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Walking in Love through Words that Edify (Part 2) · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. Hallelujah. We are God's workmanship.
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So what we're saying is we're praying for ourselves
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and we're praying that God is enabling us as
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we go out to preach. Hallelujah. So as we go
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out to preach, the souls are saved, the men come
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to the knowledge of the gospel, the knowledge
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of God and what he has done, and they believe.
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Amen. So as we go to preach and souls are won
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by the instrumentation of the gospel, it doesn't
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stop there. Hallelujah. There's what we call
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discipleship. Amen. So when we preach and people
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are born again, They are brought into the church.
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They are brought into the family of God. And
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then from there, we begin to see, you know, teachings
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that comes with the aim of growing certain individuals
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that have been brought into the family of God.
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And such has been our own experience as well.
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We're born again and we're in the church. And
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then we are discipled. We are taught. equipped
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with the word of God to grow to the place of
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maturity that we know our responsibilities. Hallelujah.
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So part of the training, part of the discipleship,
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part of the work that God does in our midst,
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the church, part of our discipleship is actually
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what we've been looking at in the course of this
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week. Discipleship influences, it influences
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our love work. All right? It influences our love
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work. As we are taught the word of God, as we
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are exposed to the word of God, what we also
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see is that we are transformed into the men that
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God will want us to become. And that is by prayer.
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That is by the word. That is by fellowship. That
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is by precept upon precept. And we see the effectiveness
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of God's word. So our love work must be reflected
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by our words. Discipleship. It's not only in
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the things that we go out to do. Of course, we
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learn how to preach. We learn how to be of a
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blessing to one another. But most importantly,
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discipleship influences our words, the words
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we speak. And the words we speak primarily, first
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and foremost, is to one another in the community
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of the saints, the community of believers. And
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we've been looking at walking in love through
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words that edify. And let's take our text. Ephesians
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4, verse 25. The text we are currently stitching
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on Ephesians 4, verse 25 to 32. Therefore, put
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it away lying. Let each one of you speak truth
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with his neighbor, for we are members of one
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another. Be angry and do not sin. Do not let
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the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place
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to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer,
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but rather let him labor. walking with his hand,
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that what is good, that he may have something
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to give him who has need. Let no corrupt words
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proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for
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necessary edification, that it may impart grace
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to be hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit
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of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of
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redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger,
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clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you.
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With all malice, verse 32. And be kind to one
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another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
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even as God forgave you. So here, Apostle Paul
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was communicating this to believers, people that
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have been born again, people that belong to a
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local church and are part of a family of God's
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people. And this is towards their conduct towards
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one another. There must be a difference between
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they who are in the world and we who are in Christ.
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Hallelujah. We are no longer in the world. We
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had a former identity, but now we are members
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of God's family. There's a change of identity.
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So therefore, our conduct must reflect a change
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that has happened in our spirit, putting away
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lying, putting away all sorts of things that
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defines our former nature, our former person,
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aligning ourselves to what God has done by his
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spirit in us. But this comes by instructions.
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It comes by teaching. It comes by, you know,
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a defined walk of the Holy Spirit through the
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word. As we are taught the word, we practice
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the word within us and we see ourselves growing
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in character. And our character is shaped by
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the word of God. So we asked a question on Sunday.
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We said, why should we speak words that edify?
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And the simplest reason is, why should we speak
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the words that edify one another? Because we
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are a family. Hallelujah. We are a family. And
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on Sunday, we saw that God's purpose began with
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humanity created in his image to live in fellowship
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with him and to fulfill his divine purpose. Although
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sin brought separation by the sin of Adam, by
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the conduct of Adam, sin was introduced into
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the world. And that introduction of sin into
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the world becomes a pattern. And whoever... walk
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in disobedience, whoever walks in sin is separated
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from God. So we say that although sin brought
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separation from God and damaged human relationships,
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because it's one of the effects of sin, it damages
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human relationships. God continued his redemptive
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plan through Abraham, promising that all the
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families of the earth would be blessed through
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him. So he delivered Israel from slavery. God
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delivered Israel from slavery. and establish
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them as his covenant people. Talking about the
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continuity of God's work, his deliverance of
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the nation of Israel as his covenant people,
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a treasured possession, and a kingdom of priests,
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and a holy nation, giving them his commandment
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to guide their relationship with him and their
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conduct towards one another as they become a
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witness to the surrounding nations. So we say
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that God's dealing with the nation of Israel
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is... An example of God's intention for all humanity,
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for all his people, people that will come into
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his will by faith and become part of his family
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and become part of his people. And God gave them
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instructions. He gave them rules to guide their
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conduct. And we summarize the law that was given
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to them, particularly the Ten Commandments, as
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love towards God and love towards one another.
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And by them living out the instructions of God,
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they will be able to minister to the surrounding
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nations around them. So how will men know that
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we are God's children is when we love one another.
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That is how men will know whose we are. They
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will know our identity. They will know what we
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believe in. They will even come to, you know,
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they will be interested in knowing what the gospel
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is. So ultimately, gospel posts are extended
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to all nations through Jesus Christ. whose death
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reconciles us to God and brings those who are
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once far off near to him, making us members of
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God's household rather than strangers. So by
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what Jesus Christ did, we're brought into God's
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family. So we see that the plan started with
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Abraham and right from the intention of God is
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that all men will be his. Hallelujah. So it's
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not only the nation of Israel alone, but we see
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that all nations. in Christ are brought into
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God's plan, into God's family, into God's purpose.
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So we enter God's family through his saving work
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in Christ. All right? How we came into God's
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family is not by being born in a Christian family.
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Being born in a Christian family in a country
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that professes Christianity is not enough for
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you to be part of God's family. So we enter God's
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family through what Christ has done. It's not
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by natural birth or by any form of merit or what
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you've done. You know, to become part of God's
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family, a man must be born in God's family. Okay?
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For you to be part of God's family, you must
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be born in God's family. And I believe that it
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is our experience, it is our testimony that we
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are born in God's family. For you to be born,
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for you to be part of your family, biologically,
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you were born into that family. Or let's say
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you were adopted, right? So scripture uses the
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concept of birth. In the scriptures, in the Bible,
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it uses the concept of birth to explain how men
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are forgiven of their sins. The concept of birth
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is used to explain how men are forgiven of sins.
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and are brought into a relationship with God
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and other believers. So we see in scriptures,
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the concept of birth used as a way of communicating
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God's way of bringing people into his family.
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In John chapter 3, verse 1, I'll go to scripture.
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Oftentimes when we talk about being born again,
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we go to John 3. Conversation with Nicodemus.
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John chapter 3 from verse 1. There was a man
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of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of
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the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and
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said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher
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come from God, for no one can do these signs
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that you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered
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and said to him, Most assuredly I say to you,
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unless one is born again, he cannot see, that
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is, this person cannot experience the kingdom
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of God. The kingdom of God has to do with the
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family of God. So unless a man is born again,
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that man cannot experience the kingdom of God.
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Jesus answered, okay, verse four, Nicodemus said
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to him, how can a man be born when he is old?
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Can he enter a second time into his mother's
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womb and be born? Jesus answered, most assuredly
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I say to you, unless one is born of water, and
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the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
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That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and
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that which is born of the spirit, spirit. Do
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not marvel that I say to you, you must be born
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again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you
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hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it
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comes from and where it goes. So is everyone
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who is born of the spirit. Nicodemus answered
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and said to him, how can these things be? Jesus
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answered and said to him, are you the teacher
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of Israel and do not know these things? So in
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this text, we see Jesus Christ teaching Nicodemus
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how he can be part of God's family. The only
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way is being born again, being born again. And
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of course, the word born again in the Greek,
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G -E -N -G -E -N -N -A -O, two words to be born
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is G -E -N. N -A -O. And again, anothem. A -N
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-O -T -H -E -M. It means to be born from above.
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That word born again in the Greek means to be
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born from above or born anew. Alright? It means
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to be born from above or to be born anew. So
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Nicodemus in verse 4 couldn't understand the
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concept of being born again. He couldn't understand
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the idea that a man has to be born. So Jesus
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explains that it is a spiritual experience. It
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is what happens in the spirit. It does not happen
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in the physical. To be born above. Above simply
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means beyond this physical realm. It's something
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that is spiritual. It's not natural. So one to
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be born in the spirit. Jesus explained this as
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a spiritual experience and not a natural experience.
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Hallelujah. So Jesus explains a new birth as
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being born of the Spirit. It is the work of the
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Holy Spirit. It is not from the will of man.
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A man cannot be born on his own into the family
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of God. Even as we preach the gospel to people,
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we cannot make people born again. It is the active
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work of the Spirit, you know, working with us
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through what we say, and then people receive
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what we say. And then the spirit, you know, bring
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them into that experience and into that reality.
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So in this account, Jesus uses a natural substance,
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water, to typify the work of the spirit in salvation.
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And water has been used symbolically in the writings
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of the Old Testament to explain the work of the
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spirit. So in verse 10, where Jesus is saying
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to Nicodemus, you are a teacher of the law. Give
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me verse 10. It says, are you the teacher of
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Israel and do not know these things? So the expectation
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is that Nicodemus, who is a teacher of the scriptures,
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should be able to understand this communication
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of water, which is a spirit. Water explaining
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the work of the spirit of God. So the man who
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is born again is born of the spirit. In a new
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birth, the believer is born into a family. And
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this family, we've said it. is a church. It is
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a supernatural family. Hallelujah. It is a supernatural
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family. Even though, yes, we are in the natural,
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physically, we can see one another. And oftentimes,
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it is much more desirable. It is beautiful if
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our natural families are also part of our supernatural
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families. Your father is born again. Your mother
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is born again. Your sisters are born again. It
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is a sweet experience. It's beautiful. Your friends
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are born again. Your cousins are born again.
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You know, it's a sweet experience. But beyond
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what we see in the natural, it is a supernatural
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family. And God is a father of that family. God
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is our father and God is a father to all of us.
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And we have equal access to God as members of
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one another, as members of God's family. We have
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equal access to God's resources. He has given
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himself to us by his spirit. So this is the advantage
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we have. As members of God's family. So those
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who receive Christ. Believe in his name. Are
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given the right. Those who receive Christ. And
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believe his name. Are given the right to become
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children of God. John 1 verse 12. We believe
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in what Christ has done. In his work. His redemptive
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work. As a Messiah. As a Savior that has been
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promised. Remember we talk about Abraham. There
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was a promise that was made. So we believe that.
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This promise was accomplished in the person Jesus
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Christ. But as many as receive him, receiving
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him here implies believing him. Believing in
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him is receiving him. As many as believe in him,
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he gave the right, he gave the opportunity, he
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gave the privilege, he gave the authority to
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become the children of God. To those who believe
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in his name. Verse 13. Who were born not of blood.
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This blood here speaks of something natural.
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not of the natural, not of the will of the flesh,
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not of the will of man, but this is by the activity
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of the Spirit, by the will of God. Hallelujah.
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And of course, John 3, verse 16 amplifies this
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much more later on when, you know, he was speaking
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to Nicodemus in verse 16. Let's check subsequent
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verses, John 3, 16 and 18. It says, For God so
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loved the world that he gave his only begotten
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Son, that whoever believes in him should not
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perish, but have eternal life, but have everlasting
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life. Verse 17. For God did not send his son
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into the world to condemn the world, but that
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the world through him might be saved. So God's
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plan is not the condemnation of men. The word
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here speaks of men. So God's plan is not the
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condemnation of men, but God's plan is a restoration
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of men because he created men. He created us.
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So his desire is a true... the means by which
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he has provided in Christ, that man will be restored
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to him. He who believes in him is not condemned,
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but he who does not believe is condemned already
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because he has not believed in the name of the
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only begotten Son of God. So a man exercises
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his will that has been given to him, and then
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he believes in the gospel that has been preached
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to him, and then he becomes part of God's family.
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Hallelujah. So God's family... is not defined
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by ethnicity in the natural. We come from different
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ethnic groups. Okay? We come from different families,
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from different races. God's family is not defined
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by ethnicity. That's why I'm not saying that
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those that do that, they are doing it in, they
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went against the word of God. But here, we don't
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celebrate our natural ethnicity. Are we together?
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We don't celebrate our natural ethnicity, where
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we are coming from our tribes. Because the moment
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we come into Christ, we become one nation. Hallelujah.
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Regardless of your tribe, regardless of your
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country, regardless of your experience in life.
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So we are one ethnic nationality. So God's family
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is not defined by ethnicity, nationality, or
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social status. Whether you're rich or you're
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poor, you are part of God's family. But belonging
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to him through Christ, we all belong to God through
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Christ. So it's not a European thing. It's not
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an African thing. It's not a poor man's thing.
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It's not a rich man's thing. It's a humanity
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in Christ thing. God in Christ has reconciled
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us to himself, has brought us into a relationship,
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into a fellowship. So through Christ, we all
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are reconciled to God. Through Christ, we all
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are reconciled to God. Our fellow citizens with
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a sense and members of the household of God.
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Ephesians 2 verse 11. We are members together.
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All of us. The pastors are members. The members
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of the church are members. The leaders are members.
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All of us have equal status in the family of
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God. We are members of God's family. Therefore,
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remember that you once Gentiles in the flesh
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who are called the... uncircumcision by what
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is called a circumcision made in the flesh by
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hands. That at the time you were without Christ,
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being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel
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and strangers from the covenant of promise, having
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no hope without God in the world. Right? But
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now in Christ Jesus, who once were far off, have
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been brought near by the blood of Christ. So
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we, have been brought near to God by what Christ
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has done. For he himself is our peace. That is,
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God has reconciled us. There's no longer hostility
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between us and God. We've been brought together
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by what Christ has done and has broken the middle
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wall of separation. He has delivered us from
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the separation. For he himself is our peace.
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Yes, verse 15. Having abolished in his flesh.
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The enmity that is the law of commandments contained
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in ordinances so as to create in himself one
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new man from the two, thus making peace. This
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can be explained subsequent times. And that he
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might reconcile them both to God in one body
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through the cross, thereby putting to death the
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enmity. Putting to death the enmity. Enmity.
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And he came and preached, of course. He came
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and preached. It talks about God preaching through
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people. Are we together? And he came and preached
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peace to you who were far off. So as we go out
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to preach, as we preach, we are preaching, God
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is working in us and through us to preach peace
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to people, to preaching reconciliation to people.
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And he came and preached peace to you who were
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far off. Far off doesn't mean destination. Doesn't
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mean you are in Africa. Or doesn't mean you are
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in UK. No. Far off simply means that you don't
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have relationship with God. For through him,
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we both have access. For through him, we both
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have access. We're both talking about the Greek
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and the Jew, the Gentile and the Jew. For both
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through him, we both have access. One spirit
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to the Father. Verse 19, look at this carefully.
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Now, therefore, therefore what? Because of what
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Christ has done. Because of Christ's redemptive
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plan and because you believe in what Christ has
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done, what has happened to us? You are no longer
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strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
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with their sins and members of the household
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of God. So believers are members of what? Of
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the household of God. Hallelujah. There's no
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differences between us. Galatians 3 verse 26.
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There's no difference between us. Difference
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simply means these people are more special and
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unique in the plan of God and these ones are
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lesser in the plan of God. No. For you are all
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what? You are all what? Let's read this together.
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I want to go. For you are all sons of God through
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faith in Christ Jesus. All of us are sons. Hallelujah.
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There are no grandsons. God does not have grandsons.
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God does not have nephews and nieces. We are
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all what? We are all sons and sons comes with
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responsibility. We are all sons through faith
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in Christ Jesus, verse 27. For as many of you
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were baptized into Christ, baptized simply means
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believing in him. As many of you believe into
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Christ, have been baptized in Christ, put on
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Christ, verse 28. There is neither who Jew nor
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Greek. Jew nor Greek here speaks of. The Jew
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as a nation and Greek symbolizes the Gentiles,
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those who are not part of the Jewish nation.
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There is neither slave nor free. There is neither
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male nor female. For you are what? What are we?
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We are one in Christ. We are one in Christ. Verse
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29, the last verse. And if you are Christ, then
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you are Abraham's seeds and his according to
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the promise. And of course, we know that the
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promise was accomplished in Christ. Hallelujah.
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So the church is the household of God on earth.
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The church is the representation of God's family
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on the earth. We represent the family of God
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on earth. 1 Timothy 3 verse 15. 1 Timothy 3 verse
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15. 1 Timothy 3 verse 15. But if I'm delayed,
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I write to you so that you may know how you ought
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to conduct yourself In the house of God, which
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is a church of the living God, the pillar and
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the ground of truth. Hallelujah. So in the house
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of God, all right, is there an expectation of
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conduct in the house of God? Is there an expectation
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of conduct based on this verse? There is a way
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to which members of God's family are expected
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to conduct themselves. We don't conduct ourselves
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as touts on the street, as mad people. There
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is an order in the house of God. Are we together?
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Even though we are one, all right, but there's
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administration in the house of God. We have people
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that are older in age. We have people that are
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younger in age. We have people that are weaker
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in faith. We have people that are stronger in
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faith. We have people that are just coming into
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the faith newly. We have people that have been
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around for a while. So we ought to conduct ourselves
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in a way That is befitting of what God is working
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in us through his spirit. It says that if I'm
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delayed, I rise so that you may know how you
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ought to conduct yourself in the house of God,
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which is the church. The house of God is what?
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Is the church. Okay? The house of God is a church
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of the living God. And it says that that church
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of the living God, it is the pillar. All right?
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and the ground of the truth, the pillar and the
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ground of the truth. Amen. So if God has brought
27:53
us into his family and commanded us to love one
27:56
another, our speech, all right, must reflect
28:01
our identity. One of the ways by which we ought
28:06
to conduct ourselves is in our speech. Our speech
28:09
must be befitting of our nature as children of
28:13
God. And on Sunday, we began with this responsibility
28:16
to put away falsehood. One of the ways by which
28:21
our speech will reflect what God has done in
28:24
us is in our ability to speak truth one to another.
28:31
Putting away falsehood, we speak truthfully to
28:34
one another. Ephesians 4, verse 25, we saw. We
28:37
emphasize that on Sunday. Give me that text again.
28:39
Ephesians 4, verse 25. It says, therefore, putting
28:48
away lying. Let each one of you speak truth with
28:54
his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
29:00
So when we lie to one another, we hurt one another.
29:06
All right? When we lie to one another, we hurt
29:09
one another. Not only that we hurt one another,
29:13
but we grieve the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4 verse
29:18
30, it says that by not working in love, We grieve
29:23
the Holy Spirit. What does it mean to grieve
29:25
the Holy Spirit? It means we make the Holy Spirit
29:29
uncomfortable in our midst. We make God uncomfortable
29:32
in our midst by what we do one to another. So
29:37
your conduct towards your brother and your sister
29:39
can grieve the Holy Spirit. So it is essential.
29:44
He says, and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of
29:46
God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
29:50
Because when we believe in Jesus Christ, when
29:52
we look at... Ephesians 1 verse 13, it talks
29:56
about the seal of the Spirit that was given to
29:59
us, the earnest of His Spirit that was given
30:01
to us as an assurance of what will happen in
30:05
the future, the redemption of our physical bodies.
30:07
So when we not walk in love or we don't walk
30:10
in love, we grieve the Holy Spirit. The character
30:15
of God, our Father is truth. All right? Is truth.
30:22
And as His children, We are called to reflect
30:26
His character because we have His identity. Ephesians
30:29
5, verse 1 and verse 2 talk about us, you know,
30:34
having the very nature of God as beloved children
30:38
of God. We do what? We imitate God in our conduct,
30:42
in the way we express love one to another. Hallelujah.
30:46
So lying or falsehood is not our nature. We do
30:53
not have... The nature of lying or falsehood.
30:57
Okay? Because we've been delivered from this
30:59
very nature. So this is no longer, this should
31:03
no longer be our practice because we've been
31:06
delivered from such kind of life. We've been
31:10
delivered from this kind of life. So lying or
31:13
falsehood is the nature of the devil. John chapter
31:17
8 verse 44. Jesus here speaks and identifies
31:22
the devil as a liar. and the father of lies.
31:27
God is our father and he is truth. The devil
31:31
is a liar and is a father of lies. You are of
31:35
your father, the devil, and the desires of your
31:39
father you want to do. He was a murderer from
31:42
the beginning and does not practice, does not
31:45
stand what? In the truth, because there is no
31:49
truth in him. When he speaks a lie, what does
31:53
he do? He speaks from his own wealth. His own
31:58
resources is deceit and falsehood. He speaks
32:02
from his own resources for he is a liar and what?
32:06
And the very, very father of it. Amen? So lying
32:13
or falsehood is not our language in this kingdom.
32:18
We speak the truth one to another because when
32:21
we lie, we are not speaking of our nature. We
32:24
are not speaking of the character of God. And
32:26
of course, in Genesis 3, we see how the devil
32:28
used falsehood and deceit. The aim, see, every
32:33
lie has a purpose. We don't just lie for fun,
32:37
except if you practice you are of the devil and
32:41
lie is a hobby. You know, there are some people
32:46
that, even in situations that don't warrant lying,
32:49
they effortlessly lie as if they've been possessed
32:53
by a lying spirit. And how can a believer, born
32:59
of the Spirit of God, give himself to lying.
33:04
The moment you come into this family and the
33:07
spirit of God begin to operate through you, begin
33:09
to walk through you, one of the first thing we
33:11
see in you is that you become sincere. Sincere
33:14
in your words towards people that are in the
33:17
same family with you. Hallelujah. Your conduct
33:21
becomes truth. You know, your words is true.
33:25
Your conduct is true. So our action can also
33:30
speak falsehood. We know that. Our conduct can
33:34
also speak falsehood. But not that we speak falsehood
33:37
with our lips alone, but everything that concerns
33:39
us is established in truth. So we see Satan continues
33:45
to operate through deception and falsehood. In
33:48
2 Thessalonians 2, verse 9 and 10, speaks about
33:52
how the devil, even up to today, give me that
33:55
text quickly. Even up to today, the devil, he
34:00
does what? He continues in deception and falsehood.
34:04
The coming of no less one is according to the
34:06
walking of Satan with all power, signs and lying
34:13
wonders. So even the wonders he does is to deceive
34:18
and to mislead. And with all unrighteous deception
34:22
among those who perish because they do not receive
34:25
the love of the truth, that they might be safe.
34:29
Hallelujah. So we see this operational in people
34:32
that have not come to know the Lord. He walks
34:36
through them. to perform his deception. So how
34:41
can you be a man of God, a woman of God, a child
34:44
of God, full of the Spirit, you speak in tongues,
34:46
and then you lie with tongues? Do you have dual
34:52
identity? Do we have dual identity? Hallelujah.
34:57
So we have the Spirit of truth in us. We have
35:00
the ability to speak truth. We have the capacity
35:03
to be honest one to another because we are members
35:06
of one family. Hallelujah. So when we deliberately
35:11
lie to one another, we act contrary to the character
35:14
of God. We act contrary to our character. We
35:18
act contrary to our nature because our nature
35:20
is truth. You are a child of God and your nature
35:24
is truth. So your conduct and your speech must
35:29
be truth. There's a standard to truth. The standard
35:33
to truth is the word of God, is what God has
35:35
destined and desire for us to be and to do. So
35:39
deliberately lying is... or imitating or patterning
35:45
your life according to the deception of the devil.
35:49
That means that you are collaborating with the
35:51
devil to do his will, to speak his language.
35:55
Oh, hallelujah. Our language is truth. When the
36:00
man of God or a child of God say yes, we should
36:03
be able to authenticate that it is yes, it is
36:06
true. What he says is true. Without exaggeration
36:10
and without minimizing. Hallelujah. There are
36:17
different ways we can say something. You can
36:20
either exaggerate it, right? Or you simplify
36:24
it. Or you remove facts and details from it.
36:30
Or you omit the context of the conversation.
36:36
Hallelujah. All right. So let's move to the next
36:40
one. So the next thing in our world is that we
36:45
do not speak corrupt words. Corrupt words. Of
36:50
course, corrupt words include lying. All right.
36:54
But we do not speak corrupt words, we speak words
36:57
that edify. We do not speak corrupt words, but
37:03
we speak words that edify. Ephesians 4 .29. I'll
37:08
be fast right now because of time. Ephesians
37:10
4 .29. Let no corrupt words proceed out of your
37:17
mouth. But what is good for what? For necessary
37:23
edification that it may impart grace to the hearers.
37:28
So every word that comes out of the mouth of
37:31
a believer should be that which will edify, will
37:34
build up another, not to tear another down. Colossians
37:40
4, 6. Colossians 4, verse 6. Colossians 4, verse
37:47
6, corroborating this text. So let your speech
37:50
always be with what? With grace, seasoned with
37:56
salt, that you may know how you ought to answer
38:02
each one. simply means that there is a way we
38:06
speak to one another in grace, in love. We don't
38:11
speak our mind anyhow in this place, in this
38:15
house. Are we together? We don't speak anyhow
38:19
in this family. We speak in love in this family.
38:24
We don't just tell people whatever is in our
38:26
mind. I just speak my mind. No, we don't do that
38:29
in this house. We speak the truth in grace and
38:33
in love. 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 11. 1 Thessalonians
38:38
5 verse 11. It says, therefore, comfort one another.
38:45
And what? Edify one another just as you also
38:50
are doing. We edify one another. We build up
38:53
one another. We encourage one another. We ensure
38:55
that we are standing strong and we don't tear
38:59
one another by our words, the things we say to
39:02
one another, how we say the things we say, why
39:05
we say the things we say. Hallelujah. Now, back
39:09
to that Ephesians 4 .29. That word corrupt. That
39:13
word corrupt. What does it mean to be corrupt?
39:15
That word corrupt. Give me that text. In the
39:17
Hebrew, it's translated from the Greek word sapros.
39:21
S -A -P -R -O -S. Corrupt. That word corrupt
39:26
there is S -A -P -R -O -S. So, this word refers
39:34
to that which is rotten. Have you ever seen a
39:38
rotten fruit before? All right. It means something
39:43
that is rotten. It refers to something that has
39:46
deteriorated or unfit for its intended purpose.
39:52
That which is rotten, that which is deteriorated
39:57
or unfit for its intended purpose. So in this
40:06
text, as used by Paul, Paul used this word corrupt,
40:09
rotten, you know, deteriorated. or something
40:15
that is unfit to describe speech that is unwholesome,
40:20
speech that is unwholesome, that is unhealthy,
40:25
a speech that is unhealthy, all right? Speech
40:29
that is harmful or destructive. Words that fail
40:36
to serve the purpose of edification, building
40:41
up and ministering grace to the hearers. Just
40:48
as rotten fruit is unfit for consumption, imagine
40:52
you went to the market, you bought some fruits,
40:54
and you brought it to the house. You know, Nigerians,
40:58
you bought yam in this country, right? And suddenly
41:00
you discover that the yam, you'll be questioning
41:02
yourself, is this yam brown or is yam supposed
41:05
to be brown or white? Maybe the yam you bought
41:09
is a brown yam. But when you discover that it
41:13
is rotten from the inside, it's unfit for use.
41:16
So what do you do? You throw it away. You don't
41:19
use it. You don't eat it because it's harmful
41:20
to the body. So just as rotten fruit is unfit
41:25
for consumption, corrupt speech is unfit for
41:30
the believer's calling to use words to build
41:33
up others, communicate truth, and impart grace.
41:40
Just as rotten fruit is unfit for consumption,
41:43
corrupt speech is unfit for the believer's calling
41:47
to use words, to build others up, communicating
41:52
truth and to impart grace. All right? So there
41:58
are other places in scriptures where this word
42:00
is used, the word sapros, occurrences of this
42:04
word as Paul used in Ephesians 4 .29. We can
42:08
see it in Matthew 7 verse 18, Matthew 7 verse
42:11
17 and 18, Matthew 7 verse 17 and 18. You know,
42:16
even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but
42:19
a bad tree bears bad fruit. Verse 18, a good
42:22
tree cannot bear bad fruits, nor can a bad tree
42:26
bear good fruits. So, Cyprus here reveals that
42:29
something is corrupt in quality, all right, and
42:33
produces what is inconsistent with its proper
42:37
nature. A good tree, what does it does? Bears
42:42
what? A good tree cannot bear bad fruits, all
42:46
right? Yes. So also in Matthew 12, 33, Matthew
42:58
12, 33, also the use of this word, either make
43:02
the tree good and its fruit good, or else make
43:05
the tree bad and its fruit bad, for a tree is
43:08
known by its fruit. The bad and the good here
43:11
speaks of the corruption, or the usage of that
43:14
word, reveals the quality of the source, reflecting
43:18
what is produced. Also Matthew 13, 48, Matthew
43:25
13, 48. So I want us to zoom into this Ephesians
43:30
4 .29. We'll see that Paul established a contrast
43:34
between two kinds of speech in this verse. Two
43:38
kinds of speech. One that edifies and one that
43:44
does not edify. Corrupt communication here speaks
43:50
of speech that is unwholesome, harmful, destructive,
43:55
or unsuitable for Christian, I would say, for
43:59
fellowship. for the family. Whereas the speech
44:05
that edifies builds up others according to their
44:10
need and ministers grace to those who hear it.
44:14
And of course, if you read in the context of
44:16
that text that we read from 25 to 32, Paul is
44:21
addressing truthfulness, okay? How we conduct
44:24
ourselves truthfully. The issue of anger, the
44:30
issue of honesty, honest labor, walking. Okay,
44:34
conduct of the believer, forgiveness, kindness,
44:39
and the way believers ought to treat one another.
44:43
So all this in the context is Paul speaking of
44:46
how believers ought to do what? Treat one another.
44:50
Therefore, that word sapros or corrupt there
44:53
in this passage is not limited to profanity.
44:57
Are we together? I know that there are some words
45:00
here by virtue of our religious orientation we
45:03
know here in this church. All right? So this
45:07
is not only referring to profanity. You know
45:09
what is of profanity? Words that we know is associated
45:13
with people in the world of sense language or
45:20
abusive words. We may not use direct abusive
45:24
words towards one another. Of course, we can
45:26
sometimes find that happen in our midst. It can
45:29
also encompass lying, right? Sometimes we can
45:34
even use scripture to lie. It can also encompass
45:38
lying, slander, malicious gossip. destructive
45:42
criticism, degrading remarks, and words that
45:48
tear others down rather than build them up. It
45:52
encompasses lying, slander, malicious gossips,
45:57
destructive criticism, degrading remarks, and
46:02
words that tear others down rather than build
46:05
them up. Now, the central issue here, really,
46:11
is not whether your word sounds bad, okay? It's
46:17
not whether your words that you speak sounds
46:18
bad. It's not merely whether your words sounds
46:22
bad, but whether they are wholesome and suitable
46:25
for the purpose of edification. You do know that
46:28
you can say something good, but still it will
46:30
not edify people. It will tear them down. Hallelujah.
46:36
Now, let's go to practical examples. Let's go
46:38
to practical examples. Examples of corrupt words
46:43
in the church. That's how I title it. Right?
46:49
Now, it's coming down to our level. We've left
46:50
for efficiency. We are coming down to our level.
46:54
Gossip disguised as concern for prayer. Gossip
47:02
disguised as concern for prayer. This occurs
47:09
when someone shares something. This occurs when
47:14
someone shares another person's private struggles
47:17
under the guise of prayer, concern, or seeking
47:22
fellowship. Someone confiding in you. And instead
47:31
of you as a brother and a sister in Christ, uphold
47:36
what has been said in trust. Before we know it,
47:41
it's a common knowledge. And the way it's presented
47:48
as, let's pray for this person, but you are exposing
47:53
the person's vulnerability. Why is it corrupt?
47:57
The conversation can expose private matters and
48:02
damage reputations. And encourage others to form
48:06
negative opinion. Why will they establish negative
48:11
opinions about someone? Because they are not
48:14
aware of the full facts. Are we together? So,
48:20
words that sounds, gossips that disguise themselves
48:25
as concerns and prayer can be words that can
48:28
tear down people. Because it can establish an
48:35
opinion concerning someone that has no facts.
48:40
Sufficient facts. Are we together? Another one
48:47
is slander and character assassination. This
48:52
can happen when Christians make damaging claims
48:55
about one another. Damaging claims about one
49:01
another. About your brother, about your sister,
49:05
about your leaders, about your pastors, particularly
49:12
explaining slander and character assassination,
49:16
right? Particularly When they exaggerate what
49:23
happened, okay? When there is an exaggeration
49:28
to what has been said or has been done, it can
49:32
lead to slander or character assassination. When
49:38
they exaggerate or speculate or present unverified
49:46
accusations and facts, you've not verified. You
49:53
are not so sure. But you are able to communicate
49:58
something that you know has a tendency of ruining
50:02
the character of someone and it's your brother
50:04
and it's your sister in Christ. So why is this
50:08
corrupt? Because it can destroy trust. It damages
50:14
reputations and can divide a congregation. It
50:21
can divide a church. It can divide the house
50:22
of God. Titus 3 verse 2. Titus 3 verse 2. To
50:31
speak evil. Okay, give me verse 1. From verse
50:34
1. Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities.
50:38
To obey. To be ready for every good work. To
50:44
speak evil of who? Of no one. To be peaceable,
50:48
gentle, showing all humility to all men. James
50:52
4 verse 11. James 4 verse 11. James 4 verse 11.
50:59
Do not speak evil of one another. Brethren, he
51:04
who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother,
51:07
speaks evil of the law and judges the law, but
51:10
if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the
51:14
law, but a judge. Of course, we can write Ephesians
51:17
4 .31 as well. So, instead of slandering and
51:22
assassinating somebody's character, a defined
51:27
alternative is when we have or when we hear of
51:33
a genuine misconduct or we suspect that somebody
51:36
has done something that is evil, right? Instead
51:39
of being the one that will go about telling people
51:41
what has happened, okay? We communicate the facts
51:45
responsibly through what? Through the appropriate
51:49
channels of authority because the church of God
51:51
has order. Are we together? So when you hear
51:57
or you see, all right, there is an appropriate
52:01
channel of authority by which things and conducts
52:04
are channeled. We don't go about speaking, even
52:09
if it is true. There is an appropriate channel
52:12
of authority and order in the church of God.
52:18
So rather than going about spreading accusations,
52:24
it is important that we understand the order
52:27
that is in the house of God. Now we must understand
52:31
the important distinction here. Raising a truthful
52:33
concern about someone, right? A truthful concern
52:38
about someone, what he has done or what you see
52:42
him doing as a brother and your sister is correct.
52:45
It's appropriate. All right? Whether in an immoral
52:51
living, in an abuse, in any form of misconduct
52:55
or false teaching through appropriate channel,
52:59
you communicate that through the appropriate
53:01
channel. It is not in your place to begin to
53:06
share the news, to broadcast, because that is
53:09
what the devil does. And that has a capacity
53:13
of what? Of building, you know, enmity in the
53:17
house of God, problem in the house of God. Hallelujah.
53:21
There is a place of responsible correction and
53:27
accountability in the church of God. We have
53:31
a place of what? Of responsible correction and
53:34
accountability in the house of God. But we must
53:37
follow the channel, the administration of the
53:42
house of God in order to do that. So in case
53:46
you see something, we are not saying you should
53:48
keep quiet because that in its own, that one
53:51
is also evil. partaker of evil. That's the other
53:55
side of the coin. That you don't have the responsibility
53:59
to go out and then it becomes a news in your
54:02
archives that whenever you are with your friends
54:04
and you begin to, you know, it becomes a topic
54:06
of conversation. That is evil. Even if what you're
54:09
saying is true, this is a corrupt communication.
54:12
This is an evil communication. This is a rotten
54:15
communication because the goal is not towards
54:17
edification. That cannot result to edification
54:20
of the person that is in that situation. Hallelujah.
54:24
There is an orderly way by which things are done
54:28
in the family of God. Hallelujah. Another one
54:35
is sarcasm and mockery and hurtful jokes in the
54:40
household of God. We're talking about what? Instances
54:44
or practical examples in which corrupt words,
54:50
that is, unwholesome words, in which words that
54:55
can be said that are not edifying. Sometimes
55:01
I hear us make jokes and mockery of people. We
55:08
make harmful jokes. Sometimes we make, you know,
55:12
hurtful remarks. And you hear the excuses. I
55:16
was only joking. There are some jokes you don't
55:20
do in this house, in the church of God. There
55:23
are some jokes that should be far away from you
55:25
as a believer because your joke has a capacity
55:28
of destroying somebody. Hallelujah. There are
55:34
some jokes that are not necessary. Oh, you are
55:40
too sensitive. No, the person is not too sensitive.
55:43
You are being careless with your words. You are
55:45
being careless. We do not make jokes or mockery
55:48
of people's weaknesses. These are not grounds
55:52
for jokes. There are many things you can joke
55:55
about. But people's weaknesses, be it their lack
56:02
of knowledge, their limited understanding and
56:06
their lack of knowledge, be it their physical
56:08
appearance, Be it where they are coming from.
56:11
You don't make jokes about their story. You don't
56:15
make jokes and mockery about their experiences.
56:19
Because that is not working in love. There's
56:22
nothing being insensitive about this. That is
56:26
a ground, that is working in the lack of love.
56:31
You must learn to work in love. So this is corrupt
56:35
because humor becomes, it becomes humiliating
56:40
someone. They joke that sarcasm becomes a humiliation
56:45
to someone, particularly when the joke targets
56:48
their weaknesses, targets their background, targets
56:51
the mistakes they've made, or spiritual maturity.
56:55
It becomes a humiliation to that, and that is
57:00
not a defiant. Hallelujah. Three very important
57:06
questions that a Christian should ask before
57:10
speaking, before saying anything, as we close.
57:13
Three very important things. before you say something,
57:18
before you speak. Firstly, ask yourself, is it
57:21
good? What I'm about to say, is it good? Is it
57:26
good? Is what I'm about to say true? First of
57:30
all, is it true? Is it wholesome? Is it necessary?
57:37
Is it appropriate? Am I speaking from accurate
57:41
knowledge or merely repeating what I have heard?
57:47
Listen, if I tell her something and I tell her
57:51
to tell her husband, I tell my husband to tell
57:53
this person, before he reaches Pastor Yifan and
57:55
go around, the last person there, you'll be shocked
57:58
at what he will say. So what you're saying about
58:01
the person, about the brother, is it what is
58:04
accurate or what you speculatively heard? If
58:08
it's a speculation, then it's unwholesome because
58:11
you don't know the details and the full knowledge
58:16
of what has happened, what has been said or done.
58:18
Secondly, will this thing edify what you're saying?
58:26
Is it good? Secondly, will it edify? What do
58:30
we mean by edify? Will it make the person better?
58:33
Will it make the person more, you know, will
58:36
it bring out the best that is in the person?
58:41
Will these words contribute to someone's spiritual
58:43
growth? His understanding, will these words bring
58:48
about, you know, contribution to the person's
58:52
understanding? Will these words encourage the
58:55
person? Will this bring correction or restoration?
59:00
If correction is needed, ask yourself, am I in
59:04
the authority to correct that person? You don't
59:08
have the authority to correct everybody. Especially
59:12
in a church like this. You don't have the authority
59:14
to correct everybody. Alright? There is an order
59:19
in this house for correction. So, what you're
59:24
saying, will it edify? Will it build up? Will
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it make the person better? Thank you. Am I in
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the authority to correct the person? Can I communicate
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it without unnecessary humiliation? Right? Then
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the last one as we close. Ask yourself this question.
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Will this minister grace to the hearer? Will
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this minister grace to the hearer? Will my words
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communicate God's truth in a manner appropriate
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to the person's needs? Even when I must confront
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wrongdoing, can I do so with love, with wisdom?
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and a desire for restoration. Not in mockery,
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you know, looking down on the person's intellect,
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looking at the person's age and inexperience,
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looking at the person's, you know, mistakes and
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inability. We are meant to build up one another.
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We are meant to cover up one another. We are
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meant to build up one another to be a better
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version of who we are because we are all members
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of one another. So Paul's instruction does not
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mean that every sentence must praise someone
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or make them feel good. Alright? It means our
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speech should be governed by the good it is meant
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to accomplish. That is, we speak the truth to
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one another in love. The truth sometimes and
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most times is not comfortable. Alright? The truth
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most times is not comfortable. But the intent
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of it and the delivery of the truth and who is
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delivering the truth, will it edify? Or will
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it tear down? Hallelujah. So just open up your
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mouth and pray and... And that's going to strengthen
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you that your communication will be that that
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edifies. We appreciate you being here today.
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We hope you carry this word with you throughout
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your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
1:01:25
for additional insights. Stay connected with
1:01:28
us through our website or follow us on social
1:01:31
media. If you were encouraged, share this message
1:01:34
with someone you care about. Until next time,
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stay blessed.