Date: Wednesday, 11th August 2021
Ministering: Pastor Thompson Ehima
Without formation taking place, one cannot be qualified to access Eden. Thus, being a new creation in Christ Jesus does not give one access to Eden; there must be a further process of formation in the soul. This was what Paul worked in the churches when He said, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you...” (Gal. 4:19).
In Eden, the Lord God gave Adam commandments concerning his eating of the fruit in the Garden (Gen. 2:16-17). This shows that Adam had a level of building and was instructed to be able to eat of the trees of the Garden. Also, the children of Israel had to journey forty years before they were qualified to eat of the fruit of the Promised Land. The Promised Land is a type of Eden; it is a land flowing with milk and honey, and had rivers that watered it.
God had to take the Israelites through the wilderness, to try their hearts (Deut. 8:2), to show that they would not run from battle; the wilderness was their formation process. Eden has forces that require formation to use them. Thus, some level of stature is required to be able to relate with the things in Eden. Eden is a mystery; it has secrets we must learn. The Son of God has come to give us understanding of the mysteries in Eden (1 John 5:20). Therefore, in order to have access and function in Eden, we need to fellowship with the materials the Son of God brings to us; and partake of the formation of the kind of man that Eden requires.
Christ is a new man and only the new man can access the Eden of the New Testament. The material used to create the new man are substances of righteousness (Rom. 1:17). The gospel of Christ is the power of God to fashion the kind of man God approves. The substances of righteousness, used to raise the man God approves, lies in the teaching of faith. There have been various expressions of faith, but it is the faith that Jesus authored that holds the substance of righteousness.
The substances used for the formation of a man who would cooperate in Eden are high thoughts (Jer. 29:11). We cannot learn the righteousness of God without having learned the righteousness of Christ. The righteousness of Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). The first allocation of the righteousness of Christ is to produce in the believer a new man.
When man fell (Gen. 3), God introduced a lesson to man to breach where he fell from, so as to bring man back to the point where he began his learning. This programme is healing. Man needs to first be healed of his fall; the tool for healing is righteousness (Mal.4:2). We cannot receive the seal until we have been healed. Healing is needed for the soul because sin has made the soul dissipate life. The programme of healing is the programme of recovery and restoration of the soul (Psalm 23:3a). There is a state the soul must be which is the state of a new man.
We are admonished to be renewed in the spirit of our minds (Ephesians. 4:23). This renewal activates the law of the Spirit of the new man in us. There cannot be renewal in the spirit of the mind without first having been given a new heart (Ezekiel. 36:26). Faith and charity makes you new. The renewal taking place in the mind also affects the body. A heart of flesh is a charity heart; a heart that loves the brethren. A charity heart is one that can receive the next allocation of God: the incorruptible seed.
A new heart is given to he who has obeyed the doctrine. Doctrine refers to teachings of Christ; it also refers to righteousness. Having obeyed, you are then made free from sin (Romans 6:17-18). Righteousness must first be done before one can come into holiness. Holiness separates man from corruption. True holiness comes by the revelation of the Everlasting God. (Romans 6:19)
The more excellent ministry is the ministry the Son of God carries out at the right hand of Majesty (Hebrews 1:3). There are two covenants: the covenant of life and peace, and the Everlasting covenant. The High Priest has a ministry, which is to be the mediator of a better covenant, established on better promises (Hebrews 8:6).
The aim of the new covenant is that God becomes our God and we become His people. The essence of the new covenant is to produce a new man. The children must continue in the covenant God made with them before they can enter into the covenant God made with their fathers. The covenant He made with the fathers, was referred to as ‘My covenant’. (Heb. 8:9).
The end of the covenant is that God becomes our God and we, His people. Neighbours in this scripture refers to all saints; while brothers are those who have gone through the process of death and have been raised together (Hebrews 8:10-11). The teaching of the covenant is to make us know the Lord.
Those with whom the Lord will make the everlasting covenant with are those who have heard (Isa. 55:3). This mercy of the Lord is the mercy for our unrighteousness. When we allow the Lord write laws on our hearts and put laws in our minds, we come to know the Lord; knowing the Lord brings one into the knowledge of the laws that govern Eden.
It is the Everlasting covenant that makes us able to relate with the realm of life that is above corruption and death. Jesus was raised beyond a level that could be tempted by men. Jesus said He did not commit Himself to men because He knew what was in man (John 2:24). This knowledge came as a result of the laws He was raised by. The new man is one who is qualified for Eden.
The essence of the Covenant of Life and Peace is for our healing. This is necessary, because we cannot begin from where Adam fell without healing. A man who has been cleansed will not be left as Christ or a perfect man; but more than that, they want to teach us that which pertains to Life Everlasting. When this is achieved, then binding up the testimony and the sealing of the law upon the hearts and minds can be fulfilled. This sealing is to get us to know the Lord and all He has provided for us.
Closing Charge: Rev. Kayode Oyegoke
The purpose of the local church is to deal with sins. The Church should be a realm where sin is demystified. Our definition of sin should not only be based on the external actions that are clear to even unbelievers, such as fornication; there are hidden works of the heart which the Lord also wants to deal with.
The everlasting covenant is an Edenic covenant. Sinlessness is measured when one can no longer sin; and has overcome one (Satan's) pleasure to fully engage in another (God's) pleasure. The strength of sin is pleasure. There are sins expressed by the flesh but there are others that one may not feel guilty about; they appear like righteousness - legitimate sins. Those who can understand this level of sin are those whose consciences have been purged. Sins that have eaten deep into our members will not be stopped until we have been purged. Part of the purpose of the church is to know and discern sin.
Message Ends