Speaker 1Welcome to the Dr. Obedovinga Day Podcast. Dr. Obed is a thought leader and apologist who speaks to life's great existential questions of origin, purpose, faith, and destiny with fluency and grace. He is an author and the president of the Christ Cosmopolitan Incorporated, a vibrant apostolic commission that heralds the message of the fullness of Christ. Dr. Obed has seen his ministry soar to great heights over several years, touching the lives of many across the globe through his various ministry platforms. May you grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ as you listen to mind-renewing and heart-enlightening messages by Dr. Obed. Do enjoy this teaching. God bless you.
Speaker 2We want to look at, somebody may think, how does that concern us? It does. It does. We want to look at salvation, the church life, and its theological framework. Salvation, the church life. Salvation, church life. Theological framework. Quite a very lengthy topic. I don't know how else I would want to word it, but it's fine. When you do a little bit of church history, there are a couple of names that come up in the way we do church. I wouldn't mention all of them. We have names like Martin Luther. We have various people that have defined Christian thoughts. John Calvin. All of those renowned names. Eranius. All of these people have been church fathers. We can even go all the way back to Polycap, the servant of Apostle John, and look at a lot of things that have happened in church history. This morning, I want to take time off to settle you as a church. You are my focus. And for anybody who might be interested in, what we believe and stand for as a church. It may go contrary to others and create heresies. But that is acceptable. Because I keep telling you that, I admit that I'm a heretic. I admit. And I will never deny that. And I am proud about it. Because in various ways, in various seasons, God will send messengers. And I don't need anybody to agree to that. I don't need anybody. That Jesus appeared to me and told me that he's sending me as a messenger that I know. And it doesn't make me greater than the fact that I am a heretic. greater or lesser. It just puts me in my place as his messenger. I'm not comparing myself to any church age. I'm not looking myself better than those that have given form and shape to Christian thoughts. Neither am I demeaning myself from them. I'm no less, neither am I more. I'm just concerned with my mandate. But then, if you don't know your past, you can never be able to tell your present and even tell your future. Paul says, but this I confess unto thee after the way with the coherency. So worship I the God of my fathers, believe in all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. The way which they call heresy. See how proud he admits to being a heretic. Can we read Acts 24, 14 in the Message Bible? But I do freely admit. You see, that is how come I claim it. I admit it freely. I look at Paul. He said, I do freely admit. I admit this issue that I'm a heretic. I admit. Whether you call me or you don't call me as a heretic, I claim I'm a heretic. I know. In regard to the way which they malign as a dead end street, do you see how they call us? They will always brand you and give you names because you are not part of their sect. And they are so short-sighted, they can't see what you are seeing. Does that mean that you refuse to hear them? Yes and no. Listen to your critics, but don't let them direct where you're going because they can't see the end. They think that you're going nowhere. It's a dead end street. It's not going anywhere. Oh, these people just give them time. It won't go anywhere. It's not what they have done to the various heretic movements and the people are still driving on. Listen, today, we want to settle a few things in history so that we can apply ourselves well. There are certain theologians acclaimed whether by studies or by awards of being dictators, correctors, senior prefects of theology because we are a school. So there is nothing wrong if we have senior prefects. The ESPYs of theology in various schools of thought being theological institutions who would always bamboozle you and intimidate you with certain terminologies that you would always hear them and the general masses don't even understand what you are saying. But it sounds good, you know. And so they would always, always use that theme. Always, always. And because lots of us are not studious, in quotes, permit me to use that, we don't even know where to start from and where to end. And it has brought the prophetic ministry and the miraculous ministry and those who move in the supernatural and especially the mystics into such repudiation and repudiation and such bad representation. Maligned, misrepresented. Terribly, I must say. But today we want to lay the axe to the roots and deal with certain important issues here. Very important issues here. Try to follow me and be open-minded. And when I'm done, I will give you opportunity to ask me any question that you would want to ask. And I'll be glad to help settle you in the truth. Are you ready? No, I think 10 people are. Are you all ready? Yes. Good. First of all, there are two aspects to a believer's life. Two aspects Let's deal with that one The Bible says That all men May be saved One aspect 1 Timothy chapter 2 God will have All men To be saved Then the second one, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. To come to the knowledge of the truth. When a person is saved, it doesn't mean he knows the truth. You can be saved and have no knowledge of the truth which saved you. God is faithful that in his wisdom, he has given two aspects to the believer's life. That all men should be saved. After your salvation, you must come to the knowledge of the truth. So what is the first aspect? Salvation. Salvation. The first aspect, salvation. The second aspect, knowledge of the truth. Epignosis of the truth. Epignosis of truth. God is not only interested in your salvation. Certain religious minds, will make you think that it is salvation that is the most important thing. Certain people will make you feel the salvation message, the salvation message, the salvation message. That's good. That's the first one. That's foundation. But God's interest is not that you will be saved only. Beyond your being saved, he wants you to also come. He will have all men to be saved. saved one and to come to the knowledge of the truth. The knowledge of the truth. When a person is speaking, we have to define the context and the limits of his speech. And so we know what in history was put in place. A person can just pick anything and use it to brush it on our face claiming he's a theologian whilst he actually is not because listen, there is an honoring that makes you a doctor and there is the steadying that makes you a doctor. If a person is honored as a doctor, it does not mean that he's exhaustively knowledgeable in what he's saying. It doesn't mean that for instance, you can do something with a car that has never been and could be honored with mechanical engineering degree. It does not mean you understand everything in mechanical engineering. And so a lot of honoring, of honorary theologians who do not understand the entire framework sometimes create a mess because they have not been schooled all out. Somebody said, must we go all out? That's what I'm saying. I want you to just listen. Because until you understand the entire framework, you just jump. It's like a tradition of error that we keep jumping on like oceanic currents, waves that we are surfing on. So we look for the next one. We surf and we surf and we surf and we surf and on on we go. We don't even understand why they say what they say and what they mean. This morning, I want to present to you three blocks of history with reference to salvation and the church life. Salvation and the church life. There is a framework that guides salvation. Understand Christianity is historical. There is a history about Christianity. And Christianity is apostolic. There is a foundation about Christianity. Christianity has historical foundations and apostolic foundations. What do we mean by apostolic foundations? When we talk about the apostolic foundations of Christianity, we are making reference to number one, the twelve apostles of the lamb, the foundational apostles. Those twelve that he called and sent them out as his apostles, the twelve apostles of the lamb. The word of God says, and the wall of the city had twelve foundations and in them, the names of the twelve apostles of the lamb. It is the reason why they are referred to as the foundational apostles. Not only with reference to history but with reference to that bride that is being built as a city. The word of God said in Revelation chapter twenty, chapter twenty one, if you want to look at the bride, chapter twenty, verse one, all the way to chapter twenty-one. He shows us and I saw an angel come down from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, bound him a thousand years. Then the church age in glory begins. Cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up. Set a seal upon him till the thousand years should be finished or fulfilled and after he was finished, the king, after he should be loosed, a little seizing and then I saw thrones, they that sat upon them. Judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and these lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. So, we have seen the millennia. The thousand years millennia, that age of perfection, the kingdom age of perfection. Right after the kingdom age, he said in chapter twenty-one, the best number one, that and I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more seen and I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride. The city is the prepared bride. Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a great voice saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is coming to you. The God is with men. He will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God. Then the verse fourteen. He's now going to go into the city and said and the wall of the city. What is the wall of the city? The means by which the city was defined. The walls, the borders. What is the purpose? The purpose of a wall. Definition of borders. Christianity is apostolic. I want you to get where I'm going. I want to start from here. The wall of the city. So, the city has walls. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations. This city has twelve foundations. And inside the foundations in them we had written in there the names of the twelve apostles of the lamb before we even look at the protestant reformation let us look at the divine construct that has taken place and will climax in that city that is to come if we can see the unfolding dream of God with reference to this city then you can now begin to agree or to disagree in what God wants to do please get it remember I didn't say Christianity is historical only I said Christianity is historic and Christianity is apostolic you cannot only look at the historical aspect of Christianity and then make an analysis today you would also not look at the apostolic dimension of Christianity and make an analysis today now in that apostolic dimension of Christianity we have the foundational apostles now of these foundational apostles which are the twelve apostles of the lamb there is also the façade apostles they are not foundational apostles of the wall of the city so the wall of the city had twelve foundations so we are looking at the wall's foundations it is the twelve apostles who are the foundations of the wall the foundations of the wall now Paul also comes in and says that I have laid the foundation Paul what foundation it is not Paul's foundation is not part of that foundation which is the twelve foundations of the twelve apostles don't confuse that according to the grace of God which is given unto me this time as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation what foundation the façade foundation if you don't get it there is the hidden foundation which is Christ the hidden foundation no other foundation can any man lay than that which is laid Christ Jesus there are various foundations in the church if you don't get the various foundations of the church you will only be looking at historical Christianity and lose apostolic Christianity I want to start from the apostolic Christianity so that you know how you come in according to apostolic succession not historical succession nobody can speak of the present emphasis and contribution but when we look at Christianity apostolically then we can look at the succession from the twelve apostles in our present age because the Bible says that Paul himself he said I have laid the foundation another so Paul is not the end another would also come to build their own apostolic succession not history we are not dealing with historical Christianity when we are looking at the matter of apostolic succession we are not dealing with historical Christianity when we are looking at the apostolic dimension of Christianity it is only in apostolic dimensions that we are able to look at the evolution of Christianity from the beginning of the until now to the end because we have not as yet come into the bride and according to revelation chapter 21 the bride is being prepared please get get the whole analogy get the dream else you may think that somebody is trying to lift himself as he's something no nobody is lifting himself as something you see what's my knee emphasized the recovery which was not the dream of god the recovery is not the dream of god but it was so salient that the recovery should come so that we are able to continue from what we have lost so his place in our our our our is very important what we mean by apostolic is very important what we mean by apostolic is very important what we mean by apostolic succession succession succession there is please get this christ the there is please get this christ the there is please get this christ the foundation foundation foundation the entire bedrock is christ no other the entire bedrock is christ no other the entire bedrock is christ no other foundation can anyone lead than that foundation can anyone lead than that foundation can anyone lead than that which is laid which is laid which is laid which is jesus christ you cannot remove which is jesus christ you cannot remove which is jesus christ you cannot remove jesus from the foundation and talk about jesus from the foundation and talk about jesus from the foundation and talk about the church the church is founded on christ the church is founded on christ the church is founded on christ hear what he said hear what he said hear what he said who am i peter says you are the christ who am i peter says you are the christ who am i peter says you are the christ the son of the living god he said flesh the son of the living god he said flesh the son of the living god he said flesh and blood has not revealed this unto you and blood has not revealed this unto you and blood has not revealed this unto you then he said i will build my church then he said i will build my church then he said i will build my church i will build my church i will build my church i will build my church how was he going to build his church how was he going to build his church himself because he is the foundational rock the rock is Christ so the rock is not the church the church is not the rock there is the church on the rock church on the rock the rock is Jesus Christ the revelation of Christ is the rock Christ is that rock upon which the church is built so the church is seated on the rock what then is the church the church is actually that living set of stones that is being built upon the rock Christ the foundation when you remove the rock you can't build the church now watch here if you are in perfect alignment with me then it actually means that nobody is the builder of the church but Christ don't seek for what is not yours nobody is the one building the church but Christ what do we say so nobody is the one building the church but Christ what do we say so i will build my church he didn't what do we say so i will build my church he didn't say my church will be built say my church will be built say my church will be built so don't try to fight for Christ he is so don't try to fight for Christ he is so don't try to fight for Christ he is the one building his church the one building his church the one building his church i will build my church the church is not i will build my church the church is not i will build my church the church is not for you the church is for Christ for you the church is for Christ for you the church is for Christ and the gates of hell shall not prevail and the gates of hell shall not prevail and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it i will build my church against it i will build my church against it i will build my church i will build my church so who is the i will build my church so who is the i will build my church so who is the church builder Christ who is the rock church builder Christ who is the rock church builder Christ who is the rock Christ who is the foundational Christ who is the foundational Christ who is the foundational premise of the church Christ premise of the church Christ premise of the church Christ then then then after Christ after Christ after Christ is now is now is now the 12th the 12th the 12th foundations by which foundations by which foundations by which the church is imagined and this church that is imagined and this church that is imagined and this church that is imagined is coming out of the 12 apostles is coming out of the 12 apostles is coming out of the 12 apostles apostolic succession apostolic succession apostolic succession as the father has sent me if you show as the father has sent me if you show as the father has sent me if you show send i you send i you send i you so jesus is the apostle and high priest so jesus is the apostle and high priest so jesus is the apostle and high priest apostolic succession apostolic succession apostolic succession jesus is an apostle jesus is an apostle jesus is an apostle an high priest of our confession an high priest of our confession an high priest of our confession so the primary apostle so the primary apostle so the primary apostle of our faith is jesus christ of our faith is jesus christ of our faith is jesus christ the primary apostle the primary apostle the primary apostle in order to distinct him from the 12 in order to distinct him from the 12 in order to distinct him from the 12 foundational apostles foundational apostles foundational apostles the rock apostle is jesus wherefore holy the rock apostle is jesus wherefore holy the rock apostle is jesus wherefore holy brethren particulars of the heavenly brethren particulars of the heavenly brethren particulars of the heavenly calling consider the apostle the calling consider the apostle the calling consider the apostle the apostle and high priest and high priest of our profession christ jesus so of our profession christ jesus so of our profession christ jesus so christ is the apostle so when he was christ is the apostle so when he was christ is the apostle so when he was living there had to be living there had to be living there had to be succession because he was living i go to my father and since i'm going to my father father the works that i do apostolic work the same will you do and greater than these will you do because i go to my father so once christ is not present in person the work must continue by what apostolic succession in apostolic succession we might have the historical aspects of apostolic succession but it is not the end because if the church will remain with the history of acclaimed orthodoxy then we will never recover and ever be able to realize that the church will never recover and ever be able to realize that the church will never recover
Speaker 1Until next time, remain blessed. Shalom.
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