MONTHLY NEWSLETTER with Rev. Dr. C. A. ONITIRI December 2022 Edition

Dearly beloved Brothers and Sisters; I welcome us all to the 12th month of the year 2022, the month of December, the last month of the year.
I thank God for His keeping grace; for sustaining us and protecting us throughout this year to witness this last month. May His name be praised forevermore in Jesus name. Amen.

May He lead us victoriously and gloriously to the New Year – Year 2023 in Jesus name. Amen.

WHAT DOES THE NUMBER 12 SIGNIFY IN THE BIBLE?

The number Twelve (12) is considered to be a perfect number, it symbolizes God’s power and authority. It also serves as a perfect governmental foundation. The number 12 also symbolize completeness or the nation of Israel as a whole.

In the Bible the number 12 can be found in 187 places. In Revelation alone it occurs 22 times.

In the Bible, Jacob (Israel) had 12 sons each of which represented a tribe. Ishmael, who was born to Abraham through Hagar, also had 12 princes.

Jesus Christ called 12 men as disciples to bear witness and spread the good news of the Gospel to the entire world.

After His resurrection, He told the eleven (11) disciples (Judas had killed himself) that God had given Him ALL power and authority in both earth and heaven (God’s divine authority – Matthew 28v18.)

The number 12 is also associated with anointed service.
12 people are specifically noted in the Bible as being anointed for a unique task or responsibility.
Some of them are:

1. Aaron and his four sons to serve as priests – Exodus 29v7-9.
2. Saul – 1 Samuel 10v1
3. David – 1 Samuel 16v13 and
4. Solomon – 1 Kings 1v39 to serve as king over a united Israel.

There are more information on the Biblical meaning of 12 e.g
Scriptures first recording of Jesus’ Word occurs when he is 12 years old – Luke 2v42.

Spiritually, the number 12 is often associated as a symbol of Growth and Enlightenment . It can help in achieving balance and harmony in ones life; both mentally and emotionally.

There are some other interesting facts about the number 12 e.g

1. In English Language, 12 is the largest number that has just one syllable.
2. There are 12 months in a year.
3. There are 12 hours in the face of analogue clock.
4. There are 12 inches in a foot.
5. A dozen is a quantity that means 12.
6. A gross is 12 dozens
7. In Astrology, there are 12 signs in the Zodiac.
8. In the Bible Jacob had 12 sons.
9. Jesus had 12 disciples.
10. 12 tribes were started after Moses led his people out of Egypt.
11. There are 12 pairs of ribs in the human body – normally.
12. 12 men have walked on the earth’s moon.
13. There are 12 stars on the flag of Europe or European flag.
14. On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Twelve Drummers Drumming ….
15. The Twelve day of Christmas is January 5.

May God’s power and authority rest on you in this beautiful month of December in Jesus name. Amen.

Shalom

SCRIPTURE FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2022 – PSALM 37V39-40.

THEME:TAKEN FROM V39A “…. SALVATION… IS OF THE LORD…”

PART 1: WHAT IS SALVATION?

The Word Salvation comes from the Latin Salvare, ” to save”.

Simply put, Salvation is the act of saving from sin or evil.
From the Christian perspective, salvation is total surrender to the will of God. Forsaking our old ways and nature and allowing the Spirit and Word of God to work in us.

Indeed, it is God’s grace. It is the gift of freedom from our sins made possible by Jesus taking the punishment for our sins on the cross. Through this gift, we see the promise in 1 John 1v9 that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (KJV)

This Scripture affords us promise and hope for the future.

As Christians, we may think that our lives are all about being saved and then helping others to get saved. But if we dig deeper we will realise that being “saved” means that we are saved not only from something – our sins – but also for something. We are saved from our sins, but it is also important to know that we have been saved so that we can continue the purpose for which God has on earth i.e to show the good news of grace. Indeed receiving salvation through Jesus Christ is the beginning of a life-long process. This means becoming more like Christ.

PART 2: SALVATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT (O.T)

Writers of the Old Testament, generally see Salvation as a reality more physical than Spiritual, more social than individual, e.g. the narratives in the Book of Genesis develops the theme of God’s blessing, which resting on certain individuals, renders them agents for some greater works of God.

In Genesis 45v4-7 , Joseph’s rise to fame in Egypt preserves the lives of his entire family.

Also in that same Genesis Chapters 7-9 , we witness that through Noah’s faithfulness, God brings Salvation to his family as well as animal life.

And in Genesis 12v1-3 , we see that the blessing of the promise of nationhood and land for Abraham was not only for his descendants but for all the families of the earth.

If we read Exodus Chapters 1-12 we see that after 430 years in Egypt, an entire people is delivered through Moses.
And in Esther 7 we see that through Esther’s rise to power, the Jewish people are spared annihilation.

However, despite the importance of human agency, Salvation is attributed above all to God. For non but God can save. Hosea 1v7.

In Ezekiel 34 He is described as the keeper of His flocks and Psalm 62 tells us that on Him alone one waits for a saving Word to penetrate the silence.

Jeremiah 3v23 tells us that Idolatory is an illusion, for the Salvation of Israel is of the Lord “Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. ” (KJV)
While Exodus 15 demonstrates to us that God is the warrior not Moses who triumph gloriously over Pharaoh’s army at the sea.

Salvation is something to stand and watch, Exodus 14v13 , for
“The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14v14

And Isaiah says in Isaiah 30v15 ; “…. In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength…” (KJV)

The contents of God’s Salvation includes personal and national deliverance from slavery Deuteronomy 24v18 , ongoing protection and preservation from evil Psalm 121 , escape from death Psalm 68v19 , healing Jeremiah 17v14.

PART 3: SALVATION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (N.T)

In the N.T the advent name “Immanuel“, “God with us” signifies momentous progress in the history of Salvation.

In Matthew 1v21-23 , the angel tells Joseph that Mary’s Child is conceived of the Holy Spirit and he is to “Call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.“
The name “JESUS” (derived from Hebrew Joshua [Wv/hy] itself means Salvation.

In Luke 19v10 we are told that the purpose for the Son of Man’s coming is to seek out and save the lost.

The N.T therefore continues the O.T affirmation that Salvation belongs to God alone, but with greater specificity. It is God’s presence in and to the man Jesus that proves decisive.

In the teachings of Jesus, Salvation is linked to the advancement of God’s Kingdom, which is in turn linked to Jesus’s own person.

By using God’s Kingdom as a circumlocution for salvation, Jesus emphasizes the Old Testament (O.T) conviction that salvation belongs to God, for the Kingdom signifies a sphere of reality in which God reigns supreme. The disciples themselves responded with the question “Who then can be saved?” Mark 10v23-26
That Jesus understood himself to be the bringer of God’s Kingdom is evident in the claim following his synagogue teaching “This day is the Scripture fulfilled in your ears” Luke 4v21.

Salvation belongs to those who follow Jesus, bringer and embodiment of God’s Kingdom.

PART 4 (a): SALVATION: PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL DIMENSION OF LIFE

Salvation encompasses both physical and spiritual dimensions of life, having relevance for the whole person.

On the Physical Side, entrance to the Kingdom requires attention to earthly needs especially those of the poor. In Mark 10v17-22 Jesus demands that a wealthy man give his riches to the poor. The salvation that comes to Zacchaeus’s house inspires him to give half his possession to the poor. Luke 19v8-10
For Jesus, the physical and spiritual are held very close together. Forgiveness of sins and physical healing often co-exist as in the healing of the paralytic. Mark 2v1-12.

PART 4 (b): OBJECTIVE & SUBJECTIVE BASIS OF SALVATION.

The objective basis and means of salvation is God’s sovereign and gracious choice to be “God with us” in the person of Jesus Christ, who is described as both author and mediator of salvation.

But the movement of Jesus’ life goes through the cross and resurrection. It is therefore “Christ Crucified” that is of central importance for salvation (1 Corinthians 1v23) for “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15v3) and was handed to death for our trespasses (Roman’s 4v25)
What Jesus did in our name, He also did in our place giving “his life a ransome for many” Matthew 20v28
And if Christ demonstrated His love by dying when we were still sinners, how much more shall we now be saved by His life. (Romans 5v8-10)
So critical is the resurrection to the future hope of salvation that “…if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15v17)

The subjective basis of salvation is personal repentance and faith, often associated closely with water-baptism. John the Baptist preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 3v2, Mark 1v4)

Peter echoed this in Acts 2v38 and Paul in Acts 20v21

Jesus said Salvation required belief in him (Mark 16v15, John 6v47)

Paul enjoined confession with the mouth that “Jesus is Lord” and belief that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10v8-9)

Hebrews 4v2 suggests that the hearing of the Gospel is of no value unless combined with faith.

PART 5: SALVATION WORK HAS 3 DIMENSIONS

The Salvation work accomplished for us by Jesus has three dimensions.

1. According to 2 Timothy 1v9 it is proper to speak of Salvation as a historical reality: we have been saved by what God has done for us in Jesus.
   “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” (KJV)
2. In Roman 5v10 it is also correct or right to speak of salvation as a present ongoing experience: the risen Christ is actively at work in us through the Spirit delivering us from the grip of our sin nature and enabling us to be and do good.
   “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life.” (KJV)
3. Finally, if we read Romans 8v18-39 it will be proper to speak of Salvation as a future hope: when Jesus returns, we will be perfected at last, with every hint of stain removed.

These three tenses of salvation assure us that Christ has met all our Spiritual needs:
“Salvation Accomplished” releases us from wrath and the dread penalty of sin.

“Salvation Experienced” releases us from the need to sin and enables us to live righteous lives.

“Salvation Expected” is our hope of resurrection to true and perfect holiness,

PART 6: CONCLUSION

Scripture makes it clear that the work of salvation is God’s work accomplished on our behalf by Jesus Christ.

Man’s part of the Salvation is to receive the grace given to us. The grace is received by faith alone and faith is to be understood as an active trust in God.

Salvation is very personal. It is given for all, but we need to accept it to be saved.
Jeremiah 29v13 says
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (KJV)

We must go to the Lord and accept His Salvation for salvation is of the Lord.

Are you ready to receive Him? Then pray this prayer:

Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Come into my heart as my Lord and Saviour. Take absolute control of my life and help me to walk in your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayers, in Jesus name. Amen.

Shalom .

Wishing you all my brothers and sisters a Merry Christmas and a glorious 2023 in advance.