with Elder Elico Manenji
All people as sinful, they have come short of the glory of God and we are born with a sinful nature. The Psalmist says, "Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me"(Psalm 51:5).
The wiseman says, "Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?"(Proverbs 20:9).
Sin comes from within, it is a corruption which cleaves to the nature and mingles with the very transmissions of life and taints the vital forces as they descend from parent to child and from generation to generation. As a result, we are unclean not only practically and by contact with a bad world but innately.
The purification law imposes a special legal disability upon the woman who was deceived and was in the transgression first. The Apostle says, "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety" (1 Timothy 2:14-15).
Equally the same the rite of circumcision was given to every male as sign of God's covenant with men, to separate them from the rest of the unbelieving people and showing them as a perculiar and holy people cleansed from the last of the flesh.
The Apostle says, "For as much then as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God" (1 Peter 4:1-2).
As God finished His work in six days and rested on the Sabbath of rest, it means that six is ever the number of under imperfection and seven is the number of perfection and so the eighth day began a new week which signifies a new beginning, a new creation, a new renewal and great redemption through the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, the First born fr the dead, the Beginning and the Lord of the new creation, who in His resurrection body manifested the firstfruits in physical life of the new creation rising from the dead on the first day of the week or in other words, the day after the seventh, the eighth day the beginning of a new week.
The scripture record says, "Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them"(Luke 24:1).
So this law of purification reminds us that it is only by Christ, the great sin-offering, that the corruption of our sinful nature is done away with and that in Him we are not for ever excluded from the sanctuary and presence of God and from eating of the holy things. Even the mother of Jesus was also removed from fellowship for forty day as she brought her purification offering, Jesus Himself, though He was without sin was also circumcised on the eighth day for our sakes. The scripture record says, "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord. And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons" (Luke 2:21-24).
Text: "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father"(Galatians 4:4-6).
Appeal
This law of purification and circumcision points us to Christ, the Author and Perfector of our faith. We can not do away with our sinful nature but it can be dealt with as as have fellowship with Christ, who is able to bring and recreate a new life in us.
The Apostle says, "Why seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2). Amen!!!
Elico Manenji
(+263712952704)
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