I AM SACRED

I AM SACRED

Thursday, October 06, 2016

  I confess that today’s title is quite a claim to make, but it is true. Is it authentic because everything I do is sacramental? Not at all, for though I am redeemed I am as was Paul. (Rom.7:14-15)

  The Old Testament tells us of sacred things. In particular the tabernacle (portable) and the Temple (meant to be permanent).

  Through Jesus’ obedient life, sacrificial death, and resurrection the era of sacred place and practice was tremendously altered. Since Pentecost, all believers, self included, are indwelled sacred persons, intended, and provided to live a sacramental life – to serve Him all our days.

  Several major points pertaining to the matter (Please thoughtfully read all verses in context.):

·         We fall short of the ultimate standard, Jehovah God Almighty’s righteousness. Rom.3:10, 23  "None is righteous, no, not one; … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

·         Trusting Jesus we are saved from eternally suffering separation from God. Jn.1:12-13; 3;15 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. … whoever believes in him [Jesus] may have eternal life.”

·         Trusting Jesus we are covered by Jesus’ righteousness. Rom.4:21-25 “… [Abraham’s] faith was "counted to him as righteousness."But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

·         As God’s John 1:12 family we are sacred persons; the tabernacle/temple of His Holy Spirit. 1Cor.3:16  “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?”

·         As sacred persons we are a peculiar people. Tit.2:11-14 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a [KJV “peculiar”] people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

·         As sacred persons we are a royal priesthood. 1Pet.2:9-10  “… a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

·         As sacred persons we are entrusted as His ambassadors of reconciliation. 2Cor.5:15-20 “[Jesus] died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. …”

·         As sacred persons we have been initially and are continually conditionally equipped. Eph.2:10  “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

  Reality!

EBB4