The Breath of Life

In the book of Genesis we read of the creation of the universe and mankind. It is clear that the creation of mankind is the most wonderful creation of God, and it is because man was created in the image of God. Let us now look closely at the way God created the first man - Adam.

Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7, New American Standard Bible)

So God breathed life into the man and the man became a living being or, according to the King James Version, a living soul. It is also interesting to note that this 'breathing method' - the breathing to impart life or soul - is practiced by God alone in the Old Testament. This 'breath of life' is what keeps every human being alive as David rightfully asserted in Psalm 39 (v. 5,11).

In the New Testament the 'breathing method' makes a comeback, but this breathing is used to impart an entirely new form of life - not the physical life describe in the creation account but the spiritual life of which Jesus speaks in John 3.

After His resurrection, the Lord paid a visit to His disciples.

So Jesus said to them again, “ Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:21-22, New American Standard Bible)

The Lord breathed the Holy Spirit into His disciples and with the second Adam - Jesus - began a new creation and a new life. This second breath - Holy Spirit - extended into more men and women on the day of the Pentecost when about three thousand people were baptized into the church of Christ (Acts 2). This new life that was imparted into mankind would forever change the relationship between mankind and its Creator.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. (John 1:1-4, New American Standard Bible)

The Dove

In the book of Genesis we are told of the story of Noah and the flood. During Noah's time the world was filled with wickedness. Evil had consumed the world so much that God decided to drown all of mankind in a flood that would last a hundred and fifty days. God revealed to Noah that only his family would be spared, and so He gave Noah the tasks of building an ark and gathering a pair of each species of animals for the continuation of life.

After forty days of being trapped inside the ark, Noah did a curious thing to check if the waters had receded outside.

After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him. (Genesis 8:6-12 NIV)

One of the most popular symbols of world peace is a dove. Noah first sent out a raven and the bird kept flying around rather than report back to Noah! I remember having a good laugh with my Muslim friends about the raven's shrewdness. The dove, on the other hand, kept coming back until finally it disappeared. Where did it go?

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22 NIV)

Isn't it ironic that the Holy Spirit descended upon our Lord in the likeness of a dove? Peace itself would not become subject to man. Man often tries to send a dove of peace to his adversaries and in the process man tries to glorify himself. It is Jesus who is the real Prince of peace, without Him there can be no peace.

Theologians and historians may laugh at this explanation of why Jesus is the Prince of peace, but our God often catches the eye of the poet in our midst.

Focus on Jesus

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:41-52, NIV)


The gospel of Luke never ceases to thrill or amaze me. This book, written by a Gentile-Christian, narrates the only account of the child Jesus. The account is that of Jesus and His parents' visit to the temple in Jerusalem. On the return trip from Jerusalem, Jesus' parents lose track of Him and that itself is an incident to ponder upon. Joseph and Mary knew that their child, born out of the miraculous conception of the Holy Spirit, was the Son of God. They knew that Jesus was the Messiah and the Salvation of God, and yet they lost track of Him! Note that they were only fulfilling the ordinances of God. Do we lose track of the Lord at times in our lives, especially when we follow God's commands? Food for thought!

Vance Havner once wrote, “Jesus’ parents lost Jesus at church, and they were not the last ones to do so.”

The President

When you enter the assembly places of many denominations and churches of Christ you will see a person occasionally 'calling' people up to the pulpit to pray, sing and preach. This person is often seated away from the assembly or near the pulpit. He is the 'director' or the 'presider'. He is equivalent to the 'master of ceremonies' of the secular world. He is the president, when you look at him you can read the words on his face that says: "I call the shots around here so don't get in my way or you suffer the consequences... my consequences."

My Dorling Kindersley dictionary says that the president is: head of the republic, society, college, public corporation etc. Strange, first of all I thought the church was a kingdom under the kingship of Lord Jesus Christ. The church isn't a republic, it certainly isn't a democracy, where the members have power to elect or appoint substitute 'heads' over them. The headship of Christ over the church is absolute. Looking at these things, I am amazed at how the simplest inventions of man can radically alter organic structure of Christ's body.

In the Old Testament God did appoint priests over the assembly of Israel, but sadly this doesn't justify the inclusion of presidents in the New Testament assembly.

But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light... (1 Peter 2:9, New American Standard Bible)


When Peter said these words, he didn't address them to any appointed official but towards entire congregations (1 Peter 1.1). It is imperative that we "the called out" maintain the headship of Christ, even in our assemblies. I think Christ has enough power to preside over his congregations than any mere mortal. All we need to do is to trust him. Are you willing to trust Christ as your Presider?

DO GOOD TO ALL

So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. (Galatians 6:10, NASB)

What exactly did Christ meant when He said "We should be like the shining light"? The early Christians were persecuted and killed for their faith, but that did not stop them from doing good to others. They didn't just care for the fellow believers... they cared for the nonbelievers as well. Here is an excerpt from an article.

Not a few times a plague would sweep through a city, and all the pagans left town immediately, leaving their loved ones to die. That included the physicians. But it was the Christians who stayed behind and tended to their needs, sometimes even dying in the process. (The Missio Dei by Frank Viola)

And here is a quote from an historical source to clear your doubts. In 362 the last pagan emperor, Julian “the Apostate,” wrote to a pagan priest, “For it is disgraceful that, when no Jew ever has to beg, and the impious Galileans [the Christians] support not only their own poor but ours as well, all men see that our people lack aid from us.”

What motivated these Christians to support and care for their pagan neighbors? Perhaps they took the words of Jesus Christ to heart.

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you... (Matthew 7:12, NIV)

Ekklesia - part two

A long time ago a girl was found locked up in a bathroom. When she was rescued she was almost a retard. She couldn't speak properly, eat properly, or even walk up straight. All this because her parents had locked her up ever since she was born. Whenever she wanted to step out she would shout, and end up being beaten within an inch of her life. Eventually doctors, examining her, had learnt that her DNA had been altered.

This is the state of the church in our times. Does that statement shock you? Let me explain why I’m writing this.

When Jesus walked the earth two thousand years ago His opponents were men of religion and tradition. These people, the Pharisees, locked up God’s word in a cage – the cage of tradition. Man-made traditions dominated the time in which Jesus lived. The Pharisees had even turned God’s name into a business. They twisted God’s laws and prophecies to keep the people’s attention away from the Christ in scriptures. Jesus became furious at these things and remarked.

… why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? (Matthew 15:3, NIV)

Again and again Jesus, the ultimate Revolutionary, confronted the Pharisees.

‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:7-8, New American Standard Bible)

Little do we realize that these man-made traditions are the very things tearing up the church today. These traditions prohibit Jesus from taking control and encourage men to ‘lord it over the flock'. These traditions create a barrier between believers and labels them ‘clergy’ and ‘laity’. These traditions destroys the beautiful bride of Christ and turns her into a retarded little girl.

Ekklesia - part one

What is the cause of so many divisions in the church today? Is it because of doctrinal issues? You bet! But what if I told you that the real cause is to withhold the supremacy of Christ? Does it surprise you that “not allowing Jesus to dominate” is the real cause of division?

A Christ-centered church is the solution to the problem of divisiveness. A majority of the church believe that unity is not possible. But a minority, including me, believe that it’s possible. Why? The solution is simple!

RESTORE JESUS AS THE HEAD OF HIS CHURCH

A man-centered church is good for nothing. A Christ-centered church – The Ekklesia – “THE CALLED OUT” – is just what we need. The church is a body- a living being- able to function naturally under the Brain. The Brain is Christ – only He alone has the capability to direct all the members of the body. The left hand cannot make the right hand work and the right leg cannot make the left leg work. Cut off the head and you have a lifeless body. Cut off Jesus and you have a spiritually dead body – A dead church – A moving decapitated ghoul!

Read these words of Jesus to the Ephesian church:

"I see what you've done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can't stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out.
"But you walked away from your first love—why? What's going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you've fallen? A Lucifer fall!
"Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for I'm well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle.

- (REVELATION 2:2-5, MSG)

Putting Jesus aside is a sin of the gravest nature. The Ephesian church was found guilty of this and Christ commanded them to repent or suffer the consequences.