In an eventful week so far, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome announced that April is the ‘Month of Lights’ at the Global Communion Service last week. The Man of God told us:
“We are going to light up the darkness everywhere, ablaze for God, shining and burning everywhere because we are shining lights,” and as we celebrate Easter it is also a time to reflect on hope, renewal, and new beginnings.
Pastor Chris reminds us of the beauty and significance of this special time, Easter is a time to reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and to rejoice in the victory that His resurrection brings.
Let us spread love, kindness, and generosity to those around us. This is a special time when our actions reflect the selfless love that Jesus demonstrated on the cross, and may we use this time to display God’s Love to each other like never before.
The Bible says in Corinthians 7:7, “…each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.” Pastor Chris tells us that everything we are in Christ—all the gifts, talents, and abilities God has given us—are to be used for His glory.
The Man of God reminds us that not only did God call us to walk in His glory, but He also went a step further by making us His glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). This is the sign that Jesus didn’t suffer for nothing; all He suffered and endured was so we could become the glory that followed. This is our set time to walk in the glory, beauty, and perfection of God.
“Jesus died for the whole world,” says Pastor Chris
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome tells us in today’s Rhapsody of Realities that when we speak generically, we say, “Jesus died for the whole world.” that’s absolutely correct, the Man of God confirms, but in some sense, He didn’t die for Christians. There’s a huge difference when we say, “all of us,” meaning everyone in the world, and “all of us,” referring to Christians.
Pastor Chris continues to teach us: “In the generic sense, Jesus died for all of us—the whole world; He was judged for us. But when you believed that He died for you and was raised back to life for your justification, it became possible for eternal life to be imparted to your spirit. Once that happened, you were born again; you became a Christian—a new creation.”
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The new creation is a brand-new species of being; he has no past. Today’s Rhapsody tells us: “You aren’t the same person that was born of your father and your mother; that’s the “old man” with the sin nature. That “old man” or “old you” died with Christ: “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Romans 6:6).”
The new you—the new creation—came from the resurrection: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). This “new you” is created in righteousness and holiness: “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).
If it’s true that the new creation has no past (and it’s true), then he isn’t the one that Jesus died for. Understanding this will help you a great deal in your Christian walk. It’ll make it easier for you to understand why you’re justified. The Bible says Jesus Christ was raised back to life for our justification (Romans 4:25). You’ve been justified in Him. In other words, in the mind of justice, you never sinned. You’re the righteousness of God in Christ.
We take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy and meaningful Easter, to spread love and kindness to all around you, and be reminded of God’s love and eternal grace as we remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.