21 that we should give to Caesar what is Caesars (statutory taxes and levies) and to God what is God's (tithes and offerings).

This teaching is also found in Mark 12:17 and Luke 20:25.

Jesus revealed in this passage that civic obligations are distinct from our religious duties. He also acknowledged that the Roman rulers were divinely permitted by God to collect taxes notwithstanding the humiliation that the Jews felt about their occupation of Palestine.

The truth is that no matter how much we may dislike those in authority, we have a standing obligation from God to discharge our civic mandates as citizens of the country and pay taxes.

It is imperative therefore that what is left from our income after satisfying these obligations should be at our disposal and is blessed by God for our use.

Any theology on Christian giving that departs from established biblical principles is, in my view, misleading and should be rejected by God's people.

I am persuaded that believers should tithe from their income and give offerings on a free will basis in accordance with their convictions.

No one is however compelled to tithe or give an offering to God. However, any believer who chooses to withhold from God has probably not discerned his relationship with Him!

There are blessings attached to our giving and there are several passages of Scripture which convey that truth.

I will not delve into details because I have severally posted teachings on this forum on tithes and offerings and even on the significance of first fruits.

The purpose of writing this article was partly to respond to an article shared on the forum.

The story related to the Nigerian incident in which a Catholic faithful gave her entire first salary to the priest as firstfruits after Mass.

The priest reportedly returned the envelope to her after realizing that she had given everything she had and had not even attended to her basic needs.

There is nothing biblically wrong with voluntarily sacrificing the most that one can in order to serve the Lord. However, there is everything wrong with operating under a point of ignorance or unbiblical teachings.

This should not only concern our Christian giving but should inform our worldview on general Christian living. Anything short of balanced biblical prudence is a recipe for confusion!

I therefore find no biblical basis for giving one's entire salary or harvest as first fruits or love offering.

I know that someone may quickly turn to Mark 12:42-44 and argue that Jesus approved of the entire giving of one's livelihood as biblical sacrifice (cf. Luke 21:2-3).

Is this really what Jesus was teaching here?

It would be a total misrepresentation of biblical truth if we attempt to interpret Scripture outside it's passage context in order to justify certain unbiblical practices! This is called proof texting in theological circles.

The poor widow who gave all she had was commended by Jesus for her sacrificial giving in that she gave PROPORTIONATELY much more than the rich who gave a little out of their abundance!

Nowhere in Scripture is it taught or implied that believers should sell all they have and give to the church or that they should give their entire harvest or resources to the church!

How will the believer cater for his personal and family needs?

Do you recall the warning in Mark 7:10-13?

Please reflect on it carefully because it is instrumental in reinforcing our moral obligations.

The challenge that Jesus threw to the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:21-22 and Mark 10:21 was simply an illustration of how many will miss out on God because of their love for the things of this passing world.

We cannot develop a doctrine on giving exclusively from this passage. We need to balance the Scriptures methodically so that we can discern the full counsel of God on a given issue.

Similarly, the incident in Acts 2:43-44 does not suggest that believers are compelled to dispose ALL their assets and give to the church or to the poor. This was merely a demonstration of how deeply woven this Jerusalem church in brotherly bond.

Notice that Peter was careful to clarify that the giving was voluntary (Acts 5:4).

Now back to the principles...

Biblical giving is about equal sacrifice and not equal giving!

The fact that one believer gives say Kshs10,000/- and another Kshs 1000/- does not necessarily suggest that the Kshs 10,000/- guy gave more in God's eyes than the Kshs1000/- guy.

It is possible that the 1000/- giver stretched much harder given his financial or income status.

This was the point that Jesus sought to underscore here! 

Of course some may not agree with my view and that's normal in any discussion forum.

I would welcome any alternative teaching or arguments on this issue provided that they are backed by the relevant Scripture passages.



© Ezekiel Kimosop Teaching Series 2018

How Should Christians Tithe?

HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS TITHE?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

There are two principal interpretations adopted by churches regarding the determination of tithing from income. Let me state at the outset that giving under the covenant of grace is a matter of personal conviction.

TITHE FROM GROSS INCOME

The first view holds that believers should tithe from their gross income or salary or earnings no matter how many deductions are made on the income by way of taxes and loans, statutory payments or expenses.

This is the conservative approach which is also applied to farm produce or animals. Those who subscribe to this view claim that no matter how much one spent in tilling their crop, or rearing their animals, one in every ten animals or bags of produce must be presented to God as a tithe. 
Some Christian traditions consider this approach to be too punitive, unfair and legalistic.

The Bible speaks of the increase of the herd, suggesting that we should probably consider the actual increase or growth in computing earnings or income. For instance, one spends about Kshs 20,000 per acre in tilling maize. Should we overlook these expenses when determining the income during the harvest?

TITHE FROM NET INCOME

The second approach which is popular with liberal churches is to derive the tithe from the net income exclusive of all deductions such as income tax, statutory deductions and loan repayments.

The idea here is that one cannot tithe from what they have "not received" and should not be compelled to borrow for tithe.

This approach is rejected by conservative traditions who consider it as liberal and unbiblical because it ignores the moral obligation to give God what truly belongs to Him.

My concluding view is that believers should tithe "from the heart" and not by mechanical compulsion or coercion.

Whichever method is consistent with one's prudence is fine. The most important thing is to give God with a cheerful heart, knowing that whatever we do for him is never in vain for we shall receive blessings (Malachi 3:10-12; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8).

The believer should be faithful to God to give with consistency and love knowing that all things primarily belong to Him (Psalm 50:10-11) and that God attaches special blessings to those who faithfully and lovingly give.

Remember that the silver and the gold are the LORD'S (Haggai 2:8). We are merely stewards of God's resources at our disposal!

SHOULD WE TITHE FROM LOANS AND DONATIONS?

There is considerable debate concerning whether or not believers should tithe from loan income. one forum member once raised this question but I have not been successful in tracing my response to him.

Some church ministers insist that believers should tithe from practically anything they receive such that some believers are careful to tithe anything ranging from Sacco and bank loans to gifts and donations!

My considered view is that there is no moral justification for tithing from a loan or donations given for a specific need. The loan is a debt rather than a true income and since the believer regularly repays the loan from their disposable income which is already subject to tithe, it is unfair to insist on tithing from loans.

I believe that the demand for tithes from loans and donations is motivated by either ignorance or greed. However those who have the conviction to tithe from loans and donations are at liberty to do so.

Investment income or interest from loan investments, net of repayments debts, should however be subject to the tithe since they constitute legitimate earnings.

Again every believer should have their personal convictions on giving to God and should not be compelled into paying tithes or even making any church contributions against their wish.

Some believers claim that tithing is no longer applicable to the church. I have responded to this claim.

We should all lovingly give to God from an attitude of worship and gratitude. We should not be motivated by mechanical compliance or personal show or acclaim but by our love for Him who died for us.

Shalom

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2019

Understanding the Holy Trinity

UNDERSTANDING THE HOLY TRINITY

By Ezekiel Kimosop

The Trinitarian revelation of God as taught in the Bible is a complex theological mystery which may not be fully comprehensible to our limited human faculties.

This is the reason that the Bible speaks of "the mystery of God" in Colossians 2:2 with regard to the relationship between Jesus Christ and God the Father.

There are several other passages of the Bible where the relationship between the Godhead is revealed as a mystery. Colossians 1:26 speaks of the Gospel as a "mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints."

This is not to suggest that God is completely incomprehensible! We can sufficiently understand the divine revelation of biblical truth because the Holy Spirit helps us to discern all things that our heavenly Father has liberally given to His children in Scripture.

Some have associated the Trinity to the analogy of body, soul and spirit in an attempt to demystify it. However, unlike the human elements of body, soul and spirit which are united at birth and are separated on death, the trinitarian existence of God in three self existing Divine Persons, who share full and equal divinity with each other, is an eternal relationship, without beginning or end (see Hebrews 18:8; Revelation 1:8).

THE DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST

The eternal sonship of Christ has been the subject of theological debates over the ages. Some Bible scholars insist that Christ received the sonship upon His incarnate coming. However, this would imply that there was a mystical vacuum in the trinitarian essence of the Godhead at some point and that this was remedied only by the incarnation! If Christ was at one time deficient in His Sonship, then His divinity as God the Son is doubtful.

Jesus revealed His pre-incarnate divine essence when answering the stubborn Jews. He says "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:48). By this statement, Jesus implied that He is and was God even before His incarnation. Some have construed Christ's redemption works as the exclusive evidence of His revelation.

However, when scripture speaks of Christ as the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8), this affirms His eternal relationship with God the Father. My view is that Christ Sonship was and is eternally established. There was not one time in divinity that Jesus was not God! 

Watch this...

1 Timothy 3:16, speaking of the divinity and humanity of Christ declares: "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory."

This statement has clear implications on Christ's divinity. He was God revealed or manifested in the flesh. In Jesus' incarnate nature, God the Father remained on His throne in heaven. The Holy Spirit affirmed Jesus' deity, divinity and His divine works. God proclaims in Luke 3:22 "You are My beloved son; in You I am well pleased.” If the Trinity was false as Modalism claims, how could God speak of Himself in this context?

In Evangelical theology we subscribe to the view that neither member of the Holy Trinity is divinely inferior or superior to the other. The Three Divine Persons eternally coexist as the Godhead and are eternal united as One. This unity is an important biblical truth. The Godhead is full of all divine essence and is possessed of infinite holiness and perfection.

However, for the purposes of accomplishing the works of the cross, Jesus Christ who is God the Son, voluntarily submitted His will to God the Father and took upon Himself human flesh and came in the form of a man so that He was fully man and fully God at the same time (Philippians 2:1-10). This is the foundation of the hypostatic union doctrine that recognize the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ in His incarnation. He was 100% God and 100% man in His incarnation. How the two natures intertwined or related remains a divine mystery.

This is a fundamental truth of the doctrine of the incarnation of Jesus Christ as taught in several passages of the New Testament Scripture. The incarnate Christ was revealed in human flesh, yet He was and is eternally full of all divine essence as God.

Most Christian heresies centre on the misrepresentation of this trinitarian relationship. For instance, the Mormons (aka The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) and the Jehovah's Witnesses deny the divinity of Jesus Christ.

It is instructive that Jesus suffered and died on the cross to take away our sins. However, Jesus never lost His divinity, not even at the cross! This is at the heart of biblical truth.

We believe in the eternal Sonship of Christ; that He eternally pre-existed as God the Son even before the incarnation and that His full divine glory which He left in heaven, was restored to Him by God the Father upon His Ascension to heaven.

THE DIVINITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit on His part is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. He is full of all divine essence. He voluntarily submits to God the Son and God the Father and is the Superintendent of the Church. He is God's representative who took the place of Christ when Christ returned to heaven. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, our Comforter, our Teacher (Read John 14:16-31, 16:7).

Jesus affirmed the divinity of the Holy Spirit in Matthew 12:32, saying, "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come."

The Holy Spirit is also revealed as the divine spokesperson of Christ and of God the Father (see the address to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor in Revelation 2-3).

For detailed information on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, I wish to refer the reader to the "Listening and Doing Statement of Faith" in the album section of my Facebook teaching forum called LISTENING AND DOING BIBLICAL DISCUSSION FORUM. Ask to join. 

I have extensively delved on the Trinitarian revelation of God in that page.

Let me conclude by stating that whereas we may never fully comprehend the relationship between members of the Godhead, perhaps until we appear before Christ in glory, we can at least appreciate the truths revealed in the Bible which are sufficient for our understanding of God's will and for our Christian obedience.

Shalom

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2019

Is the doctrine of spiritual altars biblical?

BEWARE OF MAN-MADE SPIRITUAL ALTARS! CHRIST WAS AND IS THE FINAL SACRIFICE

By Ezekiel Kimosop

I have come across a debate on Facebook regarding the admissibility of spiritual altars in church sanctuaries.

My view is that spiritual altars are part of a set of occult practices that have been surreptitously or stealthily introduced into Christian worship. They corrupt our worship.

Those promoting these practices are inescapably drawing abominations into the Christian faith while puporting to speak the mind of God. They are attempting to add to what Christ has already accomplish for us at the cross!

The truth is that Christ was and is the final sacrifice from God who was offered by our heavenly Father for our redemption. He was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8)

Christ is God's exclusive sacrificial Lamb who was crucified for us at the cross of Calvary once and for all. His atonement was sufficient and efficacious.

In Christ, we meet God through our covenant relationship that was made possible through His shed blood.

We therefore do not require any other sacrifice or medium to reach God. Christ alone is the answer.

Jesus cried at the cross saying "it is finished!" (John 19:30).

What was finished?

1) Our separation from God on account of sinful condemnation was decidedly finished! God's wrath was appeased in Christ and those who come to Christ by faith are counted as His covenant children (John 1:12).

2) The Levitical ritual practices for the atonement of sin were finished in Christ. Never again would these practices be required by God for the atonement of our sins!

Hebrews 9:13-15 says: "For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance."

3) We were once and for all fully and totally redeemed and liberated from any sinful condemnation.

Romans 8:1-4 says: "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Stay blessed.

Do we have living Apostles in the Church Today?

DO WE HAVE LIVING APOSTLES IN THE CHURCH TODAY?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Today we have several pentecostal and charismatic church leaders who refer to themselves as apostles.

Evangelical traditions insist that there is no living Apostle....

Which position represents the biblical standing on this issue?

My submission is that there are no living apostles today and here is my biblical thesis for this conclusion.

1) The total number of apostles called by Christ were initially 12 in number. Mathias was appointed by the Jerusalem Church to replace Judas Iscariot. This replacement was predicted by Psalm 65:25; 109:8. The two Scriptures were cited by Peter as an authority for the apostolic replacement of Judas.

2) Paul was later called by Christ in person in Acts 9:1-19 as an apostle to the Gentiles, bringing the number of persons appointed to apostolic office to 13 before Acts 12:2.

3) Peter was the head of the Jerusalem church with an apostolic council consisting of himself, Apostle John and Apostle James who was martyred in Acts 12:2.

4) During the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15, James the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ had risen to prominence and was the one who delivered the resolutions of the Council. He was nowhere described or introduced in Scripture las an apostle.

5) James later wrote the Epistle of James in which he never laid any claim to apostolic stature or office.

6) None of the early church fathers considered James as an Apostle. He was therefore not an apostle of Jesus Christ within the meaning of Acts 1.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR APOSTOLIC OFFICE

Now let us return to the passage of context of Acts 1:1-23 which describes the appointment of Matthias.

The rules for the appointment of an apostle were outlined by Peter in the passage of Acts 1:21-22 where Scripture teaches that a person entitled to apostolic office must satisfy the following:

A) He must be "one who accompanied us". This implies that the candidate should be a member of the Jerusalem church community as then existed, and was identified with the disciples from the commencement of Jesus' earthly ministry, starting with the baptism of John until the ascension of Christ.

B) He must have witnessed the Risen Christ in person.

Justus and Mathias met these requirements and Matthias was picked through the casting of lots.

Several other disciples could have satisfied the requirements as well but only one was required to replace Judas.

Unfortunately, none of the present day claimants to the title and office of apostle can meet the strict requirements set out in the above passage!

At best, they are qualify as bishops.

SHOULD CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES BE CONSIDERED APOSTLES?

Now to respond to the view that other apostles were appointed and sent by the Holy Spirit.

Yes Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Tychicus, Priscilla, Aquila Apollos and several other Christian missionaries and disciples mentioned in the New Testament Scripture were no doubt led by the Holy Spirit in their missionary journeys.

This leading is true of missionaries and church ministers today as well.

There is however no reference to their apostolic stature, not even in Romans 16.

None of those listed in that passage such as Phoebe, Priscilla and Aquila, Epaenetus, Mary Andronicus and Junias etc are introduced or even remotely mentioned or identified as apostles.

Paul was careful in his letters to indicate his apostolic title but used other references to introduce his fellow ministers such as Timothy or Titus that he fondly referred to  as "faithful minister", "beloved brother" "yokefellow", etc.

This distinction was significant. These ministry companions of Paul were not called by Christ into apostolic office and were therefore not apostles in the context of Acts 1:1-23 or Acts 9.

Only two of these non apostolic ministers wrote New Testament Scripture. These are James and Jude who respectively introduce themselves as "a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (James 1:1) and "a bondservant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James" (Jude 1:1).

CONCLUSION

It appears from our analysis that ministers who today adorn apostolic titles may have watered down the distinction between those sent into church missionary service and those specifically called into the apostolic office by Christ in person and who are established in accordance with the rule in Acts 1:21-22.

Only Paul's case was exceptional as can be identified in Acts 9:1-19. Paul was called by Christ in person and his apostolic stature is not in doubt.

There is also no evidence in Scripture to suggest that the Holy Spirit calls leaders into apostolic office.

The Holy Spirit simply leads us in our walk with God and in ministry service.

The fact that the Holy Spirit spoke concerning the setting apart of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13:1-3 does not constitute an apostolic appointment. If this were the case, why was Barnabas not henceforth referred to as an apostle alongside Paul?

If we ignore or dismiss clear rules outlined in Scripture for our convenience we shall end up distorting biblical truth to agree with our narrow denominational or sect doctrines.

My humble submission is that there are no living apostles today in so far the revelation of New Testament Scripture is concerned and that the office of apostle ceased after the New Testament period.

I further submit that there is no historical evidence of apostolic succession after the New Testament Church period. None of the church fathers made any mention of an Apostle serving in their time.

The requirements for persons to be appointed to the office of Bishop/Overseer and Deacon are outlined in 1Timothy 3:1-13 and in Titus 1:6-7. Even under these passages, no mention is made of the appointment of apostles   in church congregations.

The mention of the office of apostle in Ephesians 4:11 along with other church ministry offices cannot be a justification for continuing apostolic office in total disregard of the authority in Acts 1 and Acts 9.

At the time that Ephesians was written, most of the apostles were still alive and were rightfully part of the New Testament Church officers.

It is my hope that this statement clarifies the scriptural position on the apostolic office.

Of course I am aware that some will disagree with my submission and that's perfectly in order. I would welcome a biblical reasoned dissenting opinion on this topic.

The Two Dimensions of Christian Sanctification

THE TWO PARADIGMS OF CHRISTIAN SANCTIFICATION

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

Sanctification is the process of spiritual transformation by which a sinner is graciously set apart through the atoning power of the finished works of the cross from a sinful vessel to a child of God.

At corporate level, believers collectively constitute a community of God's people (1 Peter 2:9).

The Bible reveals two dimensions of Christian sanctification. We have the positional and progressive dimensions.

Both types of sanctification are biblical. Let's briefly outline them below.

POSITIONAL SANCTIFICATION

Every believer experiences positional sanctification or justification once they come into saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Their legal standing in Christ is eternally secured. They are therefore guaranteed eternal life because the substitutional power of the atoning works of the cross has taken away their condemnation. The wrath of God no longer rests on them. They are free indeed!

Scripture affirms in Ephesians 4:30 that believers have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for redemption so that, as Romans 8:1-4 declares, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

This is further upheld by 2 Cor. 5:17.

PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION

The second dimension of sanctification relates to the believer being set apart for God. The believer then embarks on a life-long spiritual journey that continues throughout their earthly lives as Christ shall tarry.

The believer is instructed in biblical truth and daily grows in the knowledge of Christ through the revelation of His word and in spiritual intimacy with God through devotion and worship. Romans 8:28-30 reveals that our spiritual growth is progressive as we are daily conformed or shaped by the Holy Spirit into the likeness of Christ.

The believer does not experience spiritual perfection or purity of holiness because he relies on the grace of God to walk in obedience. This is the foundation of the Christian community life. 

Christian fellowship lies at the foundation of this truth. This is the basis of the biblical ekklesia, the Church who together are the called out; people who hitherto were lost in sinful disobedience but who by God's grace are now part of God's divine household.

Romans 8:14-17 says "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."