JESUS CHRIST THE REDEEMER

I rejoiced and praised God when I saw that Pope Leo XIV settled the long debate over Mary being called “Co-redemptrix” or “Co-redeemer” among the Catholics. In short, Jesus Christ alone is the Redeemer—the only Man worthy of Glory for redemption, reconciling us to the Father, mediating, and interceding on our behalf (1 Tim 2:5-6, Heb 7:24-26). The Catholic Church may still take a while addressing some other issues of contention, but praise God they have dealt with this one about REDEMPTION. This is truly cause for joy, and a call to prayer for our Catholic brothers and sisters.

Redemption is central to Christianity and must be clearly understood, for it cost Jesus Christ His Life. Understand that the Redeemer had to be pure and sinless, and Scripture records only One Who met that standard, Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21 NLT, Heb 4:14-16), everyone else falls short (Rom 3:10-12, 23-24). Hence, Christ alone qualifies as Redeemer and deserves all the Glory and honor for His accomplishments.

This is timely because, as I said in the book “Early Steps in Christianity”, the record needs to be set straight. And I believe that there is an acceleration of this in our time because God is preparing to reveal His Glory in these last days like never before, and we all would be expected to worship Him in Spirit and in TRUTH (John 4:23-24). TRUTH is the premise of sound doctrine, which is why a critical realignment is required in our doctrine and practice to that which Scripture supports. And that's why I believe everything that has long been a stumbling block or distraction is being removed, so that we come into the knowledge of Truth, and as such pure worship to God, giving Him ALL the Glory. It is for this reason that we see such shakings and uprooting of the ideas and assumptions of men that have not been established by God's Word (Matt 15:13, Heb 12:25-29). You can be sure of this, Jesus Christ would not tolerate an iota of falsehood, even if it is mixed in with a bunch of Truth (Rev 2:12-16, *1 Cor 5:6-7*).

For illustrative purposes on the subject of Redemption, in the first chapter of the book “Early Steps in Christianity”, I noted a misconception long held by many—including myself—that Christ redeemed, or bought, us back from the devil. Scripture, however, never says this, and you could carry out your own careful search to verify this assertion. What Scripture clearly portrays is that the ransom—the Blood of Jesus Christ (Eph 1:7-8, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Rom 5:9), was paid to the Father, NOT satan (Eph 5:1-2, Heb 9:12-15).

And why to God? First of all, God created everything, and everything belongs to Him, including you and me (Psalms 24:1). When we sin, thus violating the parameters God has given for us to operate within the framework of His creation, we cause damage to His property. And as such we owe Him restitution. So whether it is sin against our body, we are damaging God's property (1 Cor 6:15, 18-20); likewise when we sin against others, we hurt or damage them physically or emotionally, still damaging God’s property created in His Image (Gen 9:5-6); and also when we sin against all of creation (animals, plants or the land, you'll find Laws on how we were supposed to properly interact and tend them) we become liable and are responsible for the damage and decay of things that has come upon the earth (Rom 5:12, 8:19-22). For all these we OWE God, and NOT the devil. And that's why payment, via the Blood of Jesus Christ, was made to God.

God set the price for the Ransom we owe, and He Himself has made available the price through the Blood of His Son (Psalms 49:7-9, 15, 2 Cor 5:21 NLT, Heb 9:15). Even the ancients like Job knew that God was the only One Who could pay the ransom that was required (Job 17:3 NIrV). So redemption is a Divine transaction through the Blood of Jesus that rescues us from our due judgment from God.

When you read the Passages on Salvation/Redemption you'll find that it clearly shows that it is from the wrath of God that we're being saved, the devil doesn't even feature in the conversation (John 3:16-21, 36, Rom 5:6-11, Eph 2:3-5, 8-10). Moreover, the devil is in no position to receive any payment from God, nor does he have the authority or audacity to DEMAND the Life and Blood of Jesus Christ as payment for redemption (John 10:17-18).

Now if you ask, “What about the devil, who has held people captive to sin (2 Tim 2:25-26, [Rom 6:16, James 1:15]), and the fear of death, didn't Jesus Christ come to rescue us from him (Heb 2:14-15, 1 John 4:17-19)?” Well, technically speaking, Jesus Christ DELIVERED us from sin and the devil. Unlike REDEMPTION, which is a transaction in the Blood of Jesus, DELIVERANCE is confrontational, and the stronger party makes away with the plunder or captives (Luke 11:20-22).

We were all born with the sin nature, and as such we became liable to the control of the devil, because our best efforts are no match to the power of sin (Rom 3:9). So in essence we were held captives by the devil. But when Jesus Christ came, He came with the power of the Holy Spirit, and He overcame the power of sin and the devil (Acts 10:38, John 14:30, 1 John 3:8), and by His victory He won us over to the side of righteousness (1 Cor 15:56-57, Rom 6:13-14, 17-22, 8:1-2). In other words, He delivered, or translated, us from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light (Col 1:13-14). So with respect to the devil, we are not redeemed from him, but rather we are DELIVERED from him and his devices. No negotiation with the devil would ever be fruitful, he is a liar and corrupt trader (John 8:44, Ezekiel 28:16-18). When it comes to the devil, simply, you must just STAND STRONG, CONFRONT and RESIST Him by the power of the Holy Spirit (James 4:7, Luke 10:19, Eph 6:10-17).

When Jesus Christ delivered people from demons, not once did He negotiate, or bargain, to set the captive free, He simply demonstrated His power and authority, and commanded liberty for the oppressed. Jesus Christ is Stronger than the devil (1 John 4:4), and He has TAKEN us out of the captivity of the devil; and now we have essentially become His captives (Rom 6:17-22, Eph 4:8).

The last part may not sound palatable, about us now being the captives of the Lord. Indeed, we have been made children of God (1 John 3:1-3); but even still, He is our Master, and we are His servants (Luke 17:7-10, Rom 1:1 NKJV, 2 Tim 2:21, Col 4:1). If we fail to recognize this relationship-dynamics, especially while we're here on earth, we may take His commands as mere suggestions or negotiations, and never really submit to His Lordship to serve Him faithfully (Luke 6:46-49, 12:47-48, James 1:22).

Christ Himself modeled service while He was here on earth (Matt 20:27-28). Hence, though He was the beloved Son of God, He fully submitted to serving the Father's Will (Phil 2:5-11, Heb 5:7-9, Rom 15:7-9). Likewise, though we are seated with Him in heavenly places (Eph 2:6, Rom 6:3-5, Col 3:1-4), our mission while on earth is simply to serve the Father's Will ([John 4:34, 20:21], Matt 7:21, 1 John 2:17, *Rom 8:17*).

So Jesus Christ redeemed us from the wrath and Judgement of The Father, and by the power of the cross and Holy Spirit, He delivered us from the devil (Col 2:13-15).

Anyway, you can learn a lot more concerning REDEMPTION in Chapters One and Six of the Free book, “Early Steps in Christianity”. And also check out the post regarding Pope Leo XIV, and the Catholic Church setting the record straight that Jesus Christ alone is The Redeemer. Links below :

Article regarding Pope Leo XIV and the subject of Redemption:
https://www.facebook.com/share/17r3ucGS6m/?mibextid=xfxF2i

Thank you for the privilege of your time. God bless and Shalom!

Link for current post: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/

For the Free PDF of "Early Steps in Christianity" (E.S.C): https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity

For Paperback or Hardcover copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N

For the Free PDF of "The Biblical Festivals of God" (TBFG): https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

For Paperback copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J


I'd like to also encourage you to go through the following resources:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Full_Series/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/What_Paul_Meant_by-The_Law_of_Sin_and_Death-Rom_7and8/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/

#JesusTheRedeemer #ChristOurRedeemer #ChristAlone #AtonementThroughJesus #Salvation #JesusSaves #SalvationInChrist #Gospel #FaithInJesus #Forgiven #ForgivenInChrist #ReconciledToGod #EternalLife

#BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji #FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

#God #Jesus #JesusChrist #HolySpirit #Theology #TheBible #Scripture #BiblicalTruth #ChristianTeaching #ChristianApologetics #SoundDoctrine #KingdomOfGod

Discover the Foundations of the Christian Faith

Are you new to Christianity and wondering how to take your first steps with Christ? Or have you been a believer for years but want to revisit the unshakable foundations of your faith?

The Free book, "Early Steps in Christianity (2nd Edition)", is a clear, Scripture-rich guide that walks you through the essential truths of the Christian life.

Inside, you’ll gain:
A solid understanding of salvation and God’s Kingdom purpose
The meaning and power of baptism and communion
How to know and walk with the Holy Spirit
The believer’s inheritance in Christ – healing, provision, eternal life etc.
The call to love, relationship, and spiritual growth
Practical guidance on prayer, faith, and overcoming sin

This is more than just a book—it’s a discipleship resource to help you grow strong in Christ, live out your faith with confidence, and enjoy the fullness of God’s promises. Whether you’re just beginning your walk with Jesus or seeking to refresh your spiritual journey, this book will bless and equip you.

And the best part? It’s completely FREE!

Download your free copy here: https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity

Take your next step in Christ today. Your foundation matters—build it strong!

TO BE LIKE JESUS CHRIST - PART ONE

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN

(Google Docs link provided at the end and in the comment for clickable Bible citations to open your Bible app for a fluid study experience)

Simply put, Christianity is a call to be like Jesus Christ in every way. I mean it is even in the title “Christian”, which literally means “follower of Christ”. We'll expound further to highlight how and why God wants us to be like Jesus Christ, but for now we'll focus on establishing the fact that the call to Christianity is to be like Jesus Christ in every way. Let's begin with the following Passage:

Romans 8:29 NIV
@29 For those God foreknew He also predestined TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines the intransitive verb “Conform” as:
1: to be similar or identical
2a: to be obedient or compliant

So God’s goal for every believer is really simple, He wants to make us like His Son, Jesus Christ. Paul highlighted this same objective in his lamentation over the Galatian church:

Galatians 4:19 NIV
@19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth UNTIL CHRIST IS FORMED IN YOU,

So conformity to Jesus Christ is the end goal for every Christian. It is a lifelong pursuit, and we must not settle for anything less (Phil 3:8-14). Indeed, we will fall short and stumble A LOT in this quest to be like Christ (Psa 37:23-24, Prov 24:16, [1 John 1:9, 2:1-2]); but we must never be discouraged, complacent, or somehow reduce the standard to accommodate our shortfalls. God is Holy, and He has called (invited) us to fellowship with Him in Holiness (1 Peter 1:14-16, Heb 12:14-15). Do not be intimidated by this, we'll discuss more on it in part two of this series. So instead of being discouraged when we fall short, we should rather tap into the empowering supply of Grace to keep pressing for the mark that Jesus Christ has called us to (Titus 2:11-14):

Hebrews 4:16 NIV
@16 Let us then approach GOD’S THRONE OF GRACE with confidence, so that we may RECEIVE MERCY and FIND GRACE TO HELP US IN OUR TIME OF NEED.

So what does “Conformity” to Jesus Christ mean? Applying the dictionary definition of the word, it means we're to be “similar”, “identical”, “obedient”, and “compliant” in the very same way that Jesus Christ was while He was on earth. Again, for now, don't worry about the “how?”.

I'd like us to see from Scripture how we've been made “similar” or “identical” to Christ in nature, and then subsequently we'll look at how we're expected to be like Him in character, i.e. obedience.

John stated that in this world we are like Jesus, meaning we share the very same essence and nature (1 John 4:17). So just as He was baptized in the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:16, John 3:34), so are we (Acts 2:4). Note that it is the very SAME Holy Spirit and His power that Jesus had, that we've also been given (Gal 4:6-7, Eph 1:19-20, 2 Peter 1:3-4). This technically means that we possess the same ability to do all the miracles He did, and even more (John 14:12, Mark 11:22-25).

Jesus Christ NEVER limited His disciples in terms of ability. He expected them to be able to do everything that He did. If they fell short, it wasn't for lack of ability, but inadequacy in their faith capacity (Matt 8:26), or unconformity to His practices of consecration, for instance fasting and praying (Mark 2:18-20, 9:28-29 NKJV). If for any reason the things that Scripture says concerning us are not a reflection of your life, it would be more prudent to self-examine if there are aspects in your life that are not in conformity to Jesus Christ and Scripture (2 Cor 13:5, James 1:22, Luke 6:46-49), than to blame God (Prov 19:3).

So, just as Jesus was sent into the world, so also have we been sent (John 20:21). Just as He is the Light of the world (John 8:12), so also have we been made light to the world (Matt 5:14-16). We reflect His Light that has come to shine within us (2 Cor 3:18, 4:3-4,6).

And just as Christ is a Priest (Heb 5:5-6), so are we (Rev 5:10 NKJV, 1 Peter 2:5,9). There are a number of other mirrored identifiers that we share with Jesus, like even laying down our lives (1 John 3:16), and such, but let's move on to character-wise.

Jesus Christ exemplified HUMILITY and OBEDIENCE (Heb 5:7-9), and we're called to learn these traits from Him (Matt 11:29, Phil 2:5-11). Jesus Christ was obedient to the Tee in executing the will of God on earth, doing only what pleased the Father (John 8:28-29). In like manner, we are to do the same ([1 Peter 4:11, Matt 10:19-20, Jer 1:9, Isaiah 59:21], Eph 5:10,17).

Obedience is an expression of Love. So just as Christ loved and obeyed the Father (John 15:10), so also are we called to obedience (John 14:15, 2 John 1:6, 1 John 5:3, Rom 1:5, 6:16-18, 2 Cor 9:13, Acts 26:19-20).

So in every regard, we are to be like Jesus. But the question now is how? Stick around for part two for the answer.

If you haven't already done so, please download the Free book “Early Steps in Christianity”, link below .

Thanks for the privilege of your time. God bless and Shalom!

For the Full Series: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/TO_BE_LIKE_JESUS_FULL_SERIES/

For Current Part:
https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Part_One/

For Part Two : https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Part_Two/

For the Free PDF of "Early Steps in Christianity" (E.S.C): https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity

For Paperback or Hardcover copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N

For the Free PDF of "The Biblical Festivals of God" (TBFG): https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

For Paperback copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J

Follow-up Post to the book, TBFG: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/

I'd like to also encourage you to go through the following resources:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/WHAT_PAUL_MEANT_BY-THE_LAW_OF_SIN_AND_DEATH-ROM_7AND8/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/


#God #Jesus #JesusChrist #HolySpirit #TheLivingWord #Theology #BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji
#TheBible #Scripture #BiblicalTruth #ChristianTeaching #ChristianApologetics #SoundDoctrine #KingdomOfGod

#Gospel #FaithInJesus #Salvation #EternalLife

#Christlikeness #BeLikeJesus #SpiritualGrowth #Holiness #Sanctification #WalkInTheSpirit #LedByTheSpirit #DieToSelf

#FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

TO BE LIKE JESUS CHRIST - PART ONE

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN

(Google Docs link provided at the end and in the comment for clickable Bible citations to open your Bible app for a fluid study experience)

Simply put, Christianity is a call to be like Jesus Christ in every way. I mean it is even in the title “Christian”, which literally means “follower of Christ”. We'll expound further to highlight how and why God wants us to be like Jesus Christ, but for now we'll focus on establishing the fact that the call to Christianity is to be like Jesus Christ in every way. Let's begin with the following Passage:

Romans 8:29 NIV
@29 For those God foreknew He also predestined TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines the intransitive verb “Conform” as:
1: to be similar or identical
2a: to be obedient or compliant

So God’s goal for every believer is really simple, He wants to make us like His Son, Jesus Christ. Paul highlighted this same objective in his lamentation over the Galatian church:

Galatians 4:19 NIV
@19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth UNTIL CHRIST IS FORMED IN YOU,

So conformity to Jesus Christ is the end goal for every Christian. It is a lifelong pursuit, and we must not settle for anything less (Phil 3:8-14). Indeed, we will fall short and stumble A LOT in this quest to be like Christ (Psa 37:23-24, Prov 24:16, [1 John 1:9, 2:1-2]); but we must never be discouraged, complacent, or somehow reduce the standard to accommodate our shortfalls. God is Holy, and He has called (invited) us to fellowship with Him in Holiness (1 Peter 1:14-16, Heb 12:14-15). Do not be intimidated by this, we'll discuss more on it in part two of this series. So instead of being discouraged when we fall short, we should rather tap into the empowering supply of Grace to keep pressing for the mark that Jesus Christ has called us to (Titus 2:11-14):

Hebrews 4:16 NIV
@16 Let us then approach GOD’S THRONE OF GRACE with confidence, so that we may RECEIVE MERCY and FIND GRACE TO HELP US IN OUR TIME OF NEED.

So what does “Conformity” to Jesus Christ mean? Applying the dictionary definition of the word, it means we're to be “similar”, “identical”, “obedient”, and “compliant” in the very same way that Jesus Christ was while He was on earth. Again, for now, don't worry about the “how?”.

I'd like us to see from Scripture how we've been made “similar” or “identical” to Christ in nature, and then subsequently we'll look at how we're expected to be like Him in character, i.e. obedience.

John stated that in this world we are like Jesus, meaning we share the very same essence and nature (1 John 4:17). So just as He was baptized in the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:16, John 3:34), so are we (Acts 2:4). Note that it is the very SAME Holy Spirit and His power that Jesus had, that we've also been given (Gal 4:6-7, Eph 1:19-20, 2 Peter 1:3-4). This technically means that we possess the same ability to do all the miracles He did, and even more (John 14:12, Mark 11:22-25).

Jesus Christ NEVER limited His disciples in terms of ability. He expected them to be able to do everything that He did. If they fell short, it wasn't for lack of ability, but inadequacy in their faith capacity (Matt 8:26), or unconformity to His practices of consecration, for instance fasting and praying (Mark 2:18-20, 9:28-29 NKJV). If for any reason the things that Scripture says concerning us are not a reflection of your life, it would be more prudent to self-examine if there are aspects in your life that are not in conformity to Jesus Christ and Scripture (2 Cor 13:5, James 1:22, Luke 6:46-49), than to blame God (Prov 19:3).

So, just as Jesus was sent into the world, so also have we been sent (John 20:21). Just as He is the Light of the world (John 8:12), so also have we been made light to the world (Matt 5:14-16). We reflect His Light that has come to shine within us (2 Cor 3:18, 4:3-4,6).

And just as Christ is a Priest (Heb 5:5-6), so are we (Rev 5:10 NKJV, 1 Peter 2:5,9). There are a number of other mirrored identifiers that we share with Jesus, like even laying down our lives (1 John 3:16), and such, but let's move on to character-wise.

Jesus Christ exemplified HUMILITY and OBEDIENCE (Heb 5:7-9), and we're called to learn these traits from Him (Matt 11:29, Phil 2:5-11). Jesus Christ was obedient to the Tee in executing the will of God on earth, doing only what pleased the Father (John 8:28-29). In like manner, we are to do the same ([1 Peter 4:11, Matt 10:19-20, Jer 1:9, Isaiah 59:21], Eph 5:10,17).

Obedience is an expression of Love. So just as Christ loved and obeyed the Father (John 15:10), so also are we called to obedience (John 14:15, 2 John 1:6, 1 John 5:3, Rom 1:5, 6:16-18, 2 Cor 9:13, Acts 26:19-20).

So in every regard, we are to be like Jesus. But the question now is how? Stick around for part two for the answer.

If you haven't already done so, please download the Free book “Early Steps in Christianity”, link below .

Thanks for the privilege of your time. God bless and Shalom!

For the Full Series: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/TO_BE_LIKE_JESUS_FULL_SERIES/

For Current Part:
https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Part_One/

For Part Two : https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Part_Two/

For the Free PDF of "Early Steps in Christianity" (E.S.C): https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity

For Paperback or Hardcover copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N

For the Free PDF of "The Biblical Festivals of God" (TBFG): https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

For Paperback copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J

Follow-up Post to the book, TBFG: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/

I'd like to also encourage you to go through the following resources:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/WHAT_PAUL_MEANT_BY-THE_LAW_OF_SIN_AND_DEATH-ROM_7AND8/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/


#God #Jesus #JesusChrist #HolySpirit #TheLivingWord #Theology #BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji
#TheBible #Scripture #BiblicalTruth #ChristianTeaching #ChristianApologetics #SoundDoctrine #KingdomOfGod

#Gospel #FaithInJesus #Salvation #EternalLife

#Christlikeness #BeLikeJesus #SpiritualGrowth #Holiness #Sanctification #WalkInTheSpirit #LedByTheSpirit #DieToSelf

#FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

TO BE LIKE JESUS - PART 3A

WHY GOD WANTS US TO BE LIKE JESUS - (THE RESTORATION OF OUR IMAGE)

(Google Docs link provided at the end and in the comment for clickable Bible citations to open your Bible App for a fluid study experience)

Because of the scope of this subject, this section is in two parts (A & B). You may download the free book attached to this series for deeper explanations. In this concluding part, we’ll explore WHY God wants us to be like Jesus (Rom 8:29).
In simple terms, being conformed to Christ is the only way God fulfills His purpose for creation in Genesis 1. God created all things for His pleasure, and His purpose must stand (Rev 4:11 KJV, Eph 1:5,9,11, Psa 135:6, Isaiah 46:10). Of all mankind, Jesus alone fully pleased Him (Matt 3:17, 17:5, Isaiah 42:1, John 5:30, 8:29), therefore God desires us to be like Him.

Below is the Genesis mandate—the definition and purpose of mankind:

Gen 1:26-28 NIV
26 Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in OUR IMAGE, in OUR LIKENESS, so that they may RULE … over all the creatures …”
27 So God created mankind in His own Image… 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be FRUITFUL and INCREASE IN NUMBER; fill the earth and subdue it. RULE … over every living creature …”

Thus mankind was made in God’s Image, to be fruitful, multiply, and rule.
But man sinned by obeying the devil (Gen 2:16-17, 3:1-7). Since one’s a servant of the one they obey (Rom 6:16-18), mankind effectively joined the devil’s rebellion submitting to his will ([Rom 3:23, 6:20, John 8:34, Eph 2:1-3, Titus 3:3], 2 Tim 2:26); thus adopting the sin nature that originated with Satan (John 8:42-44, 1 John 3:8-10).
Adam and Eve passed this corrupted image to humanity (Gen 5:1-3, Rom 5:12, 18-19). Hence, humanity no longer reflected God’s PERFECT Image (Rom 3:23). This is the first point of deviation from the Genesis mandate.
The sin nature makes perfection impossible (Rom 7:22-25). Therefore God sent His Son, Who took on the SAME weak flesh (Rom 8:3, Heb 2:14-15, 17, Phil 2:5-8); but by the Spirit’s enablement, and a surrendered will, He lived PERFECTLY without sin ([John 3:34, Heb 9:14], Heb 4:15), thus proving that Man can once again reflect God's PERFECT nature (Matt 5:48, Heb 10:14, 2 Cor 3:18, [1 John 2:6, 2 Tim 2:19]).
We have no excuse, Jesus Christ was FULLY like us, and God was with Him as He is with us (John 8:29, Heb 13:5, John 14:16-18 NKJV). God's help does not totally eliminate pain, hardships, or temptation ([John 16:33, 1 Cor 15:10, 2 Cor 12:9-10], 1 Cor 10:12-13); neither does it override our will (Psa 19:13, Heb 10:26-27).

Similarly, Jesus Christ had freewill (John 10:18), He faced EVERY hardship we do, and despite that chose to OBEY God. Hunger didn’t make Him sell His Birthright (Heb 12:16; Matt 4:2-4); neither did ego (1 Sam 15:22-30; Phil 2:5-11); nor shame and betrayal make Him turn against us (Rom 11:2-4, Jer 12:3-6, 18:18-23; Luke 22:31-34, 23:34, Heb 12:24). He fully experienced our pains, so we have no excuse (1 John 3:3). And if we fall short, we must simply repent and not make excuses to remain in sin (1 John 2:1-2).

Jesus was fully Man (Heb 2:17), and fully Divine, but on incarnation He laid aside His Divinity (John 17:5, Phil 2:6-8). While on earth, He became fully Divine due to the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:16, John 3:34, Col 1:19). He had to be fully Human, otherwise He couldn't be tempted as we are, because God cannot be tempted (Heb 4:15, James 1:13). He overcame temptation by the Spirit, and by surrendering His will to fulfill ALL that the Holy Spirit caused the prophets to write concerning Him (Matt 26:39, 5:17, 2 Peter 1:20-21). In other words, He kept in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:24-25).

Jesus took our image so that we may take His through the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9-10, 2 Peter 1:3-4). He identified with us as “the Son of Man” (Luke 5:20-24, Heb 2:11, 14-17); and now calls us to take His Image (1 Cor 15:45-50), through a surrendered life to the Holy Spirit. And because of that we can become "Children of God" (John 1:12, Rom 8:16, 1 John 3:1).

Bearing His Image restores the Genesis mandate, for Jesus is God’s express Image (Col 1:15, John 14:9), and through Him we put on God’s likeness (*Eph 4:12-15, 22-24*). Only through Christ do we become children of God and gain access to dwell with Him (John 1:12, 14:1-6).

Understand that God can hear and speak with anyone or any spirit, good or bad (Num 22:9-12, Judges 7:13-15, Job 1:6-7); but only His Children have access to dwell in His Home eternally (John 14:1-3). The devil and everyone else who holds to the image of the sin nature have alternative accommodation in the eternal lake of fire (Rev 20:10, 14-15).

God has chosen you to dwell with Him (John 3:16-18, 1 Tim 2:1-6); now the choice is yours (Deut 30:19-20, Josh 24:15). Accepting this invitation requires coming through Christ and allowing the Spirit to purge the sin nature; otherwise, one risks being cast out (Matt 22:9-14). God can easily graft you in, but if you refuse FRUITFULNESS, He can just as easily remove you (John 15:1-6, Rom 11:17-24, Heb 10:26-31).

We’ll explore fruitfulness and the rest of the Genesis mandate in Part 3B.

Thanks for the privilege of your time. God bless and Shalom!

Link to Full Series: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Full_Series/
Link for current post (3A): https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Part_3A/

For Part 3B:
https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Part_3B/

For the Free PDF of "Early Steps in Christianity" (E.S.C): https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity

For Paperback or Hardcover copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N

For the Free PDF of "The Biblical Festivals of God" (TBFG): https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

For Paperback copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J

I'd like to also encourage you to go through the following resources:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/What_Paul_Meant_by-The_Law_of_Sin_and_Death-Rom_7and8/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/

#BeLikeJesus #ImitateChrist #Christlikeness #ObedienceToGod #WalkInTheSpirit #SpiritLedLife #YieldToTheSpirit #TransformationInChrist #ConformToChrist #ChristianDiscipleship #SpiritualGrowth

#BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji #FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

#God #Jesus #JesusChrist #HolySpirit #TheLivingWord #Theology #TheBible #Scripture #BiblicalTruth #ChristianTeaching #ChristianApologetics #SoundDoctrine #KingdomOfGod

#Gospel #FaithInJesus #Salvation #EternalLife

TO BE LIKE JESUS - PART 3A

WHY GOD WANTS US TO BE LIKE JESUS - (THE RESTORATION OF OUR IMAGE)

(Google Docs link provided at the end and in the comment for clickable Bible citations to open your Bible App for a fluid study experience)

Because of the scope of this subject, this section is in two parts (A & B). You may download the free book attached to this series for deeper explanations. In this concluding part, we’ll explore WHY God wants us to be like Jesus (Rom 8:29).
In simple terms, being conformed to Christ is the only way God fulfills His purpose for creation in Genesis 1. God created all things for His pleasure, and His purpose must stand (Rev 4:11 KJV, Eph 1:5,9,11, Psa 135:6, Isaiah 46:10). Of all mankind, Jesus alone fully pleased Him (Matt 3:17, 17:5, Isaiah 42:1, John 5:30, 8:29), therefore God desires us to be like Him.

Below is the Genesis mandate—the definition and purpose of mankind:

Gen 1:26-28 NIV
26 Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in OUR IMAGE, in OUR LIKENESS, so that they may RULE … over all the creatures …”
27 So God created mankind in His own Image… 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be FRUITFUL and INCREASE IN NUMBER; fill the earth and subdue it. RULE … over every living creature …”

Thus mankind was made in God’s Image, to be fruitful, multiply, and rule.
But man sinned by obeying the devil (Gen 2:16-17, 3:1-7). Since one’s a servant of the one they obey (Rom 6:16-18), mankind effectively joined the devil’s rebellion submitting to his will ([Rom 3:23, 6:20, John 8:34, Eph 2:1-3, Titus 3:3], 2 Tim 2:26); thus adopting the sin nature that originated with Satan (John 8:42-44, 1 John 3:8-10).
Adam and Eve passed this corrupted image to humanity (Gen 5:1-3, Rom 5:12, 18-19). Hence, humanity no longer reflected God’s PERFECT Image (Rom 3:23). This is the first point of deviation from the Genesis mandate.
The sin nature makes perfection impossible (Rom 7:22-25). Therefore God sent His Son, Who took on the SAME weak flesh (Rom 8:3, Heb 2:14-15, 17, Phil 2:5-8); but by the Spirit’s enablement, and a surrendered will, He lived PERFECTLY without sin ([John 3:34, Heb 9:14], Heb 4:15), thus proving that Man can once again reflect God's PERFECT nature (Matt 5:48, Heb 10:14, 2 Cor 3:18, [1 John 2:6, 2 Tim 2:19]).
We have no excuse, Jesus Christ was FULLY like us, and God was with Him as He is with us (John 8:29, Heb 13:5, John 14:16-18 NKJV). God's help does not totally eliminate pain, hardships, or temptation ([John 16:33, 1 Cor 15:10, 2 Cor 12:9-10], 1 Cor 10:12-13); neither does it override our will (Psa 19:13, Heb 10:26-27).

Similarly, Jesus Christ had freewill (John 10:18), He faced EVERY hardship we do, and despite that chose to OBEY God. Hunger didn’t make Him sell His Birthright (Heb 12:16; Matt 4:2-4); neither did ego (1 Sam 15:22-30; Phil 2:5-11); nor shame and betrayal make Him turn against us (Rom 11:2-4, Jer 12:3-6, 18:18-23; Luke 22:31-34, 23:34, Heb 12:24). He fully experienced our pains, so we have no excuse (1 John 3:3). And if we fall short, we must simply repent and not make excuses to remain in sin (1 John 2:1-2).

Jesus was fully Man (Heb 2:17), and fully Divine, but on incarnation He laid aside His Divinity (John 17:5, Phil 2:6-8). While on earth, He became fully Divine due to the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:16, John 3:34, Col 1:19). He had to be fully Human, otherwise He couldn't be tempted as we are, because God cannot be tempted (Heb 4:15, James 1:13). He overcame temptation by the Spirit, and by surrendering His will to fulfill ALL that the Holy Spirit caused the prophets to write concerning Him (Matt 26:39, 5:17, 2 Peter 1:20-21). In other words, He kept in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:24-25).

Jesus took our image so that we may take His through the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9-10, 2 Peter 1:3-4). He identified with us as “the Son of Man” (Luke 5:20-24, Heb 2:11, 14-17); and now calls us to take His Image (1 Cor 15:45-50), through a surrendered life to the Holy Spirit. And because of that we can become "Children of God" (John 1:12, Rom 8:16, 1 John 3:1).

Bearing His Image restores the Genesis mandate, for Jesus is God’s express Image (Col 1:15, John 14:9), and through Him we put on God’s likeness (*Eph 4:12-15, 22-24*). Only through Christ do we become children of God and gain access to dwell with Him (John 1:12, 14:1-6).

Understand that God can hear and speak with anyone or any spirit, good or bad (Num 22:9-12, Judges 7:13-15, Job 1:6-7); but only His Children have access to dwell in His Home eternally (John 14:1-3). The devil and everyone else who holds to the image of the sin nature have alternative accommodation in the eternal lake of fire (Rev 20:10, 14-15).

God has chosen you to dwell with Him (John 3:16-18, 1 Tim 2:1-6); now the choice is yours (Deut 30:19-20, Josh 24:15). Accepting this invitation requires coming through Christ and allowing the Spirit to purge the sin nature; otherwise, one risks being cast out (Matt 22:9-14). God can easily graft you in, but if you refuse FRUITFULNESS, He can just as easily remove you (John 15:1-6, Rom 11:17-24, Heb 10:26-31).

We’ll explore fruitfulness and the rest of the Genesis mandate in Part 3B.

Thanks for the privilege of your time. God bless and Shalom!

Link to Full Series: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Full_Series/
Link for current post (3A): https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Part_3A/

For Part 3B:
https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/To_Be_Like_Jesus_Part_3B/

For the Free PDF of "Early Steps in Christianity" (E.S.C): https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity

For Paperback or Hardcover copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N

For the Free PDF of "The Biblical Festivals of God" (TBFG): https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

For Paperback copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J

I'd like to also encourage you to go through the following resources:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/What_Paul_Meant_by-The_Law_of_Sin_and_Death-Rom_7and8/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/

#BeLikeJesus #ImitateChrist #Christlikeness #ObedienceToGod #WalkInTheSpirit #SpiritLedLife #YieldToTheSpirit #TransformationInChrist #ConformToChrist #ChristianDiscipleship #SpiritualGrowth

#BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji #FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

#God #Jesus #JesusChrist #HolySpirit #TheLivingWord #Theology #TheBible #Scripture #BiblicalTruth #ChristianTeaching #ChristianApologetics #SoundDoctrine #KingdomOfGod

#Gospel #FaithInJesus #Salvation #EternalLife

TRUST IN THE LORD AND DRAW STRENGTH FROM HIM

There is only so far you can go by your strength, understanding, ability, or learning. To really go the distance you need help. We often get help from people, and that's great, but first and foremost we must seek to secure help from the Lord.

Divine help is the only way you can truly live the fulfilling life that God has predestined for you without having to strive (Prov 10:22). Human ability will always fall short at some point.

I hope reading the following Passages helps you to intentionally lean on the strength that comes from God:

Psalms 73:26 (NIV)
My flesh and my heart may fail,
BUT GOD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART
AND MY PORTION FOREVER.

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will NOT grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 HE GIVES STRENGTH TO THE WEARY
AND INCREASES THE POWER OF THE WEAK.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 BUT THOSE WHO HOPE IN THE LORD
WILL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and NOT grow weary,
they will walk and NOT be faint.

Psalms 84:5&7 (NIV)
5 BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE STRENGTH IS IN YOU,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
…
7 THEY GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH,
till each appears before God in Zion.

1 Chronicles 29:12 (NIV)
Wealth and honor come from You;
You are the Ruler of all things.
In Your Hands are strength and power
TO EXALT AND GIVE STRENGTH TO ALL.

Psalms 127:1 (NIV)
UNLESS the LORD builds the house,
the builders LABOR IN VAIN.
UNLESS the LORD watches over the city,
the guards stand watch IN VAIN.

Zechariah 4:6 (NIV)
So He said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, BUT BY MY SPIRIT,’ says the LORD Almighty.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV
@9 But He said to me, “My Grace is sufficient for you, for My Power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, SO THAT CHRIST’S POWER MAY REST ON ME. @10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG.

1 Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, THEY SHOULD DO SO WITH THE STRENGTH GOD PROVIDES, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (NIV)

So you can always find strength in the Lord even in the worst of situations:

1 Samuel 30:4-6
4 So David and his men wept aloud UNTIL THEY HAD NO STRENGTH LEFT to weep. 5 David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 David was GREATLY DISTRESSED because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. BUT DAVID FOUND STRENGTH IN THE LORD HIS GOD. (NIV)

And in the best of situations also invite Him in:

Proverbs 3:5-7 (NIV)
5 Trust in the LORD with ALL your heart
and lean NOT on your own understanding;
6 IN ALL YOUR WAYS SUBMIT TO Him,
and He will make your paths straight.
7 Do NOT be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 REJOICE ALWAYS, 17 pray CONTINUALLY, 18 give thanks IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

When you make it a habit of leaning on the strength of the Lord you'll find a joy and peace in living:

John 16:33 NIV
@33 “I have told you these things, so that IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. In this world you will have trouble. BUT TAKE HEART! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”

Philippians 4:6-7, 12-13 NIV
@6 Do NOT be anxious about anything, but IN EVERY SITUATION, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. @7 And THE PEACE OF GOD, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
…
@12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have LEARNED the secret of BEING CONTENT IN ANY AND EVERY SITUATION, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
@13 I can do all this THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.

Matthew 19:26 (NIV)
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.”

John 16:24 NIV
@24 Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE, AND YOUR JOY WILL BE COMPLETE.

God bless and Shalom!

#BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji

JESUS CHRIST THE PASSOVER LAMB - PART ONE

(Google Docs link at the end and in the comment for clickable Bible citations to easily open your Bible App)

1 Cor 5:7
Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For CHRIST, OUR PASSOVER LAMB, has been sacrificed. NIV

John 1:29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, THE LAMB OF GOD, Who takes away the sin of the world! NIV

The Passover is the first and most significant festival among the seven annual Biblical festivals. The entire saga in Egypt and beyond is a type and shadow that beautifully mirrors the New Testament Gospel about Jesus Christ (Heb 10:1-10, 8:5-6). I would've loved to thoroughly elaborate on the detailed prophetic fulfillment of the Passover through Jesus Christ, but that would be revisiting things that I've better addressed in previous posts (the series “Biblical Ciphers and Codes”), and the book “The Biblical Festivals of God”.

This post, however, is in response to some things I've recently learnt, and also to emphasize Biblical Truth over tradition.

From the two opening Passages, I believe we can all agree that Jesus Christ is The Passover Lamb. In this light, we're saying He mirrors the Passover festival. To briefly draw some similarities:

None of the bones of the Passover Lamb was to be broken (Ex 12:46, Ps 34:20); similarly, none of Jesus’ bones were broken, even though there was reason to, since the norm of crucifixion and accelerating death was to break the legs of the convicted, yet Jesus’s bones were NOT broken like the other two people crucified along with Him (John 19:31-36).

Furthermore, the efficacy of the blood of the lamb applied on the doorpost of the Israelites to spare the firstborn from death wasn't based on the goodness or badness of the inhabitants. The judgment was simply that houses with the blood applied were passed over, but those without would experience the loss of the firstborn son. We can further infer that it wasn't based on the goodness of the Israelites, because subsequently throughout the journey in the wilderness they proved to be stubborn (Deut 9:6). Similarly, salvation by the Blood of Jesus is not dependent on one's goodness or badness (Eph 2:8-9, Matt 22:9-10), but rather the free acceptance of the Grace of God, and application of the Blood of Jesus Christ by faith for the remission of sin (Rom 3:23-25, Matt 26:28 NKJV, Rev 22:17).

If we're all good with that, the next point I'd like to emphasize in keeping with the Passover theme is that Jesus Christ was crucified on the day of the Passover celebration. To properly establish this point for unanimous agreement we'd have to do some teaching. For this, I'd invite you to join me in part two where we'd explore the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ to establish that all these took place on the Passover day. We'd also address some of the controversies associated with identifying the day.

Thanks for the privilege of your time. Shalom and God bless!

Link for the Full Series:
https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/

Biblical Ciphers and Codes - Full Series:
https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/

For the Individual Parts in this Series:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS-CHRIST-THE-PASSOVER-LAMB-PART-ONE/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-PART_TWO-THE_CRUCIFIXION_AND_DEATH/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-CONCLUSION/

For the Free PDF of "Early Steps in Christianity" (E.S.C): https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity

For Paperback or Hardcover copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N

For the Free PDF of "The Biblical Festivals of God" (TBFG): https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

For Paperback copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J

Follow-up Post to the book, TBFG: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/

I'd like to also encourage you to go through the following resources:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/What_Paul_Meant_by-The_Law_of_Sin_and_Death-Rom_7and8/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/TO_BE_LIKE_JESUS_FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/

#God #Jesus #JesusChrist #Spirit #HolySpirit #Theology #Christianity #TheChurch #BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji #BibleStudy #TheBible #Scripture #TheLivingWord #Truth

#Free #FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

#Passover #Easter #TheLordSupper #ProphecyFulfilled #Redemption

JESUS CHRIST THE PASSOVER LAMB - PART TWO - THE CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH

(Google Docs link at the end and in the comment for clickable Bible citations to easily open your Bible App)

Having established that Jesus Christ was the Passover Lamb, I'd like us to explore His death for the sins of the world.

From the inauguration of Passover in the time of Moses, the Passover sacrifice was to occur “at twilight” of the 14th of Nisan/Aviv, the first month of the year (Ex 12:6, 23:15). With this, it ought to be straightforward to infer that the day of Christ’s crucifixion was “twilight” on the 14th of Nisan 30AD, since He came as the fulfillment of the Passover sacrifice. Even though this is absolutely true it gets a bit complicated reconciling Scripture, the Jewish context, and the various calendar systems to determine feast days in Jesus’s time.

In the Jewish context first of all, it should be noted that right from Genesis, a day was reckoned to begin from the “evening” (Gen 1:5, 8…). This is a paradigm shift from our approach of midnight being the start of our calendar day.

Another thing worth noting from the Biblical perspective is that, the term “at twilight” (Hebrew beyn ha’arbaim) in connection to Ex 12:6, more appropriately refers to “between the two evenings”, and that refers to the span of time from past noon to sunset when the shadow begins to go down. As a matter of fact, in the compiled oral traditions of the Jews (the Mishnah and Talmud), the “twilight” sacrifice of the Passover lamb was to occur between eight and a half hours (2:30pm), and nine and a half hours (3:30pm) - (see Mishnah Pesachim 5:1). Clearly this timeframe implies a different meaning from our typical understanding of “twilight”, which is the brief transitory moment of fading light between day and night. Also note that the morning and evening daily sacrifices, were offered around the third hour (9am), and ninth hour (3pm) respectively (Ex 29:38-39,
Mishnah [Tamid 3:7, 4:1]).

So we find that the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ exactly followed the Scriptural and Jewish contextual interpretations. First, Jesus was crucified at the time of the morning sacrifice, i.e. the third hour or 9am (Mark 15:25 NKJV/NIV). Secondly, He died around the ninth hour or 3pm (Mark 15:34-37 NKJV/NIV), which was the time for the evening sacrifice, and also the time for the twilight Passover sacrifice according to Mishnah Pesachim 5:1.

So we see that even the timing of Jesus’s crucifixion and death was in direct fulfillment of Scripture. These details would have otherwise been missed without an appropriate understanding of the Jewish context.

Having established the time of Jesus’s crucifixion and death, let's focus our attention on the day. Going by the evidence of other Scriptures that prove that Jesus Christ came in fulfillment of them all, we can stand on that premise to make the case that He had to have been crucified and died on the day and hour when the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. Hence, we're referring to the twilight of the 14th of Nisan according to the Passover Law.

However, the debate arises that if Jesus Christ was actually crucified on the day the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed, i.e. the day of preparation as John alludes (John 19:14, 31), then what about the “Last Supper”, which according to the other Gospels was apparently a Passover Seder (Matt 26:17, Mark 14:12, Luke 22:7-8). There are a number of positions that I've looked into to address this question, and I'd like to share my findings with a focus on alignment to Scripture.

You may know this already that in Jesus’s day there were different religious and political sects: Sadducees, Pharisees, Herodians, Zealots, Samaritans, Essenes etc. Even though groups like the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Herodians often ganged up against Jesus, however, among themselves they had diverging religious views (Acts 23:6-8).

On the subject of Passover, there were at least three major views on when to observe it.

The Essenes followed a strict 364-day solar calendar (Qumran Calendar), and their Passover always fell on a Wednesday. In 30 AD, their Passover lamb was sacrificed on Tuesday, April 4, and the meal was eaten that evening. I'd get back to this shortly to reconcile the Wednesday part. I might also add that based on astronomical calculations many scholars have postulated that the 14th of Nisan fell on Thursday, April 6, 30AD. Keep these dates in mind as we'll use them shortly.

The Pharisees and Sadducees followed a lunar-based calendar, which was dependent on literally watching to observe the new moon to mark the commencement of the month. They still used the fixed seven-day weekly cycle, but the number of days in the month was not fixed; it could be 29 or 30 days or whatever depending on when the witnesses sighted the new moon and confirmed it with the priest. Remember, they had to make sacrifices every new moon (Num 28:11-14).

However, Biblically speaking the moon wasn't the only mechanism for telling times and seasons, the solar cycle was also relevant (Gen 1:14-16). The Biblical festivals aligned with the agricultural seasons, like the ripening of the firstfruits (Lev 23:10-11), the harvest at the feast of weeks, i.e. Pentecost (Lev 23:16-17, 22), and the final gathering of all the harvests at the feast of Tabernacles (Lev 23:39), and all these are more attuned to the solar cycle. The sun plays a significant role in the ripening of crops. And as a matter of fact, some seeds would remain dormant in the ground if they do not experience the ideal conditions of moisture and heat.

The lunar cycle for a 12-month year comes short of the number of days for the yearly solar cycle. Hence, what the religious rulers did to determine when the Passover was to begin was that after observing the lunar beginning of the month, they would also go to observe the fields planted with grain. If the stage of growth is acceptable then they will announce the beginning of the year, otherwise, it will be postponed. This is done so as to be able to offer the firstfruit offering, which was required within the week of the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:10-11).

So the Sadducees and Pharisees observed Passover on the 14th of Nisan, the first month of the year, and the Passover can fall on any day of the week. Where both sects differ is in the interpretation of “twilight” (Ex 12:6).

Remember the Biblical reckoning of a day begins at evening and ends at the following evening. Hence, the 14th day of Nisan would begin from the evening bordering 13th/14th to the evening of 14th/15th. I'll elaborate on this shortly. Either-way, both evenings technically can be defined as the “evening” of the 14th.

So the Sadducees believed that the 13/14th of Nisan was the “twilight” time to sacrifice the Passover, hence by 3pm, the ninth hour, on the 13th the lamb was sacrificed and roasted in PREPARATION for the Passover meal later in the evening after sunset, which would then be the 14th.

It should also be noted that the Sadducees were the ones in charge of the Temple. As a sidenote, the Samaritans observed the Passover in alignment with the Sadducees’ interpretation, only that they didn't sacrifice their Passover lamb in the Temple, but rather on Mount Gerizim.

The Pharisees on the other hand subscribed to the evening between the 14/15th of Nisan; hence their PREPARATION begins at 3pm on the 14th, and the Passover meal was eaten after sunset on the 15th. So there is a 24hr difference between the two major sects in their observance of Passover. By the way, modern Rabbinic traditions follow the Pharisaical interpretation, hence they practically eat the Passover Seder on the 15th of Nisan.

Let me briefly prove through Scripture why the 14th, or any other day for instance, starts its count from the evening of the previous day, i.e. the evening between 13/14th.

The answer can be found when studying the festival called the Day of Atonement, which was commemorated on the 10th day of the seventh month (Lev 23:27). This is one of the most solemn festivals, and among other things, every Israelite must assemble before the Lord for this festival, and everyone MUST fast (i.e. deny themselves) on that day (Lev 23:29). God defined the 24hr period of fasting on this 10th day as beginning from the evening of the 9th to the following evening (*Lev 23:32*). Hence, this is the clearest indication of how a day is reckoned in the Biblical sense. Again bear in mind that you begin with the evening bordering the previous day (9/10), and conclude with the evening bordering the next day (10/11), and this defines the 24hr span of that day (10th). This is going to be helpful in our analysis.

So when Jesus Christ was crucified, presumably in 30 AD, there were at least three different days when three notable sects, the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Essenes, would've observed the Passover meal.

Some scholars believed that the Passover meal, or Lord’s Supper, which Jesus took with His disciples according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Matt 26:17, Mark 14:12, Luke 22:7-8), was the Passover Seder according to the Essenes. Since Passover for the Essenes always fell on Wednesday, i.e. the 4th day of the week; it meant that the Lord's Supper was prepared by Peter and John from 3pm on Tuesday, the 3rd day of the week, for the meal on the evening of the 4th day, which would start the count for Wednesday. Remember the analysis we did earlier.

So Jesus’s Passover meal with His disciples could be referenced as the Passover of the Essenes. However, His crucifixion aligned with the Passover of the Sadducees, who were in charge of the Temple and followed the Mosaic Law of Sacrificing the Passover lamb on the 14th of Nisan. Again astronomical calculations for 30 AD place the 14th of Nisan to be on Thursday, April 6th. This means that by the interpretation of the Sadducees, the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed and prepared from Wednesday at 3pm, 13th of Nisan, for the Passover meal on the 14th of Nisan which would be considered as Thursday. And this was precisely when Jesus Christ was crucified as the Passover Lamb, it was the preparation day of the Passover (1 Cor 5:7).

John 19:14
And it was now almost noon. And it was THE SAME DAY they were PREPARING to slay the Passover lambs. Then Pilate said to the Jewish officials, “Look! Here is your King!” TPT (The Passion Translation)

The Pharisees used the evening bordering 14th/15th of Nisan, hence 3pm Thursday, as their preparation day for the Passover which was to be eaten on Friday night, the 15th of Nisan. Again, modern-day Rabbinic tradition follows the Pharisaical template.

Anyway, the sum of evidence being presented is that the Lord’s Supper can be viewed as a Passover Seder, even as the Essenes celebrated it on that day. But ultimately, the preparation day referenced in the Gospel of John pointed to the time according to the Law and the Temple protocols of the Sadducees, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed (John 19:14 TPT quoted above ). And it was on this day that Jesus Christ was crucified and died in fulfillment of the Scriptural requirements (Matt 5:17-19, 26:52-54, Luke 24:25-26, 44-47).

Obviously, the differences in the days of observing the Passover show that the Jews of that day were not united. This is a fact that didn't escape the notice of the religious leaders. However, the high priest, Caiaphas, prophesied that the death of Jesus would unite the Jews as one (John 11:49-52). And I believe that is what Jesus Christ accomplished with the Passover.

His Passover Seder, the Lord's Supper, was in accordance to the Essenes (Mark 14:12); His death as the Passover Lamb was in accordance to the day of the Sadducees and Samaritan Passover (John 19:14 TPT); and His burial included the Pharisees, because it was two Pharisees, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, that buried Him (John 19:38-41), thus forfeiting their interpretation of the Passover. In other words, they set aside their traditions to honor Jesus Christ and give Him a befitting burial.

Their involvement as Pharisees is very noteworthy, because their mere contact with the Corpse of Jesus meant that they would be unable to celebrate the Passover that month due to ceremonial uncleanliness that would last for seven days (Num 9:6-11, 19:11). These are Pharisees who by their traditions would dare NOT eat with unwashed hands, considering them unclean (Mark 7:1-5), or even come in contact with living Samaritans, who were half Jews thus their kin; but here they boldly forfeited their chance to observe the Passover because of Jesus Christ. This open sacrifice of theirs was a big statement, saying that they profoundly acknowledged the Person of Jesus Christ, and that indeed He was from God (John 3:1-2, Mark 15:43). In other words, Jesus Christ was worth more than their interpretation and observance of the Passover. So I believe that the involvement of the Pharisees in the burial of Jesus Christ was a significant detail.

So just as Caiaphas prophesied, Jesus Christ united the major Jewish sects through the Passover. His Passover Seder, crucifixion, and death at the time the Passover lamb was to be slain (John 19:14 TPT), and His burial by the two Pharisees, basically involved all the Jews in the Passover season.

And just to add that the examination and cross-examination by Pilate, proving that Jesus Christ was blameless and innocent of anything deserving death (John 18:38), was just as the Passover lamb had to be inspected to ensure that it had no blemishes or defects before it was sacrificed (Ex 12:5-6); thus this involved the Gentile world, because Pilate was a representative of the Roman Emperor, who was essentially the global power of the world then.

And as a member of the black race, which often gets overlooked, it is worth pointing out that Simon of Cyrene, who helped Jesus carry the cross, was an African (Mark 15:21). So we see that God involved all the Jews, Gentiles, and every race, in the sequence of events that led up to the Crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb of God, Who died for the sins of the world (John 1:29, John 3:16-17), to bring to God ALL peoples, nations, tribes and tongues (Rev 5:9).

Now please permit me to briefly touch on the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ to address a significant issue before we conclude this part.

For the sake of emphasis, Jesus Christ died around 3pm Wednesday, April 5th, 30AD, and He was BURIED just before sunset (Matt 27:57-60). When Jesus spoke about His resurrection, He said He would be in the grave for three days and three nights, just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights (Matt 12:40).

So He was put in the grave or buried just before sunset (Mark 15:42 TPT). The count of the FULL three days and three nights from Wednesday sunset would amount to His resurrection being around Saturday sunset, the 7th day, just as it began to transition to the 1st day of the week, Sunday. In other words, the resurrection took place around the evening of the 7th day of the week, which is EXACTLY three days and three nights from His burial on Wednesday evening.

This timeframe comfortably fulfills what Jesus Christ said about Himself regarding the three full days of being in the grave; and it beautifully complements the feast of firstfruits in so many ways:

like how according to the Jewish traditions concerning Firstfruits, the priests would be brought harvested sheaf of grain, and he would place it by the altar in the Temple overnight, and then in the morning of the 1st day of the week, the day after the Sabbath, it was waved and presented to the Lord (Lev 23:11); so also was Jesus Christ resurrected around the evening of the 7th day, thus “harvested from the earth”, and then it was in the morning of the first day of the week that He ascended to Heaven to be officially presented to the Father as "the Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Cor 15:20); this we can deduce from his discussion with Mary on the morning of the first day of the week, when He was FIRST SEEN by anyone (John 20:1, 17, Daniel 7:13-14). Note that the women went to the tomb WHILE it was still dark, before dawn, and Jesus Christ was NOT in the tomb, meaning He had ALREADY resurrected prior to their coming (John 20:1). It is thus an ASSUMPTION to assert that Jesus Christ resurrected on Sunday morning. “Morning” in the Biblical context BEGINS around SUNRISE, or first light, which is the break of dawn. This is the zeroth hour, meaning that something like the 3rd hour of the day, starting from the morning, corresponds to around 9 AM (Mark 15:25 NKJV/NIV). Hence since the women went to the tomb BEFORE the break of dawn and Jesus Christ was NOT there, then it means that He could NOT have resurrected on Sunday morning, speaking from the Biblical perspective. But rather, it was Sunday morning that He was FIRST SEEN AFTER His resurrection (please read Mark 16:9 TPT).

One other fascinating connection that the feast of firstfruits has in relation to the resurrection regards part of the recitations from Scripture that those bringing the firstfruit would say. If I were to suggest a Passage from the Bible that would naturally tie into the firstfruit agricultural theme, I'd probably choose Proverbs 3:9-10. But when you contextually read one of the chosen Passages recited at the festival you'll find that its subsequent verses speak of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and probably what He would have been reciting or singing after escaping the grave. Bukkirim 3:4, of the Jewish tradition regarding firstfruits, has in it a quotation from Ps 30:1. Now I'd encourage you to read Psalms 30:1-5. Literally, this Passage has NOTHING to do with agriculture, but it thrives in the context of the resurrection, with Jesus Christ being the firstfruit from the grave (1 Cor 15:20, John 12:23-24, 32).

There is much more we could address concerning this, but I'd have to refer you to Chapter Six of my book “Early Steps in Christianity”, and Chapter Three of the other book “The Biblical Festivals of God”, which uniquely explores the Feast of Firstfruits with the remarkable connections to the resurrection, as I've briefly discussed above.

Join me in the last part as I conclude this series.

Thanks for the privilege of your time. Shalom and God bless!

Link for the Full Series:
https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/

For the Individual Parts in this Series:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS-CHRIST-THE-PASSOVER-LAMB-PART-ONE/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-PART_TWO-THE_CRUCIFIXION_AND_DEATH/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-CONCLUSION/

For the Free PDF of "Early Steps in Christianity" (E.S.C): https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity

For Paperback or Hardcover copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N

For the Free PDF of "The Biblical Festivals of God" (TBFG): https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

For Paperback copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J

Follow-up Post to the book, TBFG: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/

I'd like to also encourage you to go through the following resources:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/What_Paul_Meant_by-The_Law_of_Sin_and_Death-Rom_7and8/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/TO_BE_LIKE_JESUS_FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/

#God #Jesus #JesusChrist #Spirit #HolySpirit #Theology #Christianity #TheChurch #BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji #BibleStudy #TheBible #Scripture #TheLivingWord #Truth

#Free #FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

#Passover #Easter #TheLordSupper #ProphecyFulfilled #Redemption

JESUS THE PASSOVER LAMB - CONCLUSION

(Google Docs link at the end and in the comment for clickable Bible citations to easily open your Bible App)

In the first part, we established that Jesus Christ was indeed the Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7, John 1:29).

In the second part, we addressed the controversies of some of the sects in Jesus’s day and when they observed the Passover. We further established that Jesus Christ was crucified on the day of Passover in fulfillment of the Biblical requirements. And we began to further explore based on what we determined as the time of Jesus’ death and burial to show that in keeping with the three days and three nights He resurrected around the evening of the 7th/1st day of the week (i.e. Saturday evening/Sunday evening).

In this part, we would conclude with an exhortation to the Church with respect to the Biblical festivals that God commanded.

The Biblical festivals of God convey deep insights and meaning, especially for us New Testament believers. They not only show what Jesus Christ fulfilled, but they also point to what is to come.

We as believers have a copious amount of reasons why we ought to continually commemorate the Biblical Festivals that God commanded in Leviticus 23, that is the: weekly Sabbath, Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Firstfruits, Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles.

I address this in the book, “The Biblical Festivals of God”: it is helpful to understand that the first festival, which was the weekly Sabbath that was inaugurated after the six days of creation (Gen 2:2-3), ought to have been the only festival mankind would have needed. It was not only a time to rest from one's work, but also a time to fellowship with God. It was a memorial for which we were to praise God for His achievements in creation, and a memorial of whom we were created to be, i.e. sons and daughters made in the Image of God (Gen 1:26-27). That was the essence of the Sabbath for us after creation, it was to foster a relationship with God.

The other festivals came as a result of the fall of mankind. So you'll find that from Passover to Day of Atonement God demonstrated His rescue plan for redeeming and reconciling mankind to Him; and the finale of the Feast of Tabernacles showed His plan for judgment and retribution for those who rejected Him, while offering restoration and eternal habitation for those who choose Him.

But it is really fascinating, and worth emphasizing that His original plan and purpose for mankind did not change, hence the intent of the weekly Sabbath that was inaugurated after creation was still maintained as the first of all the festivals in the midst of the rescue plan (Lev 23:3). As a matter of fact the only portion of Scripture which God wrote with His own Hand was the Ten Commandments, among which the Sabbath was also commanded (Deut 9:10, Deut 5:12-15). What this says is that God's intention for fellowship with mankind is at the heart of everything. His covenant purpose is for us to enter into His Sabbath rest (Ex 31:13, 17, Heb 4:1-3, 9-11). Hence the weekly Sabbath stands as a memorial for us to build and maintain a relationship with God the Creator, Who made us in His Image (Gen 1:26-27).

And even though the devil deceived mankind and caused us to adopt the image and nature of sin (Rom 5:12, 3:23), God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to take away the stain and reproach of sin (John 1:29, 1 Peter 1:18-21, 1 Cor 15:55-57), so that THROUGH Him we could once again bear the Image of God and be restored to fellowship with Him (Col 1:15, 19-20, Rom 8:29, 2 Cor 3:18, 1 John 3:2).

So all the other festivals are really important and serve as a memorial to what Jesus Christ accomplished, and will accomplish when He returns; but the reason He did all that was to reconcile us back to the One Who created us (2 Cor 5:17-21). Hence the goal is the Sabbath, that we might truly enter into the REST of the Lord (Heb 4:1-3, 9-11).

So when you observe the weekly Sabbath for starters, you are reminded of God the Creator: to give praise to Him, and to fellowship with Him because He is our Father; and that in turn reminds you of your identity as a child of God. One who is grounded in his true identity in God, just like Jesus Christ (Matt 4:3-11), would not easily be deceived by the devil, as Eve was, forgetting that she had been created in the Image of God hence the devil actually had NOTHING to offer her to make her more “like” God (Gen 1:27, 3:4-5). So, that for one, is plenty enough reason why we need to keep the festivals as memorials. A reminder of Who God is, who we are, and what He has done for us, from creation to the very end of redemption.

Another reason is simply the fact that God commanded the festivals to be a lasting ordinance for all generations (Lev 23:2, 21, 31-32, 41, 16:29-31, Ex 12:14). Jesus said if you loved Him you should keep His commands (John 14:15, Luke 6:46, *1 John 5:3*). And He Himself commanded us to always observe the Lord's Supper, which was a Passover Seder (Luke 22:15, 19-20). Even Paul received from Christ the DIRECT revelation to keep the Lord's Supper in remembrance of Him (1 Cor 11:23-26, Gal 1:11-12). It is also worth highlighting that all the other Biblical festivals point to Christ, and I clearly show how each does this in the book, “The Biblical Festivals of God”. That being the case, it stands to reason that we ought to commemorate the Biblical Festivals, because all of them are Sabbaths/holy-convocations unto God, which are fulfilled in Christ Jesus. So just like the weekly Sabbaths, these are also days of rest (Sabbaths) which we are to spend before the Lord.

Sadly in the Church, a lot of doctrine has crept in to deliberately redefine or annul that which God has spoken. And in the process introduce things that have little to no Biblical bearings.

For instance, the “sanctification” of Sunday as a “holy day” was a man-made agenda driven by blind antisemitism. And that same agenda “desanctified” Saturday (the 7th day), and threatened people who dared to observe the Sabbath with the curse of “anathema”. Both Jesus and the early-century believers observed the Sabbath by doing good and teaching the Word of God to draw people to Him, among other things. So it is unjustifiable for people to rise up centuries later to pronounce curses on those who wanted to keep the Sabbath, and instead force on them a different “holy day”. In the book, “The Biblical Festivals of God”, I provide the necessary quotes and references to back up what I'm saying here.

It is not only in the subject of replacing the weekly Sabbath with Sunday that the Church has taken preference for the teachings of men over the commands of God. We've done so with Passover as well, by replacing it with “Easter”. And just before you say that, no, they're the same thing, I need to emphatically say that that's a lie, they are NOT the same.

Should we ignore that the word “Easter” is connected to the pagan goddess “Ēostre” or “Ishtar”? How about the fact that the date is determined by its own calculation as the first Sunday after the full moon of the spring equinox, and not Nisan 14th as God commanded in the Bible? “Easter” may try to mask itself as being connected to Jesus Christ, the Passover, and the resurrection, but NOTHING about it in its name, date, or symbols (i.e. the rabbit/rodent, and “Easter eggs”), has any connection whatsoever with Jesus Christ or Scripture.

I hope this can serve as a wake-up call to the Church, galvanizing us to stand for truth and allow no compromise that has been enshrined in the name of tradition (Matt 15:8-9). And I also hope that this call will get believers once again grounded in the word of God, and encourage the commemoration of the Biblical festivals with a deep understanding of what they are, what/Whom they remind and point us to, i.e. Jesus Christ, and our identity and purpose expressed in them.

My prayer is that this speaks to you, and that God would furnish you with the Grace needed to understand and know Him more as you walk with Him (Eph 1:17-18).

Thanks for the privilege of your time. Shalom and God bless!

Link for the Full Series:
https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-FULL_SERIES/

For the Individual Parts in this Series:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS-CHRIST-THE-PASSOVER-LAMB-PART-ONE/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-PART_TWO-THE_CRUCIFIXION_AND_DEATH/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/JESUS_CHRIST_THE_PASSOVER_LAMB-CONCLUSION/

For the Free PDF of "Early Steps in Christianity" (E.S.C): https://selar.com/EarlyStepsInChristianity

For Paperback or Hardcover copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKW4H91N

For the Free PDF of "The Biblical Festivals of God" (TBFG): https://selar.com/TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

For Paperback copies:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKPP5N6J

Follow-up Post to the book, TBFG: https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/BIBLICAL_CIPHERS_AND_CODES-FULL_SERIES/

I'd like to also encourage you to go through the following resources:

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_ORIGINS_OF_EASTER/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/HOW_CAN_JESUS_PAY_FOR_THE_SINS_OF_OTHERS/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/THE_OLD_TESTAMENT_IS_THE_SHADOW_OF_THE_NEW_COVENANT/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/What_Paul_Meant_by-The_Law_of_Sin_and_Death-Rom_7and8/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/TO_BE_LIKE_JESUS_FULL_SERIES/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/The_Premise_of_Christianity/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Jesus_The_Redeemer/

https://daniel-olatunji-publications.netlify.app/Building_on_Legacy/

#God #Jesus #JesusChrist #Spirit #HolySpirit #Theology #Christianity #TheChurch #BibleStudyWithDanielOlatunji #BibleStudy #TheBible #Scripture #TheLivingWord #Truth

#Free #FreeBooks #EarlyStepsInChristianity #TheBiblicalFestivalsOfGod

#Passover #Easter #ProphecyFulfilled #TheLordSupper #Redemption