Beware so that you can be there.
“Walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:33).
“See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee” (Deuteronomy 30: 15-16).
“There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).
“Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!”
Those that think the Old Covenant is of no importance to those under the New Covenant need to think twice before believing that.
With the Old Covenant the Jews were under the law. There was required in the law the Temple where God had put his name at Jerusalem, the Levite priests and sons of Aaron (by eternal statute chief priests), the Temple furniture, The ark of the covenant and the Holy of Holies behind the curtain where God came down to be among them.
The chief priest alone went into the most sacred place only on the day of atonement to take the blood of the sin offering for the nation.
To the Christian the “assembling” is the important thing, not the “church building,” church plant facility or meeting place. Those who are under the New Covenant are no longer in need of a “Temple” neither is there need of a “church building;” the human body has become a temple containing a “living sacrifice” and the Spirit of God dwells in the heart, the subconscious mind, from here he “speaks” to the conscious mind.
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own” (I Corinthians 6:19)?
The omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God lives now within those that believe. “He that spared not his own Son…delivered him up for us all” (Romans 8:32 See also John 3: 16-17). Where ever the Christian is and alone or where ever there are two or three gathered in Christ’s name God is present in the Son through the Holy Spirit.
Christians then are free to worship where ever they may be; but, this does free them to “forsake the assembling” (Hebrews 10: 25). Personal as well as corporate worship is necessary.
In some instances there are those that need to “come out from among them, [As the Bible speaks of Jews that are not Jews, (Revelations 3:9) there are also Christians that are Christians in name only]
and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (II Corinthians 6:17). “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (In the last days; Revelations 3:20)
Jesus said, “woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father…“the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him” (John 4:23).
The Christian who does not worship God often with or without “the assembling” is very weak if not powerless and easily defeated.
After all worship is giving praise, thanks and glory to God. He can do that alone, in a crowd or anywhere he is. On each occasion a Christian chooses to “think on God;“ God speaks to His Holy Spirit present in the Christian; the Holy Spirit conveys a message to the spirit (mind) of the person in whom He dwells.
Under the Old Covenant the Jews were under the law and obedience to that law was righteousness to them. Jesus Christ is the promise of the New Covenant and He is “made unto us righteousness.”
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (I Corinthians 1:30). The Old is fulfilled in the New Covenant (Matthew 5: 17) therefore both Covenants are critically relevant to the Christian.
God said to Israel, “Now therefore, “if” ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine” (Exodus 19:5).
But, Paul in the Spirit wrote, “Your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest” (Hebrews 3:9-11).
The beloved Apostle wrote in the Spirit, “ ‘If’ ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10). How? By the Holy Spirit (comforter) whom Jesus imputes to the believer. It is imperative not to hinder, grieve at all cost do no despite unto the “Spirit of grace” (Hebrews 10: 29).
This is God’s promise to those under the New Covenant; Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these other things [necessities of life] will be added to you (Matthew 6: 33).” Here is a spiritual check; when the Christian’s spiritual life is stymied he should look to whether or not he is seeking the Kingdom and righteousness in truth!
The weak or defeated Christian needs to look to his personal Christian life to become “more than a conquerer” and a strong witness for His God. God has promised and will keep every one he has given.
God said to Israel, “ ‘IF’ you will diligently keep my laws I will surely give to you the land I swore unto your fathers. “For all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed for ever” (Genesis 13:15)
“As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.”
“God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, you, and your seed after you in their generations” (Genesis 17:9). “I will give unto you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God (Genesis 17:8; Unconditional Covenant).
There are those that possess part of that heritage of Abraham at present; but, God will dispossess them and return it to Abraham’s seed. He has spoken that through the prophets. The Israelites will be a nation of priests and kings again unto God in the world that is to come.
“IF” you have been faithful over a few things Jesus has given you stewardship over in this world, Christians will rule under the Son in the world to come. The Apostles were told they would judge the twelve tribes and Christians are told they have “been faithful over a few things” God will make them to rule over “many things” (Matthew 25: 21 & 23). (Jesus Christ’s offering of Himself on the cross – Security of the believer)
The fearful, unfaithful steward of the rich lord buried his talent in the ground and returned it to his lord condemning him as an hard task master. For this he was condemned, “cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (See Matthew 25: 24-30)
Does the “talent” your Lord has placed in your stewardship lie hidden, buried, awaiting His return? “Beware,” but you can’t “be where” the Lord can’t find you!
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