HOW SHOULD WE EXERCISE OUR LIBERTY IN CHRIST?
By Ezekiel Kimosop
Galatians 5:1 says "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage" (NKJV).
What can we draw from this Scripture?
This scripture underscores the liberty that we have in Christ which was brought to us by His finished works of Calvary. It calls on us to stand steadfast in the liberty, the divine freedom that Christ brought to us. He redeemed us through His sinless blood (Acts 20:28-29).
However, the Bible elsewhere proclaims that our freedom in Christ is subject to the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2 says "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
This scripture speaks about our Christian responsibility to one another, to cherish and support one another in our walk of faith, including restoring the erring (cf. James 5:19-20).
I wish to summarize the exercise of our spiritual liberty in the context of three key areas of focus:
A) OUR LOVE FOR GOD.
This is the covenant love for our heavenly Father who gave a ransom for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8).
We should cherish our relationship with God by watching our devotion to Him in worship and in the exhortations of Scripture.
B) OUR LOVE FOR THE SAINTS.
We are members of God's household of which Christ is the first born among many brethren, the first born from the dead (Rom. 8:29; Rev. 1:5). He is the firstfruits of those who will be raised to eternal life in Christ. We are therefore bound by our brotherly love to reach out to one another in Christ.
Our loving relationship with one another is evidence of what Christ has accomplished in us. Jesus taught in in John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
C) OUR LOVE FOR OTHERS.
Our love for God should propel us to obey the great command in Matthew 28:19-20.
God has put in our hearts the desire to reach out to the lost with the gospel.
How should we accomplish this task? Not all of us are evangelists or pastors or Christian missionaries, but we are all required to witness for Christ in our respective spheres of influence. We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20).
This task can only be accomplished through our love for the lost, knowing that God seeks to touch them as he did us in Christ.
Paul was commanded by Christ on the road to Damascus to take the gospel to the Gentiles so that God may "... open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me" (Acts 26:18).
CONCLUSION
Our liberty in Christ is governed by the agape love from God that expects nothing in return.
Our freedom in Christ is therefore subject to what pleases God and fulfills His divine purposes through us.
We are not to abuse our freedom by moral disobedience or rebellion under the guise of the OSAS slang that says "once saved always saved". There are plain consequences for our moral disobedience that are plainly stated in the Bible.
Let us therefore exercise our spiritual freedom in wisdom and seek to please our heavenly Father.
Have a blessed weekend.
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
The Growing Church - A Study of Colossians 1:1-14
THE GROWING CHURCH - A STUDY OF COLOSSIANS 1:1-14.
By Ezekiel Kimosop
INTRODUCTION
Bible scholars say the Letter to the Colossians was written around 60 AD during Paul's first imprisonment when he was under house arrest (Acts 28:16-31). Colosse was a city in Asia Minor (present day Turkey), which was located on the Lycus River on the great east-west trade route from Ephesus on the Aegean Sea to the Euphrates. The Letter was written to encourage the Colossians in their walk of faith and to contend with early Gnostic heresy that was prevalent at the time. Bible scholars consider Colossians 1:15-18 as evidence that Paul was defending the divinity and preeminence of Jesus Christ whose incarnate coming was under philosophical scrutiny by the enemies of the Christian faith.
Gnostics were a Christian sect that denied the humanity of Christ, thus casting doubt on His divinity and the efficacy and theological validity of His atoning works. They could not reconcile the incarnate coming of Christ because Greek philosophy rejected the idea that the divine could incubate human flesh, which was considered sinful. John refutes Gnosticism in 1 John 4:1-3 saying, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world" (NKJV).
PASSAGE ANALYSIS
The salutation section is conveyed in vv. 1-2. Timothy is acknowledged in the Letter, not because he co-authored it with Paul but because he was a high ranking minister who happened to have been present with Paul when he wrote the Letter. Paul introduces himself as "an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God..." (v.1). This statement is significant because some church leaders initially doubted Paul's apostolic stature (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:9-10). The Colossians are described as "saints and faithful brethren" (v.2). Paul affirms this Christian community as a legitimate communion of God's faithful people.
In the passage of Colossians 1:3-8, Paul thanks God for the spiritual growth of the Colossian Christian community and reveals that he regularly prayed for them. He begins by appreciating the Colossians for the fellowship they shared with him in Christ even though he was locked up in prison in Rome. Paul's confidence demonstrates that no circumstances, however unpleasant, can take away our Christian fellowship and identity in Christ. The free and the bound share equal heritage in Christ.
Paul reveals that the Colossians had grown in faith and in their love towards all the saints (vv. 3-4). This is evidence of their spiritual maturity as a Christian community and their ministry outreach to neighboring Christian communities. This is precisely what ought to identify any growing Christian community. As they grow deeper in Christ, they grow wider in taking the gospel to the unreached and in edifying the saints.
Paul admits that the Colossians were beneficiaries of God's saving grace in the gospel of Jesus Christ which was brought to them. The gospel had spread far and wide, thanks to faithful Christian missionaries that Paul had raised in ministry such as Epaphras (vv. 5-6). Bible scholars believe Paul wrote the Letter to the Colossians alongside the Letter to the Ephesians to encourage the respective Christian communities to reject Gnostic heresy that had reared its head. This possibly explains his distinct focus on high Christology, which is the theological defense of the divinity of Christ and His mission to humanity (cf. Colossians 1:15-23). This teaching mirrors on the building of the Christian community in sound doctrine (Ephesians 4:11-16). The Letters to Colossians and Ephesians are theological intertwined. They focus on the essence of the gospel as a pivotal tool for Christian growth.
Christian heresy is a growing concern in our contemporary religious space. Many false teachers today masquerade as apostles and prophets and draw huge crowds of followers who are unable to discern the spiritual poison that they regularly feed on. Others control the airwaves and doll out false teachings. We should defend the sanctity and purity of the gospel that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). This is a divine duty from which the true followers of Christ should never shy away.
Epaphras is described as "a faithful minister of Christ" (v.7). This confirms that he was more than an emissary from Colosse. He faithfully stood out for the Colossians in edifying and admonishing them in truth. The stature of an effective church minister is primarily marked out by their diligence and devotion to the regular and consistent exhortation of his congregation in the truths of God's word. He should grow believers in the knowledge of Christ.
Paul deeply longed to see the Colossians. He looked forward to witnessing for himself what he had heard from Epaphras who is here introduced as a faithful minister among the Colossians. He was possibly the overseer of the Colossian congregation. This stands out Epaphras as a faithful teacher of the word of God.
Elsewhere in the New Testament Scripture, we learn that Epaphras was present when Paul wrote the Letter of Philemon. At that point in time, Epaphras was imprisoned alongside Paul (Philemon 1:23). The Letter of Philemon was possibly written after the Letter to the Colossians. Paul had apparently sent Epaphras to minister to the Colossians and he had come to Rome to check on the welfare of the Apostle Paul who was by then under restriction by the Roman authorities for preaching the gospel (vv. 7-8). Epaphras was possibly the bearer of the Letter to the Colossians. By this time, Epaphras had been freed from prison.
Colossians 1:9-11 captures Paul's utmost wishes for the Colossians. He prays that the Colossians "...may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy" (NKJV).
This statement is significant in underscoring Paul's apostolic concern for this growing Christian community. His utmost desire was that the Colossians may continue to abound in Christ and walk worthy of Him. It reflects Paul's earnest desire to strengthen the Colossians in the knowledge of Christ. This is what stands out in his exhortation. He was aware that believers were undergoing difficult times. They had to contend with widespread heresy and perhaps Christian persecution as a young Christian community. Christian heresy should be refuted and rejected by right standing Christian communities.
Let us briefly evaluate the passage of Colossians 1:9-11.
Paul prayed that the Colossians may walk worthy of the Lord. This prayer concerns their moral conduct in a sinful world. A Christian community should watch lest they bring disrepute to the body of Christ and hinder their Christian witness in their society of context. They should be pleasing unto Christ, holding Him in esteem and awe as Lord and Savior (v. 10). They ought to be fruitful in every good work. This fruitfulness should be understood in the context the things of God, the work of ministry. It has little to do with material prosperity per se as some have suggested. Our fruitfulness is measured by our spiritual maturity and Christian service.
The Colossians also ought to "increase in the knowledge of God" (v.10). This refers to the spiritual maturity that comes from the dedicated study of the word of God and obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Believers should feed on the balanced truths of God's word through individual devotion, regular fellowship (Acts 2:42-47) and congregational admonition (Ephesians 4:12-16). They should discern the leading of the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter and Helper (John 14). Believers should therefore regularly edify and admonish one another in the way of Christ (Colossians 3:16). This is the surest way to stay steadfast and keep our focus on the narrow path.
Finally, Paul prays that the Colossians may be "strengthened in all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy" (v.11). This spiritual empowerment comes from a life that is yielded to Christ in truth, It is informed by our submission to Christ and the commitment to the devotional study and the application of the truths of His word (Psalm 119:10-12, 105). It is exemplified by a life of patience with God even in times of trials and afflictions (James 1:2-4). It takes God's empowering grace to keep believers walking in truth in a crooked world.
Colossians 1:12-14 says "...giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."
The concluding section of this passage recognizes that a life that is increasingly transformed in Christ is evidenced by a thankful heart. The Colossians, like us, were privileged to be partakers of the heavenly heritage in Christ that was drawn from the finished works of the cross at Calvary. We are beneficiaries of God's unmerited grace in Christ Jesus. Our sinful condemnation was taken away at the cross of Calvary so that we are now freed from the bondage of sin (Romans 8:1-2). We received God's transforming grace once we submitted to Christ in faith (2 Corinthians 5:17). God delivered us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light; from death to life; from despair to the eternal hope in Christ; from sinners to saints! Praise God!
Glory to God indeed for the glorious work of redemption in Christ! Christian sanctification continues to the day that Christ shall appear to take away His church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It is a life long experience. Up till then, we ought to watch and pray even as we faithfully serve God.
Are you growing in the knowledge of Christ? Are you faithfully serving God with your gifts and talents?
We should never neglect opportunities for building our faith in Christ. No matter how long they have walked with Christ, no believer outgrows the Christian maturity and sanctification process! Instead, we should seek to be daily conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).
Keep it Christ!
Shalom
© Ezekiel Kimosop 2019.
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Who Should Partake of the Table??
BQ NO 92 - WHAT ARE THE BIBLICAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR PARTAKING IN THE LORD'S TABLE? WHEN IS IT EXPEDIENT FOR A BELIEVER TO WITHDRAW FROM THE LORD'S TABLE?
By Ezekiel Kimosop
PART 1: QUALIFICATIONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE LORD'S TABLE
My study of Scripture reveals that there are three primary qualifications that Scripture prescribes for one to access the Lord's Table.
1) One must have saving faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches that we are saved by grace through faith. It is not by works.
2) He should have been baptized in accordance with the teaching of Scripture.
3) He should also be a member of a distinct Christian community.
These are the same thresholds for basic Christian obedience.
Being a member of a Christian congregation affords us edification and spiritual accountability in our walk with Christ.
This them implies that one must have satisfied the biblical requirements of salvation by faith in Christ alone and has been baptized and admitted into fellowship by their congregation.
Each Christian community have their established traditions touching on admission to the Lord's Table which are intended to bring honor to Christ.
For instance, traditional Evangelical churches would not permit a believer to partake of the Lord's Table until he or she is affirmed by the congregation and is baptized through water immersion.
There is divided opinion among some traditions on what constitutes quintessential biblical baptism.
Some traditional churches insist that water baptism was not expressly commanded in Scripture. They simply sprinke water or place a mark on the forehead of the believer as evidence of Christian baptism.
Others require that the believer undergoes an elaborate confirmation process before being admitted into the church communion.
Pentecostal traditions baptize by water immersion but do not recognize baptism as a prerequisite for admission into the Holy Communion.
They only insist on public confession of salvation by faith in Christ.
Both Evangelical and Pentecostal traditions are however agreed on the necessity of salvation by faith in Christ which must be affirmed through public confession as the evidence of new birth in Christ which must be accompanied by biblical moral living (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Both traditions also conduct water baptism through immersion and will not recognize any other method of baptism.
My view is that we should respect our church traditions provided that they are godly and are consistent with biblical truth.
I subscribe to the Evangelical tradition and it is my personal conviction that there is no basis for a believer accessing the Lord's Table without being baptized by water immersion in the same manner that Christ was baptized in the Jordan and the Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized by Philip in a place with much water.
The believer should also have been affirmed by his or her church congregation as a bona fide member. My view is that there is no such thing as private Christianity! No person who genuinely belongs to Christ can wilfully reject church fellowship.
Why do Evangelical churches insist on the prerequisite of water baptism before admission to the Lord's Table?
This is because the two ordinances of baptism and holy communion were commanded by Christ and we should therefore unquestioningly obey our Master (Matthew 28:19-20).
I hope I have somehow addressed the first question.
PART 2 - WHEN IS IT EXPEDIENT FOR A BELIEVER TO WITHDRAW FROM THE LORD'S TABLE?
Now turning to the second question, I wish to state that this is a fairly difficult question. We can nonetheless identify some biblical guidelines on certain circumstances when it may be necessary for a believer to withdraw from the Holy Communion. Thankfully, such occasions are uncommon.
My view is that a believer should not withdraw from the Lord's Table except under the following exceptional circumstances:
1) If they are under church discipline. Once a believer has been suspended from church fellowship, they should withdraw from Holy Communion during the period of suspension until they are restored by the church. This practice is finds support in 1 Corinthians 5:1-9 regarding the immoral brother.
Paul instructed the Corinthian assembly to suspend the immoral brother. The object of the suspension is stated in 1 Corinthians 5:4-5.
He was later restored in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11.
Once the immoral brother was removed from church fellowship, this automatically disqualified him from participating in the Holy Communion celebration. Other restrictions may apply including suspension from church leadership positions.
Again this withdrawal is a sign of humility and spiritual submission that is intended to bring honor to Christ and His finished works of the cross.
2) Where the believer is the subject of the proceedings of a church tribunal which is inquiring on a matter touching on their moral conduct.
This is not to suggest that the believer is guilty of misconduct at this point but that the withdrawal serves to free their conscience and to preserve the Christian witness and to warn others (cf. 1 Timothy 5:19).
Once the tribunal proceedings are concluded and a verdict is rendered, and the believer is absolved, then he should be readmitted into fellowship and into Holy Communion.
3) Where the believer determines under a private and personal conviction that it would be inappropriate to approach the Lord's Table on account of a personal conflict that is within their exclusive knowledge and for which their conscience is not reconciled.
The Bible says in Romans 14:22-23 "....happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith, for whatever is not of faith is sin".
This passage touched on food offered to idols which Paul taught that believers were free to partake unless they have some condemnation on the same.
Scripture also requires us to search our hearts and be reconciled with God so that our consciences do not condemn us (1 John 3:20-21)
Some personal conflicts may require pastoral counseling.
Whatever the circumstances, the Lord's Table must be approached with honor and reverence to Christ in whose memory the celebration is conducted.
This is not to suggest that only sinless or perfect Christians should participate in the Holy communion!
The Bible expressly confirms that none of us is without sin (1 John 1:8-10). We should therefore confess our sins whenever we come before the Lord.
We can only access the presence of God purely at His invitation and by His grace.
The Bible however warns that we should not partake of the Lord's Table irreverently or in a dishonorable manner because this may carry grave consequences for those who knowingly do so (1 Corinthians 11:23-27).
This is why churches have a calendar for the Holy Communion and each believer is expected to prepare themselves ahead of each celebration.
We ought therefore to examine ourselves and if there is any unconfessed sin or unresolved conflict or any disobedience to God for which the Holy Spirit manifestly convicts us, then we should address them instead of waiting until the 11th hour and walk away when the Table is being served!
The story is told of one pastor who was about to conduct the celebration of the Holy Communion and he recalled a domestic conflict he had with his wife that morning.
The pastor sought forgiveness from her at the pews and went on to preside over the celebration of the Lord's Table with a clear conscience.
My view is that when believers choose to walk away from the gathering of the Holy Communion without a legitimate reason, this does not advance our Christian witness.
When one persistently withdraws from Holy Communion yet they are not under discipline, this may be a pointer to some spiritual conflict that needs to be confronted.
The Holy Communion is, in my view, the highest expression of unity between believers and our Lord. It is the moment in which we recall His sacrificial works by which He mercifully reached out to us and rescued us. It is the celebration of our unity in Christ as one body of people who have been redeemed by Christ and who eternally belong to Him (Ephesians 4:30).
The Holy Communion mirrors the eternal Union that we shall enjoy in the presence of Christ in Revelation 21. It is a mirror of heaven on earth, so to speak.
By Ezekiel Kimosop
PART 1: QUALIFICATIONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE LORD'S TABLE
My study of Scripture reveals that there are three primary qualifications that Scripture prescribes for one to access the Lord's Table.
1) One must have saving faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches that we are saved by grace through faith. It is not by works.
2) He should have been baptized in accordance with the teaching of Scripture.
3) He should also be a member of a distinct Christian community.
These are the same thresholds for basic Christian obedience.
Being a member of a Christian congregation affords us edification and spiritual accountability in our walk with Christ.
This them implies that one must have satisfied the biblical requirements of salvation by faith in Christ alone and has been baptized and admitted into fellowship by their congregation.
Each Christian community have their established traditions touching on admission to the Lord's Table which are intended to bring honor to Christ.
For instance, traditional Evangelical churches would not permit a believer to partake of the Lord's Table until he or she is affirmed by the congregation and is baptized through water immersion.
There is divided opinion among some traditions on what constitutes quintessential biblical baptism.
Some traditional churches insist that water baptism was not expressly commanded in Scripture. They simply sprinke water or place a mark on the forehead of the believer as evidence of Christian baptism.
Others require that the believer undergoes an elaborate confirmation process before being admitted into the church communion.
Pentecostal traditions baptize by water immersion but do not recognize baptism as a prerequisite for admission into the Holy Communion.
They only insist on public confession of salvation by faith in Christ.
Both Evangelical and Pentecostal traditions are however agreed on the necessity of salvation by faith in Christ which must be affirmed through public confession as the evidence of new birth in Christ which must be accompanied by biblical moral living (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Both traditions also conduct water baptism through immersion and will not recognize any other method of baptism.
My view is that we should respect our church traditions provided that they are godly and are consistent with biblical truth.
I subscribe to the Evangelical tradition and it is my personal conviction that there is no basis for a believer accessing the Lord's Table without being baptized by water immersion in the same manner that Christ was baptized in the Jordan and the Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized by Philip in a place with much water.
The believer should also have been affirmed by his or her church congregation as a bona fide member. My view is that there is no such thing as private Christianity! No person who genuinely belongs to Christ can wilfully reject church fellowship.
Why do Evangelical churches insist on the prerequisite of water baptism before admission to the Lord's Table?
This is because the two ordinances of baptism and holy communion were commanded by Christ and we should therefore unquestioningly obey our Master (Matthew 28:19-20).
I hope I have somehow addressed the first question.
PART 2 - WHEN IS IT EXPEDIENT FOR A BELIEVER TO WITHDRAW FROM THE LORD'S TABLE?
Now turning to the second question, I wish to state that this is a fairly difficult question. We can nonetheless identify some biblical guidelines on certain circumstances when it may be necessary for a believer to withdraw from the Holy Communion. Thankfully, such occasions are uncommon.
My view is that a believer should not withdraw from the Lord's Table except under the following exceptional circumstances:
1) If they are under church discipline. Once a believer has been suspended from church fellowship, they should withdraw from Holy Communion during the period of suspension until they are restored by the church. This practice is finds support in 1 Corinthians 5:1-9 regarding the immoral brother.
Paul instructed the Corinthian assembly to suspend the immoral brother. The object of the suspension is stated in 1 Corinthians 5:4-5.
He was later restored in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11.
Once the immoral brother was removed from church fellowship, this automatically disqualified him from participating in the Holy Communion celebration. Other restrictions may apply including suspension from church leadership positions.
Again this withdrawal is a sign of humility and spiritual submission that is intended to bring honor to Christ and His finished works of the cross.
2) Where the believer is the subject of the proceedings of a church tribunal which is inquiring on a matter touching on their moral conduct.
This is not to suggest that the believer is guilty of misconduct at this point but that the withdrawal serves to free their conscience and to preserve the Christian witness and to warn others (cf. 1 Timothy 5:19).
Once the tribunal proceedings are concluded and a verdict is rendered, and the believer is absolved, then he should be readmitted into fellowship and into Holy Communion.
3) Where the believer determines under a private and personal conviction that it would be inappropriate to approach the Lord's Table on account of a personal conflict that is within their exclusive knowledge and for which their conscience is not reconciled.
The Bible says in Romans 14:22-23 "....happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith, for whatever is not of faith is sin".
This passage touched on food offered to idols which Paul taught that believers were free to partake unless they have some condemnation on the same.
Scripture also requires us to search our hearts and be reconciled with God so that our consciences do not condemn us (1 John 3:20-21)
Some personal conflicts may require pastoral counseling.
Whatever the circumstances, the Lord's Table must be approached with honor and reverence to Christ in whose memory the celebration is conducted.
This is not to suggest that only sinless or perfect Christians should participate in the Holy communion!
The Bible expressly confirms that none of us is without sin (1 John 1:8-10). We should therefore confess our sins whenever we come before the Lord.
We can only access the presence of God purely at His invitation and by His grace.
The Bible however warns that we should not partake of the Lord's Table irreverently or in a dishonorable manner because this may carry grave consequences for those who knowingly do so (1 Corinthians 11:23-27).
This is why churches have a calendar for the Holy Communion and each believer is expected to prepare themselves ahead of each celebration.
We ought therefore to examine ourselves and if there is any unconfessed sin or unresolved conflict or any disobedience to God for which the Holy Spirit manifestly convicts us, then we should address them instead of waiting until the 11th hour and walk away when the Table is being served!
The story is told of one pastor who was about to conduct the celebration of the Holy Communion and he recalled a domestic conflict he had with his wife that morning.
The pastor sought forgiveness from her at the pews and went on to preside over the celebration of the Lord's Table with a clear conscience.
My view is that when believers choose to walk away from the gathering of the Holy Communion without a legitimate reason, this does not advance our Christian witness.
When one persistently withdraws from Holy Communion yet they are not under discipline, this may be a pointer to some spiritual conflict that needs to be confronted.
The Holy Communion is, in my view, the highest expression of unity between believers and our Lord. It is the moment in which we recall His sacrificial works by which He mercifully reached out to us and rescued us. It is the celebration of our unity in Christ as one body of people who have been redeemed by Christ and who eternally belong to Him (Ephesians 4:30).
The Holy Communion mirrors the eternal Union that we shall enjoy in the presence of Christ in Revelation 21. It is a mirror of heaven on earth, so to speak.
You Are Never Alone
GOD ETERNALLY WATCHES OVER HIS SAINTS!
By Ezekiel Kimosop
Nothing is perhaps more assuring in our walk of obedience in Christ than to know that God eternally watches over those who have a covenant relationship with Him.
Psalm 121 and other relevant passages of Scripture gives this assurance.
Nothing ever happens to the children God without His foreknowledge and permissive will. No matter what pain or affiliations we go through God always walks with us. If only we can discern this truth!
There are circumstances in our lives when we find ourselves in situations of doubt; when the world seems to collapse upon us. The enemy takes advantage of these situations to discourage us and cause us to doubt God.
However, such situations are temporal because God will finally come for us and we shall rejoice in Him, knowing that His purposes have been served in our affiliations.
God will never permit a situation that overuns our faith. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
Any afflictions we suffer are only meant to serve God's divine purposes for us. They are NEVER intended to destroy us!
We serve a great God who sovereignly reigns over all dominions and whose word must be fulfilled in the end.
He is the God of the mountains and the God of the valleys. He will never forsake us or abandon us.
The Syrians learnt a hard lesson when they mocked His name and belittled His power.
1 Kings 20:28-29 says "Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” 29 And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day."
Be encouraged in the LORD as you serve God and worship Him in truth and in spirit. Our eternal destiny is firmly in His hands.
By Ezekiel Kimosop
Nothing is perhaps more assuring in our walk of obedience in Christ than to know that God eternally watches over those who have a covenant relationship with Him.
Psalm 121 and other relevant passages of Scripture gives this assurance.
Nothing ever happens to the children God without His foreknowledge and permissive will. No matter what pain or affiliations we go through God always walks with us. If only we can discern this truth!
There are circumstances in our lives when we find ourselves in situations of doubt; when the world seems to collapse upon us. The enemy takes advantage of these situations to discourage us and cause us to doubt God.
However, such situations are temporal because God will finally come for us and we shall rejoice in Him, knowing that His purposes have been served in our affiliations.
God will never permit a situation that overuns our faith. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
Any afflictions we suffer are only meant to serve God's divine purposes for us. They are NEVER intended to destroy us!
We serve a great God who sovereignly reigns over all dominions and whose word must be fulfilled in the end.
He is the God of the mountains and the God of the valleys. He will never forsake us or abandon us.
The Syrians learnt a hard lesson when they mocked His name and belittled His power.
1 Kings 20:28-29 says "Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” 29 And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day."
Be encouraged in the LORD as you serve God and worship Him in truth and in spirit. Our eternal destiny is firmly in His hands.
Monday, August 19, 2019
Unmasking the "Mighty Prophet"
By Ezekiel Kimosop
INTRODUCTION
I have received some questions seeking my theological opinion on Dr. David Owuor's ministry which is also known as Ministry of Repentance and Holiness. I believe we had handled some aspects of this question under this forum in the past but for the sake of new participants, and in recognition of emerging developments, and the need to interrogate the movement's doctrines and practices, allow me to make a few observations.
I am usually hesitant to make a direct criticism of a particular church ministry or its leader unless there are legitimate and compelling theological reasons for doing so, and especially if the movement exhibits signs of cultic or neo-cultic leanings in its doctrines. I may not sufficiently comprehend the theological foundation and objects of this large Christian sect but I can speak from the much I have managed to gather from its radio broadcasts and my observation of its meetings as well as my interaction with some of its ardent followers and people close to them.
ORIGIN/CLASSIFICATION OF THE MOVEMENT
My view is that Dr David Owuor's religious group is difficult to specifically classify. I cannot for instance tell if it is a Pentecostal, Evangelical or Charismatic model. It appears to fall into the prophetic/apocalyptic group.
I have never come across its statement of faith, if any. Besides, the movement does not appear to host an official website.
To the best of my knowledge, the movement was exclusively founded by Dr. David Owuor who until his self-declared calling to ministry was reportedly a university scholar. His ministry partners, if any, are largely unknown. I have been unable to establish where Dr. Owuor initially worshiped or whether he was raised in a particular Christian tradition before his "calling" to prophetic ministry. His family life is also not publicly known. He hardly introduces members of his family during his meetings.
Is he married or celibate?
I was also unable to establish if he is a graduate of any recognized theological seminary or any ministry mentorship under which he was raised. Dr. Owuor's movement owns a radio station in Nakuru Town known as "Jesus is Lord Radio" that is exclusively dedicated to his ministry broadcasts.
The movement consists of local assembly networks in nearly every part of Kenya. The impact of the movement in rural Kenya is notable. Some Pentecostal/charismatic churches have closed down to join the movement. It appears that the movement focuses on evangelistic approach to church planting. A congregation is established after a major meeting or series of meetings in a particular town or region. I have also observed some unique church planting strategies employed by the movement especially in rural areas where it is rapidly growing and taking over some established Christian communities. Its ministers do not possess any theological training neither are they affiliated to any major religious umbrella body in Kenya. I have also observed that the movement plants churches or "altars" within close proximities of established rural churches where they covertly and even openly poach the faithful.
STRUCTURE AND CHURCH GOVERNMENT
There are no clear ecclesial structures in the movement's congregations, other than the presence of pastors and evangelists and this suggests that there is an apex leadership structure where the prophet has full personal command over the entire ministry. This observation is affirmed by a curious worship tradition where the congregations reportedly listen to Dr. Owuor's recorded teachings during Sunday services. This obscures the authority of its congregational ministers, if any, in proclaiming the mind of God directly to the congregation.
The group appears to subscribe to an egalitarian model of church leadership where men and women serve in the pastorate. It considers itself to be distinct from mainstream Christianity. The movement's followers do not freely mingle with other Christian groups and will not attend worship in any other church except the movement's congregations. This exclusivity is perhaps informed by its unique theology and could explain the lack of cohesive affinities with established Evangelical or Pentecostal groups.
MAJOR MEETINGS
The movement conducts regular conference meetings/crusades from one part of the country to another, usually along major towns. The meetings are open to all movement followers countrywide and this presents logistical nightmares on accommodation and security. During a meeting held at Uhuru Park, Nairobi in 2018, most of the movement's followers slept in the cold for two nights, never mind that some have little kids with them.
On 7th July 2018, the movement caused a traffic gridlock in Nairobi City when nearly one million followers thronged the city to hear their leader speak and to seek miracles. In August 2019, Dr. Owuor held another mammoth rally in Nakuru which closed on 18th August 2019. It was reported that more than 1,250 police officers were engaged in another Nakuru meeting held in 2016, whose key sessions were televised on nationwide media.
The prophet is also a global icon who travels to foreign countries for scheduled conferences and crusades, notably in Europe and South America.
MOVEMENT'S THEOLOGY
As stated earlier, the movement's theology is largely obscure. It is therefore difficult to precisely determine or classify. We can only observe a few strands of its doctrines from the prophet's public teachings and the confessions of his followers. The church teaches salvation by faith through Christ but that is probably where its similarity with mainstream Christian theology terminates. Its eschatological doctrines are largely obscure and hence difficult to piece together. It also practices an unusual type of repentance ritual where the followers put on sackcloth and ashes and match through local towns wailing and weeping ostensibly in mourning for the sins of the community and nation. It appears to portray itself as the crusaders of a new wave of moral consciousness in contemporary religious space.
The group is famed for their overemphasis on miracle healing experience. The followers claim that their leader is gifted with unique powers by which he heals the sick and to prophesies about the immediate and distant future. His followers believe he has power to call down dark clouds and rain from heaven and to raise the dead! These claims have however not been independently verified.
Dr. Owuor is credited with a number of prophecies touching on Kenya and the world, some of which are yet to materialize. One of his famous predictions a few years ago that I can vaguely recollect was that half of the city of Nairobi would collapse under an earthquake which shall be part of God's judgment on Kenyans. It never happened. Some of his faithful later claimed that the prophecy was not necessarily intended to literally occur but was rather symbolic of the spiritual weight of the sin of the nation!
Dr. Owuor once claimed on a live TV interview that his movement was distinct from the other churches because God spoke to him directly in person. He also claimed that God directly called him into prophetic ministry and often speaks to him about the spiritual condition of the nation and conveys prophetic messages for political leaders through him.
Does God speak through a single prophet today?
A few years ago Dr. Owuor organized a national repentance meeting at Uhuru Park, Nairobi. It was attended by tens of thousands of people including top political leaders. No other church ministers were invited to speak during the meeting.
A recent development has placed Dr Owuor's movement in a new theological perspective. The man claims to be one of the two dreaded witnesses of the Lord who are mentioned in Revelation 11. During one of his recent meetings in Nairobi, a journalist questioned this claim, having noticed that the preacher was unaccompanied by the second witness. This apparently angered the preacher and he retorted that there were two witnesses ministering in the meeting, and that one was shorter! Of course no such witness was visible to the audience!
His followers believe that their leader will be heading to Jerusalem at the close of his ministry to preach and that he would be martyred there in accordance with the teaching of Revelation 11. The Bible nowhere teaches or implies that the two witnesses would also minister outside the city contemplated in Revelation 11:1-12 during their forty two months of public ministry. It is instructive that none of the dreaded acts associated with the two witnesses has been witnessed in Dr. Owuor's public ministry!
Dr. Owuor began his ministry as a bishop. He was thereafter referred to as prophet. Then came the superlatives: mighty prophet; mighty mighty prophet of the Lord and Mightiest prophet of the Lord. Mmmhhh. Lately, possibly from 2018, Dr. David Owuor earned a new title: he is referred to as one of the dreaded witnesses of the Lord!
What is his next designation? Is he headed for divinity?
Dr. Owuor recently taught that his followers should not go to God without first hearing from him. This is contrary to the teaching of Scripture in 1 Timothy 2:5 which proclaim that there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
MAJOR MEETINGS
The movement conducts regular conference meetings/crusades from one part of the country to another, usually along major towns. The meetings are open to all movement followers countrywide and this presents logistical nightmares on accommodation and security. During a meeting held at Uhuru Park, Nairobi in 2018, most of the movement's followers slept in the cold for two nights, never mind that some have little kids with them.
On 7th July 2018, the movement caused a traffic gridlock in Nairobi City when nearly one million followers thronged the city to hear their leader speak and to seek miracles. In August 2019, Dr. Owuor held another mammoth rally in Nakuru which closed on 18th August 2019. It was reported that more than 1,250 police officers were engaged in another Nakuru meeting held in 2016, whose key sessions were televised on nationwide media.
The prophet is also a global icon who travels to foreign countries for scheduled conferences and crusades, notably in Europe and South America.
MOVEMENT'S THEOLOGY
As stated earlier, the movement's theology is largely obscure. It is therefore difficult to precisely determine or classify. We can only observe a few strands of its doctrines from the prophet's public teachings and the confessions of his followers. The church teaches salvation by faith through Christ but that is probably where its similarity with mainstream Christian theology terminates. Its eschatological doctrines are largely obscure and hence difficult to piece together. It also practices an unusual type of repentance ritual where the followers put on sackcloth and ashes and match through local towns wailing and weeping ostensibly in mourning for the sins of the community and nation. It appears to portray itself as the crusaders of a new wave of moral consciousness in contemporary religious space.
The group is famed for their overemphasis on miracle healing experience. The followers claim that their leader is gifted with unique powers by which he heals the sick and to prophesies about the immediate and distant future. His followers believe he has power to call down dark clouds and rain from heaven and to raise the dead! These claims have however not been independently verified.
Dr. Owuor is credited with a number of prophecies touching on Kenya and the world, some of which are yet to materialize. One of his famous predictions a few years ago that I can vaguely recollect was that half of the city of Nairobi would collapse under an earthquake which shall be part of God's judgment on Kenyans. It never happened. Some of his faithful later claimed that the prophecy was not necessarily intended to literally occur but was rather symbolic of the spiritual weight of the sin of the nation!
Dr. Owuor once claimed on a live TV interview that his movement was distinct from the other churches because God spoke to him directly in person. He also claimed that God directly called him into prophetic ministry and often speaks to him about the spiritual condition of the nation and conveys prophetic messages for political leaders through him.
During the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020, Dr. Owuor reportedly claimed God permitted him to release the epidemic on the world as part of God's judgment. These strange claims are the subject of debate in Christian circles. He has lately gone silent, no longer hosting public meetings.
Does God speak through a single prophet today?
A few years ago Dr. Owuor organized a national repentance meeting at Uhuru Park, Nairobi. It was attended by tens of thousands of people including top political leaders. No other church ministers were invited to speak during the meeting.
A recent development has placed Dr Owuor's movement in a new theological perspective. The man claims to be one of the two dreaded witnesses of the Lord who are mentioned in Revelation 11. During one of his recent meetings in Nairobi, a journalist questioned this claim, having noticed that the preacher was unaccompanied by the second witness. This apparently angered the preacher and he retorted that there were two witnesses ministering in the meeting, and that one was shorter! Of course no such witness was visible to the audience!
His followers believe that their leader will be heading to Jerusalem at the close of his ministry to preach and that he would be martyred there in accordance with the teaching of Revelation 11. The Bible nowhere teaches or implies that the two witnesses would also minister outside the city contemplated in Revelation 11:1-12 during their forty two months of public ministry. It is instructive that none of the dreaded acts associated with the two witnesses has been witnessed in Dr. Owuor's public ministry!
Dr. Owuor began his ministry as a bishop. He was thereafter referred to as prophet. Then came the superlatives: mighty prophet; mighty mighty prophet of the Lord and Mightiest prophet of the Lord. Mmmhhh. Lately, possibly from 2018, Dr. David Owuor earned a new title: he is referred to as one of the dreaded witnesses of the Lord!
What is his next designation? Is he headed for divinity?
Dr. Owuor recently taught that his followers should not go to God without first hearing from him. This is contrary to the teaching of Scripture in 1 Timothy 2:5 which proclaim that there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
CONCLUSION
Is Dr. Owuor's movement a biblically centered church?
While this question is difficult to answer directly, I would pose the following further questions and leave to the reader to draw their personal conclusions.
1) Dr. Owuor often speaks of or makes reference to other churches as "they" or "them", or "mainstream church". If a church leader hardly recognizes or acknowledges other mainstream Christian communities as legitimate, what is the biblical standing of his church movement? Are the rest of the churches fallen and lost and is his movement the exclusive way to God?
2) Why does the movement encourage believers from other Christian communions to leave their mainstream churches and join their movement? What new or special doctrines do they provide beside what other churches teach?
3) What and where are their articles of faith?
4) Why does Dr. Owuor accept heavy salutations such as "Mighty Mighty Prophet of God"? Does this not border on biblical blasphemy? Is it not taught in Scripture that God alone is mighty?
5) Why do his followers wash and clean roads leading to the venues of his meetings? Is is this not equally an act of cultic worship and blasphemy?
6) What became of the dozens of prophecies he predicted about Kenya including the sinking of a section of the City of Nairobi?
7) When his followers claim that their prophet has read the entire Bible on their behalf and exclusively listen to his radio broadcasts and read his publications, is this a healthy church practice? Is this not evidence of manipulation and control?
8) Why does Dr. Owuor travel with huge convoys of powerful limousines to his meetings, complete with a charade of armed and civilian security detail? Is this not an act of extreme avarice and immodesty for a church minister? Who funds his luxurious lifestyle?
9) What is the purpose of his famous long goatee and the white tuxedo that he regularly adorns? Does this attire carry any religious significance or symbolism?
10) Who ordained Dr. Owuor into ministry and what church umbrella body is his movement affiliated to?
These are just but a few of the many hard questions that we should wrestle with in arriving at a fair conclusion concerning the identity and faithfulness of Dr. Owour's movement to the tenets of Scripture. The Bible warns in 1 John 4:1-3 that we should test every prophecy to see if it is from God. We are required to examine the movement's fidelity to establish the substance of its biblical foundation, if any. Every Christian movement should be open to scrutiny in line with biblical truth.
It is my hope that this article shall stimulate healthy discussions on this movement.
While this question is difficult to answer directly, I would pose the following further questions and leave to the reader to draw their personal conclusions.
1) Dr. Owuor often speaks of or makes reference to other churches as "they" or "them", or "mainstream church". If a church leader hardly recognizes or acknowledges other mainstream Christian communities as legitimate, what is the biblical standing of his church movement? Are the rest of the churches fallen and lost and is his movement the exclusive way to God?
2) Why does the movement encourage believers from other Christian communions to leave their mainstream churches and join their movement? What new or special doctrines do they provide beside what other churches teach?
3) What and where are their articles of faith?
4) Why does Dr. Owuor accept heavy salutations such as "Mighty Mighty Prophet of God"? Does this not border on biblical blasphemy? Is it not taught in Scripture that God alone is mighty?
5) Why do his followers wash and clean roads leading to the venues of his meetings? Is is this not equally an act of cultic worship and blasphemy?
6) What became of the dozens of prophecies he predicted about Kenya including the sinking of a section of the City of Nairobi?
7) When his followers claim that their prophet has read the entire Bible on their behalf and exclusively listen to his radio broadcasts and read his publications, is this a healthy church practice? Is this not evidence of manipulation and control?
8) Why does Dr. Owuor travel with huge convoys of powerful limousines to his meetings, complete with a charade of armed and civilian security detail? Is this not an act of extreme avarice and immodesty for a church minister? Who funds his luxurious lifestyle?
9) What is the purpose of his famous long goatee and the white tuxedo that he regularly adorns? Does this attire carry any religious significance or symbolism?
10) Who ordained Dr. Owuor into ministry and what church umbrella body is his movement affiliated to?
These are just but a few of the many hard questions that we should wrestle with in arriving at a fair conclusion concerning the identity and faithfulness of Dr. Owour's movement to the tenets of Scripture. The Bible warns in 1 John 4:1-3 that we should test every prophecy to see if it is from God. We are required to examine the movement's fidelity to establish the substance of its biblical foundation, if any. Every Christian movement should be open to scrutiny in line with biblical truth.
It is my hope that this article shall stimulate healthy discussions on this movement.
© Ezekiel Kimosop 2019
Sunday, August 18, 2019
The Secret to Abounding in Christ
ABOUNDING IN CHRIST
By Ezekiel Kimosop
2 Corinthians 8:7 says "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."
Which is this grace?
In the passage of 2 Cor. 8, Paul was exhorting the Corinthians to emulate the faith of the Macedonians who liberally gave their contribution to the Jerusalem saints who were faced with famine yet there was every reason to excuse them because of their poverty and afflictions. The Macedonians were a poor Christian community compared to the Corinthians.
The Corinthians, a more privileged community, were slothful in honoring their pledge and one year down the line they still had not fulfilled it.
Paul therefore used the opportunity to encourage them to make good their promise even as they abounded in Christian faithfulness.
In the course of his exhortation, Paul outlined some important truths in the above Scripture that we shall briefly examine.
The Apostle recognized that the Corinthians should abound in five key areas, which we can recognize as important pillars of Christian growth and maturity - faith, speech, knowledge, diligence and love.
Just what do these things mean to us?
1) ABOUNDING IN FAITH
Faith here represents our convictions on the truths that God has graciously revealed to us in Christ. These convictions begin the moment we come to saving knowledge of Christ They are thereafter firmed up with time as we mature in Christ.
It is instructive that the Corinthians were a young Christian assembly that struggled with with fundamental spiritual truths. Paul acknowledged that they were now steadily abounding or growing in faith. This is a far encouraging assessment if we can recollect his sharp rebuke in his first Letter.
2) ABOUNDING IN SPEECH
Our speech should be pleasing to God and should demonstrate the spiritual wisdom that is fashioning out in us as we grow in Christ. The Corinthians were often given to ungodly boasting and pride. They stoked divisions in the church as they focused a seif leaders of choice.
The Bible describes the tongue as a dangerous human organ that should be controlled or tamed (James 3:1-12). It can build or destroy relationships.
The Bible exhorts "...let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:19).
Colossians 4:6 says "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one."
Titus 2:8 exhorts to be of "...sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you."
What do you convey by your speech? Someone said that a person's character can easily be discerned from their speech...
3) ABOUNDING IN KNOWLEDGE
A famous Kenyan cartoonist once depicted a character who claimed to be knowledgeable in global affairs and had widely traveled. Someone commented that the man knew "geographia" (kiswahili for Geography).
The man replied that he had never been to "Geographia"! By this he betrayed his empty boasting. The man had actually never been to school and had never traveled beyond Kenya!
The Greek word "gnosis" for knowledge is employed in Greek philosophy to denote a person of great wisdom and understanding in matters of their specific discipline.
The Gnostics were a Christian sect that believed to posses superior knowledge of God. Unfortunately, they denied the humanity of Jesus Christ. They could not comprehend that Jesus was fully God and fully Man at the same time. Gnostic heresy was decidedly rejected by the early church fathers.
Paul's use of the Greek word "gnosis" was in connection with the believer's knowledge of Christ and the pursuit of the things of God. The more we grow in the knowledge of Christ, the stronger will be our faith.
Philippians 3:7-8 says "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ."
Knowing Christ crucified and the purposes of His finished works of the cross is the ultimate knowledge that we can ever possess on earth.
Do you seek to grow in the knowledge of Christ? His mind and His voice are found in the biblical Scriptures and in nowhere else.
4) ABOUNDING IN DILIGENCE
A diligent Christian community is a watchful group of believers. They are careful to watch their moral and spiritual conduct as they look forward to the soon return of Jesus Christ. It is motivated by the call to "...live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:11-14).
We should be conscious of the constant intrusions that impact on our Christian practices so we do not drift away in the manner that the Ephesians did (Revelation 2:1-7).
We should discern the times and discover the will of God in our circumstances.
5) ABOUNDING IN LOVE
Paul notes that the Corinthians abounded in love towards him and his apostolic team. This statement is instructive.
The Corinthians had a violent conflict over leadership that resulted in sharp divisions. Paul rebuked them for their immaturity in his first Letter.
At the time of writing the second Letter, Paul acknowledged that the Corinthians had grown in their love towards the very people who they originally embraced as they delivered the gospel to Corinth but later disobeyed them amidst the confusion from their wrangles.
Christian love is a natural response that comes from the hearts of people whose hearts have been transformed by Christ.
A Christian community should not only love one another but hold their leaders in esteem, knowing that they labor for them in ministry. This is the agape love that seeks nothing in return other than to glorify God.
1 Peter 1:22 says "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever."
Love is the greatest expression of the depth of our transformation from darkness to light. Christian love transcends race, culture, class or region. It is the cord that binds us together as God's household, a people belonging to God (1 Peter 2:9).
This love propels us to Christian submission and causes us to bear with one another in Christ. Love is the greatest of all Christian values above all is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).
How is our love for God's people and is it discernable in our Christian living?
How is our love for God's people and is it discernable in our Christian living?
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
The Old or New Covenant? Scripture is Indivisible
By Ezekiel Kimosop
I came across this question in Facebook. I have also heard it asked in some forums.
There's a brother in Christ that I know of who has issues with some books of the Old Testament Scripture simply because their teachings fly in the face of his unbiblical doctrines.
He misinterprets some passages of Genesis 1-3 and outrightly rejects the doctrine of Christian suffering that is taught in the Book of Job. He teaches that Job is an outdated Book whose truths have been overtaken by the New Covenant teachings.
The man mistakenly believes that Christian suffering always has to do with the disobedience of the believer, arguing that a loving God cannot subject His children to suffering! Nothing can be further from the truth! The Bible is replete with illustrations that reveal that God tests the faith of His children in order to build them in the Faith.
This brother also rejects pastoral priesthood saying that all believers are priests. Again, this theology is informed by his unbiblical view of the Levitical priesthood taught in the Old Testament.
While it is true that all believers are priests in Christ, it is equally true that God has ordained priestly functions through biblical church offices. The church elder or overseer is in fact a priest! He takes charge of his flock (Acts 20:28-30; 1 Peter 5:2-4).
My view is that the Old Testament Scripture are the foundation of the New Covenant truth that is revealed in the New Testament Scripture. We cannot embrace one set of the cannons of Scripture and discard the other. The two are not only complimentary but they are indivisible in the articulation of divine truth.
God speaks across both cannons of Scripture and both are inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16-17). He is the author of the two cannons of Scripture.
For instance, Christ's coming and His atoning works of the cross are reckoned in the New Testament Scripture as God's response to the fall of Adam which is taught in Genesis 1-3.
If a believer ignores the Genesis account on the creation and fall of Man, they will inescapably fail to appreciate the efficacy and significance of the works of cross that Christ accomplished.
All the Old Testament Scriptures - narratives, wisdom literature or prophetic writings - point to Christ. The New Testament Scriptures carry several quotations from the Old Testament Books.
I am therefore pursuaded that any believer or Bible teacher who rejects the Old Testament Scriptures or sections thereof, effectively denies the voice of God to a dying world and invariably misrepresents the fundamentals and the foundations of the finished works of the cross that find their fulcrum in the Old Covenant.
We should either accept the authority, infallibility and inerrancy of the entire body of Scriptures or we reject it all. They are indivisible.
It is that simple.
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