“But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.” – Acts 3:14-15(KJV)
Christ was not only denied but was killed by the Jews who are the custodian of the Messiac prophecy. He came to his own but his own rejected him. The scriptures must be fulfilled which says that Jesus bare the sin of many, and interceding for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12c. (KJV). Though the Jews transgressed by their action, Christ intercession opens the door for their forgiveness and inclusion as recorded in Romans 11:5(KJV) “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election by grace. The stumbling and fall of Israel portrays the limitation of the law, what Israel could not attained by the law they have obtained by election through grace. What a marvelous God! Their fall was to make way for the Gentiles to obtain salvation. “have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. – Romans 11:11. The whole arrangement is packaged in divine mystery that will be unfolding the unfathomable wisdom of God in this dispensation. What the world will be witnessing as Israel return to their God and begin their recognition of Jesus Christ as the long expected Messiah can be better describe as stated by Paul in Romans 11:15(KJV) “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?”
The purpose of the above treatise is to expose the foolishness in judging the Jews for denying Christ, while as a Gentile you remain unsaved. Theirs is for the fulfilment of prophecy, while denial by a Gentile is absolute foolishness that can lead to hell. What then does the denial of Christ represent? The Jews rejected Jesus Christ and accepted Barabbas the insurrectionist. Thus, it has been the pattern over the years. In John 10:10(KJV) Jesus said “the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”. Of these whom has the majority of the world chosen? The world has consistently been flowing to the side of the thief, killer and destroyer. You that have been quick to condemn the Jews, who have you rejected and whom have you chosen. If you have been preached to about the death and resurrection of Christ and you still live in sin unrepentant, you have denied Christ. If you are a church goer who refused to repent and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you have denied Christ. If you attend Church claiming to be born again but indulges in sex outside marriage, fornication, falsification of documents and stealing from your employer you have denied Christ. The severity of your action shall be adequately measured out in hell if you do not repent. However the purpose of this piece is not to condemn but to bring us to godly sorrow which works repentance to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10).
Prayer: Father grant me grace to search myself and repent of my shortcoming rather than judging others. In Jesus Name.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo