Lucius Ministry

MAN'S MORTALITY

 Mortal man is indispensably linked to three (3) inseparable links that will only be broken, and victoriously won over when, “The corruptible has put on incorruption, and the mortal has put on immortality.” As long as man remains in this mortal flesh, he is burdened with this inseparable chain which links, and feed on each other. The links of this chain exists because of each other. The removal of the root cause will eliminate all. It is simply a matter of cause and effects, and only through the elimination of the cause, will the effects disappear.

The three inseparable mortal links are:

Death

 The wages and the consequences of sin; It is inevitable to all mortals, for, “It is appointed for men to die once” (Heb.rews 9:27). Death is not final it is simply the end of this earthly life. For after death comes the judgment when, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due to him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2Cor.inthians 5:10).

It is therefore imperative that each one knows the purpose of this mortal life, for which we must all give account to God.

 Purpose of this earthly life!

The purpose of this earthly life is to help us build our spiritual house, our immortal everlasting body, on the one and only foundation with imperishable materials so as not to be found naked".  For, “We know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house (body not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life” ((1Corinthians 3:10-17; 2Corinthians  5:1-4).

Death, man’s enemy will be destroyed when, “This corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory” O! Death, where is your sting? O Hades (grave), where is your victory? The sting (the cause) of death is sin (the power residing in the flesh, allowing man to decide for himself what is right and what is wrong (Gensis 3: 4-6; Romans 7:17-20).

 2.  The second inseparable mortal link is SIN.

Sin brought death into the world, for, “Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned”  We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned; we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (I(Romans5:12; Genesis 3:17-19John 1:10, 8).
It is important to know that, “The sin which brought death to man was not the transgression of the law, for the law was not yet prescribed. The sin which brought death is, “Man’s hostile, independent nature, which Adam and, Eve Inherited when they partook of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which empowered them as gods to decide for themselves what is good and what is evil. This nature is hostile toward God, and does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” This is the root cause of transgressing God’s law which leads to sin and death. (Gensis 3:4-6, 22; Romans 8:7).

3. Law: The third inseparable mortal link.

 The Apostle Paul wrote; “The sting of death is sin, and the strength/power of sin is the law” (1Cor.15:56).
What is the apostle Paul implying? Is he implying that the law is the cause of sin, as sin is the cause of death?  Or, what shall we say than? Is the law sin? Unfortunately, many have misconstrued this verse of scripture and suggesting that the law is the cause of sin, and attempting to discredit the law and make it null and void. Paul’s response to his own question was, “Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” (Romans 7:7).
It is not the law that is the cause of sin, but rather, the transgression, the violation of the law that causes sin; for, “Sin is the transgression of the law” (1John 3:4).
It is not the law that has to be removed in order to eradicate sin and ultimately death. For, “Until the law sin was (already) in the world, but sin is not imputed, or not taken into account when there is no law. Yet, it is stated that, “Death (the consequences of sin), reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam” What needs to be eradicated is our hostile, disobedient nature which is not subject to the laws of God. (Rom.ans 5:14).

 Sin and death existed before the law was prescribed.

In fact, “The law was added because of transgressions”  It was prescribed to raise the consciousness of the offender, as to what sin is because, “Sin is not imputed, or taken into account when there is no law”. The Apostle Paul said, “Apart from law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.”(Galatians 3:19Rom.7:8-10).

Paul continued, “Did that which is good then become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me  through what was good, so that through the commandments sin might become utterly sinful” (Romans 7:13).

 The Law of sacrifices

 Now that sin is exposed by the commandments, it is incumbent upon man to seek forgiveness for his sins, and have a relationship with God. Hence the law of sacrifices with its foods, drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances was imposed as a means of seeking forgiveness, and pacifying the wrath of God, until the reformation (Hebrews 9:8-10).
These sacrifices and offerings however, were insufficient and ineffective. They could not purge the conscience of the worshiper from sin, neither could they present the worshiper perfect before God. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Heb.rews 9: 9-10; 10: 1-2, 4).

 Christ the perfect sacrifice.

 Jesus Christ came not to do away with the law which is spiritual, eternal, holy, just and good  whose purpose is to reveal sin, and God’s way of life to man ( but rather to, abolish the law of sacrifices which could not take away sins, nor present the worshiper perfect before God, and replaced these vain offerings with His own body as the perfect sacrifice, in order to present the worshiper perfect, holy, blameless, and irreproachable in God’s sight, and to cleanse him of all unrighteousness .((Matthew 5: 17-19; Romans 7:12,14),Romans 3: 20; James 1:22-25; Hebrews 10:5-14; Colosians 1:21-22, 1John 1: 7-9).
What the law was powerless to do is that, “It was weakened by the sinful nature, so God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so He (Christ) condemned sin in sinful man (by living a perfect sinless life; and leaving us a perfect offering for sins in the form of the cup of the new covenant of His blood), in order that, “The righteous requirements of the law (which is to forgive, cleanse, and present us perfect before God), might be fully met in us who do not live according to the sinful nature (the hostile nature which is not subject to the laws of God, nor can it ever be), but living according to the Spirit (as obedient children living in accordance to the spiritual law) (Romans 8 :2-4; 1 Pet.er1:14-16 ).

 May the eyes of our understanding be enlightened, and let us construct our spiritual house, the Lord’s holy temple less we be found naked.

 Love in Jesus’ name
Lucius Joseph

 

 

 

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