Please read this Message by this great servant of God, Pastor Raphael Idoko. You can download it for personal study, Church Message or Bible Study. The Publisher of this Blog had written similar articles where he condemns church leaders who close Church and hinder people from going in to pray, worship and praise their God whenever they like. Why should people be restricted access to the house of God except during general programs such as Bible Study, Prayer Meeting and Sunday Services? We should understand that God wants true worshipers to worship Him in spirit. Woe unto you Pastors who take so much delight in the physical church structures and care not about the way of the Lord and salvation of people.
The Publisher,
Many thanks for this great service to mankind. You will never miss your rewards in Jesus name. Help us publish this article.
Central truth: Christians are the true circumcision that worship God in the spirit. Philippians 3:3a.
The Lord Jesus Christ came as a blessing to the world, to save mankind and bring them into fellowship with Himself. Christians are not followers of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Elijah or any old testament character. Christians are followers of Christ and as such, must embrace the newness of life that the gospel presents in a very clear terms.
The importance of the place of worship, that is, the location where we worship God was paramount in the old testament. The Bible clearly and richly attests to this truth. God chose per time the place where He should be worshipped and even who should carry out the worship. God told Abraham, And he said,
Take now thy son, thine only [son] Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you, (Genesis 22:3-5).
Abraham burnt offering must be upon a specific mountain appointed by God, otherwise it would not be acceptable to Him. In Genesis chapter 28:16, Jacob awoke out his sleep and said, surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it. He called the name of that place Bethel.
In first Samuel chapter 1:3, Elkanah and his households went up yearly out of his city to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of armies in Shiloh. In Salem also is His tabernacle and His dwelling place in Zion (Psalm 76:2). From the scriptures cited so far, it is clear that the relevance of the place of worship in the old testament cannot be overemphasized. Worship was clearly confined to a particular place at a given time. God's attribute as omnipresent (capacity to be everywhere at the same time) was relatively unknown to them and consequently was not in operation. For your prayers to be heard and answered in those days, you must be in the right place as required by God.
The transition from place of worship to spirit and truth worship has its foundation on the finished work of the cross. It is amazing that many Christians are still living in the past. The conversation between Christ and the Samaritan woman reveals a lot of fundamental truth about how God should be worshipped. I would like us to read John chapter 4: 19-24 carefully and bring out the salient points. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a
prophet. {4:20} Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. {4:21}
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. {4:22}Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. {4:23} But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. {4:24} God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
The Samaritan woman and Christ were conversing, it was Christ that initiated the conversation by making a request - give me water to drink. Please read the entire John chapter 4. The woman suddenly changed the topic of their discussion the moment she perceived that Christ was a prophet. She hurriedly like a good student jumped into a topic that had bothered her and the people of her days. The Samaritans had believed that God should be worshipped on the mountain, that is mountain Gerizim near Bethel while the Jews had believed that God should be worshipped in Jerusalem. Both were wrong! This was a very crucial issue in their days. They had debated it again and again and were only waiting for Christ final verdict on this particular issue when He comes. "The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things" (John 4:25).
Christ started by pointing out one fundamental error that informed their wrong conclusions. "You Know Not Whom You Worship" As I have earlier pointed out, the knowledge of God as omnipresent in our present days was relatively unknown to both the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ made a startling revelation that was meant to revolutionize an entire system, that is, place worship. "God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth" Christ reveals to us here that the worship of a spirit being would not be confined to a location or a place - either mountain Gerizim or Jerusalem. Christ introduces to us here service and worship that is after the nature of God. He is a spirit being and an omnipresent God. This means he is everywhere and all that is required to worship him is that the worshipper must worship in spirit and truth.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEARING TEMPLE VEIL
The significance of the temple veil being torn in two when Jesus died is to change the place worship to spirit and truth worship and to give access to all irrespective of their backgrounds and nations.
Hebrews 9:1-9 tell us that in the temple a veil separated the Holy of Holies—the earthly dwelling place of God’s presence - Only the high priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil once in a year. But when Jesus died, the veil was torn From the top to the bottom and God moved out of that place never again to dwell in a temple made with hands. (Acts 17:24)
As I conclude, God does not dwell in temples made with hands instead He dwells in the temples that He made with His own hands. "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; (1Corinthians 6:19)
Church is like a secondary school in this simple analysis. In seeking admission into any University, the name of your secondary school is not important but the grades that you made. Same is true of any church. Eternity with Jesus Christ has nothing to do with the name of any church but the relationship you build with Christ. What therefore make church or secondary school relevant is the quality of information at their disposal that will help you to either make good grades and secure admission into any University of your choice or to live right with God and spend eternity with Christ. The division in the body of Christ is unwholesome and uncalled for. A brother was recently transferred from Lagos to Abuja (both Nigeria) and began to worship with another church closer to him. His new pastor now wants him to be re-baptized again. What for?
Christ lives in us and not in any temple made with hands. Let us live and walk in the consciousness of this revealed truth. We don't have to behave well only in church premises and misbehave in other places. We walk to the alter like an angel to receive communion only to come out and become a different person. May the Lord continue to have mercy on us.
Pastor Raphael Idoko is a pastor in Living Saints In Christ Ministry. Our vision is to raise an army of disciples who will reach out to souls and resuscitate the dying love of Jesus Christ among brethren. Questions, contributions, corrections and constructive criticisms are highly welcome. Let us endeavor to add knowledge among other things to our faith. (1peter 1:5)
Please enter your comment in the box provided within. Sending your comment directly to the publisher does not benefit other readers.
The Publisher,
Many thanks for this great service to mankind. You will never miss your rewards in Jesus name. Help us publish this article.
 |
| Pastor Raphael Idoko |
The Lord Jesus Christ came as a blessing to the world, to save mankind and bring them into fellowship with Himself. Christians are not followers of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Elijah or any old testament character. Christians are followers of Christ and as such, must embrace the newness of life that the gospel presents in a very clear terms.
The importance of the place of worship, that is, the location where we worship God was paramount in the old testament. The Bible clearly and richly attests to this truth. God chose per time the place where He should be worshipped and even who should carry out the worship. God told Abraham, And he said,
Take now thy son, thine only [son] Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you, (Genesis 22:3-5).
Abraham burnt offering must be upon a specific mountain appointed by God, otherwise it would not be acceptable to Him. In Genesis chapter 28:16, Jacob awoke out his sleep and said, surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it. He called the name of that place Bethel.
In first Samuel chapter 1:3, Elkanah and his households went up yearly out of his city to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of armies in Shiloh. In Salem also is His tabernacle and His dwelling place in Zion (Psalm 76:2). From the scriptures cited so far, it is clear that the relevance of the place of worship in the old testament cannot be overemphasized. Worship was clearly confined to a particular place at a given time. God's attribute as omnipresent (capacity to be everywhere at the same time) was relatively unknown to them and consequently was not in operation. For your prayers to be heard and answered in those days, you must be in the right place as required by God.
The transition from place of worship to spirit and truth worship has its foundation on the finished work of the cross. It is amazing that many Christians are still living in the past. The conversation between Christ and the Samaritan woman reveals a lot of fundamental truth about how God should be worshipped. I would like us to read John chapter 4: 19-24 carefully and bring out the salient points. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a
prophet. {4:20} Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. {4:21}
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. {4:22}Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. {4:23} But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. {4:24} God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
The Samaritan woman and Christ were conversing, it was Christ that initiated the conversation by making a request - give me water to drink. Please read the entire John chapter 4. The woman suddenly changed the topic of their discussion the moment she perceived that Christ was a prophet. She hurriedly like a good student jumped into a topic that had bothered her and the people of her days. The Samaritans had believed that God should be worshipped on the mountain, that is mountain Gerizim near Bethel while the Jews had believed that God should be worshipped in Jerusalem. Both were wrong! This was a very crucial issue in their days. They had debated it again and again and were only waiting for Christ final verdict on this particular issue when He comes. "The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things" (John 4:25).
Christ started by pointing out one fundamental error that informed their wrong conclusions. "You Know Not Whom You Worship" As I have earlier pointed out, the knowledge of God as omnipresent in our present days was relatively unknown to both the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ made a startling revelation that was meant to revolutionize an entire system, that is, place worship. "God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth" Christ reveals to us here that the worship of a spirit being would not be confined to a location or a place - either mountain Gerizim or Jerusalem. Christ introduces to us here service and worship that is after the nature of God. He is a spirit being and an omnipresent God. This means he is everywhere and all that is required to worship him is that the worshipper must worship in spirit and truth.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEARING TEMPLE VEIL
The significance of the temple veil being torn in two when Jesus died is to change the place worship to spirit and truth worship and to give access to all irrespective of their backgrounds and nations.
Hebrews 9:1-9 tell us that in the temple a veil separated the Holy of Holies—the earthly dwelling place of God’s presence - Only the high priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil once in a year. But when Jesus died, the veil was torn From the top to the bottom and God moved out of that place never again to dwell in a temple made with hands. (Acts 17:24)
As I conclude, God does not dwell in temples made with hands instead He dwells in the temples that He made with His own hands. "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; (1Corinthians 6:19)
Church is like a secondary school in this simple analysis. In seeking admission into any University, the name of your secondary school is not important but the grades that you made. Same is true of any church. Eternity with Jesus Christ has nothing to do with the name of any church but the relationship you build with Christ. What therefore make church or secondary school relevant is the quality of information at their disposal that will help you to either make good grades and secure admission into any University of your choice or to live right with God and spend eternity with Christ. The division in the body of Christ is unwholesome and uncalled for. A brother was recently transferred from Lagos to Abuja (both Nigeria) and began to worship with another church closer to him. His new pastor now wants him to be re-baptized again. What for?
Christ lives in us and not in any temple made with hands. Let us live and walk in the consciousness of this revealed truth. We don't have to behave well only in church premises and misbehave in other places. We walk to the alter like an angel to receive communion only to come out and become a different person. May the Lord continue to have mercy on us.
Pastor Raphael Idoko is a pastor in Living Saints In Christ Ministry. Our vision is to raise an army of disciples who will reach out to souls and resuscitate the dying love of Jesus Christ among brethren. Questions, contributions, corrections and constructive criticisms are highly welcome. Let us endeavor to add knowledge among other things to our faith. (1peter 1:5)
Please enter your comment in the box provided within. Sending your comment directly to the publisher does not benefit other readers.
May God continue to reveal his truth for benefits of men. The revelation here is just
ReplyDeleteNice piece. Quite expository. More grace!!!
ReplyDeleteWell done my Brother. May God continue to bless you
ReplyDeleteThe word of God is new every day. Glory to His holy name.
ReplyDelete