Judging from many scriptural verses it is quite evident that the church is sanctified and delivered from the hand of the enemies principally to serve the Lord.
For it is written: "The oath which he swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we being delivered from the hand of the enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life." And, "Having been set free from sin you became slaves of righteousness." "But now we have been delivered from the law having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter" (Lk.1:73-75; Rom.6:18, 22; 7:6).
This is not just a temporary arrangement, but one which is everlasting. For it is clearly stated that those who will escape the great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb will be before the throne of God, and will serve him day and night in his temple (Rev.7:14-15). It is evidently clear that the reason or justification for serving the Lord, day and night in his temple is because; they have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb.
Therefore, since to serve the Lord is the main objective for our election and sanctification, it is of paramount importance that we learn distinctly how to serve the Lord.
To serve the Lord basically is to respond to his needs, and his needs are three folds:-
1. To serve him upwardly as priest in his Holy Temple:
In this new dispensation, believers are all ministers of the New Covenant. A position or appointment which no one can be boastful of, and have a feeling of superiority; neither is it an appointment which anyone should be bashful of and have a feeling of inferiority.
Our confidence as Ministers of the New Covenant is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of the New Covenant. To further boost our confidence we are instructed saying; "I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit - just as he has taught you, remain in him" (1Jn.2:27).
Jesus warned us saying; "You are not to be called 'Rabbi', for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father', for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher', for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant" (Matt.23:8-11).
Those who stumble at this stumbles because, they are disobedient to the word which is also what they were destined for, but those who believe are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that they may declare the praises of him who called them out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Our appointment as Ministers of the New Covenant is to serve God day and night in his temple. We are admonished to; "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling." "Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day, declare his glory among the nations, his wonders among all peoples for the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods"
We are to give to the Lord glory and strength, and the glory due to his Name. We give glory to the Name of the Lord by observing his Sabbaths and reverencing his sanctuary, because the Sabbaths honor him as who he is, and what he has done (Lev.19:30; 26:2).
We are to bring an offering and come into his courts, offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put our trust in the Lord. We are to continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
We are to enter his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts (the holy of holies) with praise, be thankful to him and bless his name, for the lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures forever. We are to worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
These privileges are not for the un-circumcised in heart, neither for those who have not washed their robes and make it clean by the cup of the New Covenant, which Christ ordained for the forgiveness of sins. 2. Serve the Lord inwardly as co-builders of his temple.
Believers like living stones are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. As servants in this ministry, our responsibility is to act as the medium by which others come to believe.
The church is the body of Christ, and each one (believer) is a part of it. Therefore, just as the Lord has assigned to each his task, for God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kind of tongues, we are to work harmoniously as one body (1Cor.12:27-28).
"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in portion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully" (Rom.12:4-8).
Believers are simply servants through whom others come to believe, and therefore, as the Lord has assigned to each his task they should do it heartily. Some plants the seed, others water it, but God makes it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his/ her own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; we are God's field, God's building.
As Co-builders with the Lord we are being built both as a spiritual house, and as a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices. For this reason we have to have a walk worthy of the calling with which we were called, and present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is our reasonable service, and, "As obedient children not conforming ourselves to the former lusts as when we were ignorant (of our high calling); but as he who called us is holy, we also are to be holy in all our conduct, because it is written; 'be holy, for I am holy" (1Pet.1:14-16).
As God's chosen people holy and dearly beloved, we are to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bearing with each other and forgiving whatever grievances one may have against another, Forgive as the Lord forgave us; and above all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, since as members of one body we were called to peace, and be thankful (Col.3:12-15).
Surely if we have heard of Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus, we were taught with regard to our former way of life, to put off the old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; and be made new in the attitude of our minds, and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph.4; 21-24).
Such a state of true righteousness and holiness would not have been impossible if it was not for the manifold wisdom of God, who according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, offered his body and his blood for the forgiveness of our sins. It is in him and through faith in him we may approach with freedom and confidence.
3. Serve the Lord outwardly as Co-workers in his vineyard
We serve as ambassadors for Christ with the ministry of reconciliation imploring others on behalf of Jesus Christ to be reconciled to God. For how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?
Therefore we are appointed to; "Go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believe and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."
We are called to continue the work which Christ started. Jesus said; "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages: even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor" (Jn.4:34-38).
We have been called to liberty, but should not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another, and whatever we do we are to do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord we will receive the reward of the inheritance; for we serve the Lord Christ.
It is of great important that we recognize and comply with the established pattern by which one may serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of his/her life.
We were cleansed, sanctified, and set apart for the sole purpose of serving the Lord. In like manner before we can present ourselves before the Lord we must first be cleanse from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the lord.
This is made possible by not being unequally yoked with unbelievers, because righteousness has no fellowship with lawlessness, light has no communion with darkness, a believer has no part with an unbeliever, the temple of God has no agreement with idols; and through the cup of the New Covenant which was shed for the remission of sins. Redemption is only through the blood of Christ, without the shedding of blood there is no the forgiveness, and God has given it to us upon the altar to make atone for our souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.
Therefore, unless one eats the flesh of the Son of Man and drinks his blood he/she has no life in them, whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood has eternal life, and he will raise them up at the last day, for his flesh is food in deed, and his blood is drink indeed. He who eats his flesh and drinks his blood abides in him, and he in them.
Let us not neglect serving the Lord in an acceptable manner.
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About the Author
Lucius Joseph is the Founding Pastor and President of a non denominational, and non profit organization, "Essentials of Life Ministry Inc." whose passion and main objective is to help sensitized others of the reality and practicality of the life in the Spirit. We support the principle of, "Freely you have received: freely give." And that, "The worker is worthy of his wages."
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