Latest / Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons / The Issues About Women's Liberty pt. 14

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The Issues About Women's Liberty pt. 14 · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF. We're thrilled you're here.
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Make sure to stay with us till the end, where
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we'll share some great resources to deepen your
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faith. Now, let's dive into this week's sermon.
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Matthew chapter 19. I will start reading from
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verse 1. So, we will be continuing our study
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on the issues. regarding or about women's liberty.
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Let's read Matthew 19, verse 1 to 6. Now it came
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to pass, when Jesus had finished this saying,
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that he departed from Galilee and came to the
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region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. A great multitude
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followed him, and he healed the Pharisees who
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also came to him. testing him and saying to him,
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Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for
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just any reason? And he answered and said to
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them, Have you not read that he who made them
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at the beginning made them male and female? Verse
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5. And he said, For this reason a man shall leave
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his father and mother and be joined to his wife.
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and the two shall become one flesh. Verse 6.
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So then, they are no longer two, but one flesh.
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Therefore, what God has joined together, let
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not man separate. Let not man separate. So, in
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responding to the Pharisees' question, Jesus
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quoted from Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. Look at
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verse 4. And he answered and said to them, Have
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you not read that he who made them at the beginning
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made them male and female? Male and female. This
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quotation is from Genesis chapter 1, verse 27.
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Again, when you look at verse 5. And he said,
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For this reason, a man shall leave his father
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and mother and be joined to his wife. The two
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shall be or shall become one flesh. This quotation
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is from Genesis 2, verse 24. Now, in the past
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couple of teachings, what we tried to do or what
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we have tried to do in this series is to look
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at reference 5, what Jesus pointed them to. Meaning
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that we already dealt with this, that there is
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a faulty way the Pharisees had or faulty mindset
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they had about the woman. And we noted that was
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not what Jesus saw. So he was trying to correct
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them. And obviously he showed them an error.
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that they have not been paying attention to details.
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Although they were teachers of the law, they
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were not paying attention to details. That's
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why he said, have you not read? We look at that
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word read, it's not just a going over, but really
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a keen and a deliberate effort to read diligently,
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to read carefully, to read with attention to
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detail. And we took time to look at Jesus' response
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that took us to Genesis chapter 2. And we began
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our study from verse 9 in Genesis chapter 2.
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And we moved down to 24. Now we're still on it
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before we move. Because I will still have to
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look at the response he gave in verse 4. We are
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coming to that. So as I said, we have some journey
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to cover. But bear with me. So, I think there
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are some important things today I want us to
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look at again. In response, I mean, what Jesus
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responds, particularly in verse 5. Particularly
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in verse 5. Now, I want to just remind us our
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last teaching or our last message. We noted that
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in that verse 24. Maybe let's get back to, before
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I come back again. Go back to Genesis. Let's
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look at that scripture from Genesis chapter 2.
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Let's go back there. Where Jesus quoted that.
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That means just corresponding to verse 5 of Matthew
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19. Genesis chapter 2. Look at verse 24. and
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be joined to his wife, and they shall become
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one flesh. And this word, therefore, was actually
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from like a conclusion and that we took time
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to study last time, especially Adam's response
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in verse 23. This is now bones of my bones and
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flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman
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because she was taken. out of man she was taken
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out of man and we said there must be we need
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to be careful as we read scripture and pay attention
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to what uh the bible is saying the bible is saying
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and i want us to know something and you know
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when most times when we just say that this is
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talking about just straight away marriage between
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Adam and Eve. You begin to wonder, did Adam have
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a father and a mother that he had to move away
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from? Have you ever thought about that? That
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he had to live in the sand? So that means there
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is something much more deeper that actually God
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wants to communicate to us. And for that reason,
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we saw last time. that bone of my bones is not
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the woman. It's not just talking about the woman,
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but it's talking about an identity. And we saw
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that the word deep sleep talks about Adam's vision
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in deep sleep, just like what happened to Abraham
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also in Genesis 15. So we saw that after Adam
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had that vision, Then he responded that this
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is the bone of my bone, which means that he recognized
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that this woman is the same with me. We have
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the same identity. We have the same stock. And
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we saw that after we have gone through Moses'
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teaching notes. Now, there is something I want
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to do also in regard to this scripture. with
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Ephesians chapter 5. So I want to come back to
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Ephesians chapter 5 because I touched it in the
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last part of the message we had last time. And
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it's neat also to carefully and deliberately
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look at that scripture. Because most times we
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use that scripture for marriage. And as we said,
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there's no problem to use it in marriage if you
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explain it well. Just the same way when you have
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a bad deed, there's nothing wrong to quote a
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scripture as long as you didn't quote it wrongly.
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Or didn't explain it wrongly. Amen. Then you
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look at Ephesians chapter 5. So just walk with
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me gradually. I want to start reading from verse
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1. So we're going to do maybe just a contextual
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study. I want us to read from verse 1. Now look
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at verse 1. Therefore, Be imitators of God as
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dear children and walk in love as Christ also.
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Wait a minute. By saying therefore, it means
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that that was not where the discussion starts.
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So it starts from chapter 4. So let's move back
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a little bit to chapter 4 to see. I'm not going
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to read the entire chapter 4, but let me just
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pick some few verses from chapter 4. Look at
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particularly verse 1. Chapter 4, verse 31. He
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said, let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor,
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and evil speaking be put away from you. Obviously,
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he's talking to the church in Ephesus. So he
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said, put it away from you. Put away from you.
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He said, with all malice, verse 32, and be kind
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to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
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another. Even as God in Christ forgives you.
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So you can see verse 31 and 32 is like a comparison.
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What you should not or what should not even be
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mentioned among you as believers, as a church,
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as a body of Christ. It's not your identity.
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That shouldn't be heard among you. But then he
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now told them what is. in consonant with who
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they are. What's that one? And be kind. That
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is the nature of who they are. Be kind to one
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another. Tenderhearted. Forgiving one another.
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Even as God in Christ forgives you. So God now
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is the model of their walking in forgiveness,
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of their walking in kindness in the Son. So look
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at... Chapter 5. Therefore, be imitators of God
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as dear children. Meaning that he's saying that
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just reflect your nature. Because you are God's
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children, so you have the ability, you understand,
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to look at what daddy is doing or what he has
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done in Christ. And then you do it. Meaning Christ
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is the model. And in fact, verse 2 tells us that.
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And walk in love. So he is trying to tell them
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right from this context where we start to read.
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In a nutshell, is to walk in love. Because that
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is their nature. Because he said, as dearly beloved
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children. We have talked about this text over
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and over. When he was talking about love in the
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sand. And as Christ also has loved us and given
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himself for us. And offering a sacrifice to God.
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for a sweet -smelling aroma. Which means that
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Christ is a model of our walking in love. Are
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we together? Of our walking in love. So Paul
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was teaching about love here in the sand. That
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that love must be modeled after our nature, must
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be modeled after Christ, what he did in the sand
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to us through his death and resurrection. That
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is through his sacrifice. Now look at verse 3.
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Move to verse 3. He said, but fornication and
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all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even
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be named among you as it is fitting for saint.
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Now, if you look at also, it's like Paul was
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just saying what you should not be behead among
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you and what should be. Do you understand what
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I'm saying? Just like we saw in chapter 4, verse
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31 and then 32. He said, what should not, and
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then what should. The same way here he is saying
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verse, if you look at verse 1, you understand,
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verse 2 of chapter 5, he said, what should. And
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then by the time you move to verse 3, he said,
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what should not, because it does not reflect
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your nature. He said, but fornication and all
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uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even
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be named among you as is fitting. for saints.
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Remember, they are saints. They are saints. Are
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we together? In chapter 1, he has already, chapter
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1, verse 1, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
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by the will of God, to the saints, you understand,
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who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus.
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So already, they have been sanctified. They are
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saints. They have a new name. They have a new
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nature. And so he said, covetousness, fornication
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is not part of your nature. Uncleanness is not
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part of your nature. So it should not be named,
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even be mentioned among you, because that is
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what is fitting for the saints. Because those
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things are not part of the nature of the saints.
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He now moved to chapter 4, verse 4 of chapter
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5. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
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coerced jesting, which are not fitting. He said,
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those type of talk are not fitting. There are
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some, there are some, this filthy talk should
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not be heard among you. I mean, shouldn't come
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out of your lips. He said, but rather giving
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of thanks. I mean, it should come just naturally.
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Anything that happens, oh, glory to Jesus. Oh,
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thank you, Father. That is what is fitting for
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the saint. You understand? Kowals joking, and
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this is where you know, and you know that those
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who invite comedian to come and to making jest
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of the Holy Spirit, I mean, and be making jest
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of sacred things, of course, cannot be true,
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cannot be, cannot be what is fitting for the
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saints. You understand? Comedy and comedians
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have no place. You understand? In the agenda
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of God. You understand? We don't need them. Generally,
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human beings, we can crack jokes. But there are
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jokes that should not be heard. Not those ones
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that play with sacred things. Things of the spirit.
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No, no. Not glorifying lies. On stage, he said,
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when I was coming on that day, and I saw my mama
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coming, You have not seen your mama. There's
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no way there. So you cook up all kinds of things
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and people are laughing. And we speak foolish
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things. We speak things that are not fitting.
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Making jest. No, that's not correct. Speaking
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vulgar words. You understand? No, that's not
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correct. That is not fitting for saints. He said,
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but giving of thanks. He said, giving of thanks.
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So Paul was teaching the church. How they should
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live a life that is fitting for a saint, for
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their nature. The life that reflects their identity,
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fitting for saints. Look at verse 5. Look at
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verse 5. For this you know. So pay attention
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here. He said, for this you know. So he's telling
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the saint, you know, that no fornicator, unclean
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person, or covetous man who is an idolater. Has
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any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and
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God. Verse 6. Let no one deceive you with empty
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words. For because of these things, the wrath
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of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Comes
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upon the sons of disobedience. You know, most
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times. When we use this text, especially this
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text, I will read another text that is in 1 Corinthians
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also. You know, most times, many people have
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preached and taught believers. Will you go into
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make it? Don't you know that you can't? This
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is some of the text they used to say you will
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lose your salvation. That if you practice these
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things, if you live in fornication, if you live
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in these, you understand, you will lose your
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salvation because... you will not inherit the
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kingdom of God. But look at it. Remember, he
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told them, don't you know, or this you know.
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I want you each time you are reading scripture,
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pay attention. I mean, Paul has been saying that
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actually to the Corinthians, to the church in
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Corinth. He will tell them, don't you know that
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your body, do you understand what I'm trying
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to say? Don't you know. Now here he's saying,
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for this you know, which means that it is, He
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is trying to tell them, remember what I said
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earlier on, that there is a lifestyle he is telling
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them not to do because it does not align with
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their nature. So he's trying to point them that
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that lifestyle he's telling them not to do is
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actually coming from somewhere. It's a lifestyle
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of other people who are not in Christ. Are we
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together? So verse 5 and verse 6 is describing
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people. Who are not in Christ. Because that is
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their nature. That is how they live. So when
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he said. For this you know. That no fornicator.
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That one no fornicator. Unclean person. Is not
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saying. That a fornicator here. In this context.
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Does not mean the person. Who fornicates. No.
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He means an unbeliever. Living in fornication.
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That's what this one means. Are you with me?
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That's why when you move to verse 6, he said,
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let no one deceive you. Let no one deceive you
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with empty words. For because these things, the
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wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
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No, saints are not sons of disobedience. Are
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we together? Saints, because they are saints.
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They are not sons of disobedience. So Paul was
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not saying that. If a believer practices these
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things, he will not inherit the kingdom of God
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or he will have the wrath of God. No. And again,
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we're going to, which we started, but we'll teach
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on what is called the wrath of God. You understand?
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Because it's a word that needs to be understood
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in its own context. The wrath of God is not saying
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God has a wrath. No. Because that's why, let
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me leave that. We're coming back to it. You understand?
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Now, but the point I'm trying to make is that
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he said the light of God is upon the sons of
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disobedient. Are we together? So when you look
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at from verse 5 to 6, he's just showing the lifestyle
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that are actually a nature of the unbelievers.
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And he called them fornicators. He called them
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unclean persons. He called them covetous. A covetous
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man. Who is an idolater. He said these people
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have no inheritance. In the kingdom of God. But
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the saint have an inheritance. He said I commend
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you to God. And to the word of his grace. Are
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we together? Which is able to build you. You
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understand? That word there is not. That's not
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the correct way. He's not able to build you and
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give you. No. Which has built you. and has given
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you an inheritance among them that are sanctified.
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Because it's not something that is continuous.
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No. Are we together? Oh, glory to Jesus. There
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are some certainties sometimes when we touch,
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we have to just adjust them a little bit before
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we continue. Please, go to that scripture quickly.
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Let me just do something. In Acts 20, verse 32.
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Acts 20, verse 32. You understand? 20, 32. Look
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at it. He says, So now, brethren, I commend you
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to God and to the word of his grace, which, here
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he says, which is able to build you and to give
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you an inheritance among them who are sanctified.
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You know, it will look, when you read this scripture,
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it will look as if you are to be committed to
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the word of God. You understand? And then it
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will give you your inheritance and it will build
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you. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Now, before
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I explain this, just move quickly, you understand,
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to chapter 26, verse 18. Just move. It's the
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same text also. I mean, the same way it was presented
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in that place. 26, verse 18. 26, verse 18. You
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understand? Now, maybe let me just read. A little
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bit, but my focus is verse 18. Let me read verse
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17. He said, I will deliver you from the Jewish
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people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I
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now send you. Of course, Paul was just narrating
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that if you go back a little bit, you will understand
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what he was trying to communicate in the psalm.
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And then verse 18 says, to open their eyes in
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order to turn. So how is a man sanctified? He
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is by faith. How is a man received forgiveness?
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By faith. How is a man received or how does a
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man receive inheritance? Oh, talk to me now.
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It's also by what? By faith. So, it's by faith
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you receive inheritance. Are we together? Together
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with the saints. With other saints. So, it's
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not you do something. It's not that you commit
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yourself to the world and then God delivers to
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you your inheritance. No. Your inheritance comes
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at salvation when you believe. Are we together?
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So when you go back here, you will read it properly.
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So now, brethren, I commend you to God, verse
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20, I mean chapter 20, verse 32, and to the word
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of his grace, which has bailed you. That's how
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it's supposed to be. You understand? And giving
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you an inheritance among them that are sanctified.
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Glory to Jesus. Because he came by faith. It's
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not an ongoing thing. It's what has happened.
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It's a past tense. It came when you believed.
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So when you go back to Ephesians chapter 5, where
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we are looking at. So when he says that in verse
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5, that these fornicators, the person who is
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unclean, the one who is covetous, who is an idolater,
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he said they have no inheritance. Definitely
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you know he's talking about people who are not
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born again. They have no inheritance. We have
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an inheritance among them that are sanctified.
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Together with believers, together with other
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believers, together with brethren in the Son.
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And so he also moved further to talk about these
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unbelievers. He said they are sons of disobedience.
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They are sons of disobedience. They are sons
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of disobedience. Earlier, Paul pointed the church.
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in Ephesus that this is who they were before.
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He's trying to say this is not their current
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position. This is who they were before. Look
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at Ephesians chapter 2 from verse 1. This is
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what he told them. He said, Who now walk in who?
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The sons of disobedience. He said, this is who
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you were before. You understand? He said, among
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whom also we all once conducted ourselves in
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the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires
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of the flesh and of the mind. And we are by nature,
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okay, by nature children of wrath. Did you see
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that? The believer is not under the wrath. He's
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only the children of disobedience. He said, just
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as others. But look at verse 4. He said, but
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God, but God, who is rich in mercy because of
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his great love with which he loved us, even when
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we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together.
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Made us alive together with Christ. By grace,
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you have been saved. He's talking to believers.
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Though that was your lifestyle, but now you have
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been saved. Verse 6, and raised up together and
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made us three together in heavenly. That place
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is not there in the sand. In the heavenly, in
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Christ. Jesus. In Christ is only a place. Glory
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to Jesus. Amen. Verse 7. He said that in the
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ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches
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of his grace in his kindness toward us in Christ.
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Verse 8. For by grace you have been saved through
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faith and are not of yourself. It is a gift of
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God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
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Verse 10. For we are his workmanship, created
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in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared
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beforehand that we should work in them. Hallelujah.
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Now go to verse 8 of chapter 5, Ephesians chapter
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5 verse 8. He also noted the same thing. He said,
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for you we are once in darkness, but now you
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are light in the Lord. So walk as children of
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light. Walk as children of light. So you can
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see that verse 5 and 6 is not saying that believers
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who practice those ungodly lifestyle would not
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inherit the kingdom of God. No, that's not what
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he's saying. But Paul was just admonishing them
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to live the life fitting for the sin. and pointed
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them that there's a lifestyle which they have
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been practicing before they believed. Now that
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they are believers, they cannot continue to practice
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those lives because they knew, now they know
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that those who are in that lifestyle, who are
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unbelievers, whose lifestyle is the way they
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live because they are unbelievers, that's how
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they live. You understand? That's their lifestyle.
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That is not the lifestyle of the believer. He
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said those ones who did not believe and they
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are living that lifestyle because that is the
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way they live. He said that they have no place
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in God's kingdom. They are sons of disobedience.
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But because they are in God, that lifestyle is
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a past life. And that is not fitting for the
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saint. So you can see from the first part of
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chapter 12. Chapter 5, what Paul is admonishing
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them is to walk in love. Is to walk in love.
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And walking in love, you now move on to begin
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to talk and speak concerning other issues. I
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said I want to read that verse also that looks
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almost what Paul is saying here in 1 Corinthians
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chapter 6. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6. It's
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the same thing he was teaching also here. 1 Corinthians
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chapter 6. There are any of you having a matter
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against another? Look at verse 1. Go to law before
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the unrighteous and not before the saint? Do
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you not know that the saint will judge the world?
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Now, each time you hear Paul is talking about
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do you know, know, know, don't you know? That
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is the only way a believer will live right, is
29:51
by how? By knowledge. Believers do not do what
29:57
is right by putting them under the law. Do this.
30:01
Don't do that. Touch not. Don't do this. No.
30:05
They live their life by knowledge. The more they
30:09
know God, the more they know their identity in
30:12
him, the more they practice and they live according
30:16
to who they are. So he told them here. He said,
30:20
do you not know? that the saint will judge the
30:24
world? And if the world will be judged by you,
30:28
are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
30:32
Do you not know that we shall judge the angels?
30:36
How much more things that pertain to this life?
30:41
If then you have judgment concerning things pertaining
30:47
to this life, do you appoint those? who are least
30:51
esteemed by the church to judge. Verse 5, I say
30:55
this to your shame. Is it so that there is not
30:59
a wise man among you, not even one, who will
31:04
be able to judge between his brethren? But brother,
31:07
go to the law against brother, and that before
31:13
unbelievers. Now therefore, it is already an
31:17
utter failure for you. That you go to the law
31:22
against one another. Why do you not rather accept
31:26
wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be
31:32
cheated? No. You yourself do wrong and cheat.
31:36
And you do these things to your brethren. Verse
31:40
9. Do you not know that I am unrighteous? will
31:46
not inherit the kingdom of God. Now look at verse
31:49
9 again. Do not be deceived. The same thing he
31:52
told them. Do not be deceived in verse 6 of Ephesians
31:55
chapter 5. Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators,
32:00
nor idolaters, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
32:07
nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor
32:11
revelers, nor extortioners, will inherit the
32:14
kingdom of God. So verse 9 is not talking about
32:18
believers. Look at verse 11. He says, and such
32:22
were some of you. Oh, talk to me. He says, such
32:27
were, not now. He says, such were some of you.
32:32
But you were washed. But you were sanctified.
32:37
But you were justified in the name of the Lord
32:42
Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Glory to
32:46
Jesus. So he was pointing them to a lifestyle
32:49
that is not theirs. That lifestyle is a lifestyle
32:55
of those who did not believe. And those who did
32:58
not believe have no inheritance. In the kingdom
33:03
of God. Go back to verse 5. I mean Ephesians
33:07
5. Go back to Ephesians 5. So look at verse 8.
33:11
Or from verse 7. He said, therefore do not be
33:14
partakers with them. Because that's not your
33:16
nature. Verse 8. For you were once in darkness.
33:21
Now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children
33:27
of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all
33:30
godliness, righteousness and truth. Finding out
33:33
what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship
33:37
with unfruitful works of darkness. But rather
33:39
expose them. For it is shameful even to speak.
33:44
of those things which are done by them in secret.
33:49
For all things that are exposed are made manifest
33:54
by light. Whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore,
33:59
he says, awake you who sleep, arise from the
34:05
dead, and Christ will give you light. Pastor,
34:10
you want to talk to us in this text in the psalm.
34:12
Sometimes you go. He taught us some time ago.
34:15
In this part. He said that. He talked to us in
34:20
a number of things here. And I want you to see.
34:24
In this part. He's talking about walking in light.
34:27
Walking in light. Walking in light. Walking in
34:32
light. He further shows us. You understand. If
34:37
you continue from verse 15. So you can see from
34:40
verse 7. Or from verse 8. to verse 14, he talks
34:45
about walking in light. From when you read from
34:48
verse 15, he says, See then that you walk circumspectly,
34:54
not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time
34:58
because the days are evil. We talked about these
35:00
scriptures before, meaning that the days are
35:03
unreliable. Therefore, do not be unwise, but
35:08
understand what the will of the Lord is. what
35:13
the will of the Lord is. So he said, do not be
35:17
unwise. So he talks about working in wisdom also
35:20
here. When you move from verse 18, he talks about,
35:24
and do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation,
35:28
but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one
35:31
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
35:36
singing and making melody in your heart to the
35:40
Lord. Did you see that? Verse 21. Submitting
35:52
to one another in the fear of the Lord. If you
35:58
look at this place, it's talking about also being
36:01
filled with the Spirit or living in the Spirit.
36:05
And by living in the Spirit means ministering
36:07
to one another. Now, in all of this, he's talking
36:11
about the same thing. Working in love, it means
36:14
working in light. Working in light means working
36:19
in wisdom. Working in wisdom means working in
36:22
the Spirit. Glory to Jesus. So, Paul was just
36:26
emphasizing, but he's talking about the same
36:28
thing. All the same thing. Now, look at verse
36:30
22. Wives, submit to your own husband as to the
36:35
Lord. For the husband is their head. of the wife.
36:40
As also Christ is the head of the church and
36:43
he is the savior of the body. He is the savior
36:46
of the body. Now, most times we use this text,
36:49
you understand, and thought it as marriage. But
36:52
no, it is not marriage. I don't want you to disconnect
36:55
this text from the others that we have read.
36:59
It's the context we are reading. Don't disconnect
37:02
it. No. What is the context saying? We have talked
37:06
about it. Walking in love. which means walking
37:09
in light, walking in wisdom, walking in the Spirit.
37:12
Are we together? That's the context of discussion.
37:16
You can say walking in love, it still means the
37:18
same thing. You are correct. When you say also
37:20
walking in the light, you are correct. When you
37:22
say walking in wisdom, you are correct. You understand?
37:24
When you say walking in the Spirit, you are correct.
37:27
Or being filled with the Spirit. Because it talks
37:29
about being filled with the Spirit. We have taught
37:31
it in this church. It's not something coming
37:34
on you. You understand? It's you. That's why
37:36
he said be filled with the Spirit. You understand?
37:38
He says speaking to one another. Talking about
37:40
ministering to one another. Just the same way
37:43
walking in love. You understand? Forgiving one
37:45
another. All those things we have talked about.
37:47
So that's the context. And I don't want you to
37:49
go away from the context. So he continues in
37:52
that perspective. Look at verse 22. You understand?
37:57
He says wives. So this verse 22 to that point
38:00
is actually talking about the application of
38:04
what Paul has already taught the entire church.
38:07
to wives. What he taught from verse 22 to 24,
38:12
it's just like, for example, what you just maybe
38:16
told a child and then an adult appeared, you
38:20
just informed or you just teach the same thing.
38:24
These are two different class of people, but
38:26
we are teaching the same thing. Remember, when
38:28
he said wives submit, that's exactly what he
38:30
taught to the child. In fact, in verse 21, he
38:34
said submitting to one another. So that is...
38:37
Living in the spirit. So when you read also,
38:40
you understand? So that is also means living
38:44
in love. That's what also means living in the
38:48
light. It also means living in wisdom. Are we
38:52
together? Or not living as unwise because submitting
38:55
means that you are not living as unwise. Hallelujah.
38:58
So being filled with the spirit ministry to one
39:01
another. So in fact, Paul told the wives to submit,
39:03
you understand? What he said to submit. was not
39:06
different from what he told the church. So to
39:09
submit, as I said, it means working love. To
39:11
submit means working light. To submit means working
39:14
wisdom. To submit means working the spirit. That's
39:17
what it means. Look at verse 25 quickly. He said,
39:19
Husband, love your wives just as Christ also
39:23
loved the church and gave himself for her that
39:27
he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing
39:30
of the water by the word that he might present
39:33
her. Again, here he's instructing the man to
39:52
walk in love. What is walking in love again?
39:55
It means walking in the light. What is walking
39:58
in the light? He said also walking in wisdom
40:01
or not walk as unwise. It also means walking
40:05
in the spirit. You understand? And in each case,
40:07
when you see what he told, he told the man when
40:09
you walk in love, he gave the man as Christ is
40:12
the model for him to walk in love. Just the same
40:15
way he taught the church. In verse 1, if you
40:18
look at it, he told them, he told the church,
40:20
he said be imitators of God as dearly beloved.
40:23
And then he pointed to Christ as their model.
40:27
The same thing is pointing to Christ as the model
40:30
of the man to live in love. So it's not a different
40:33
message. This is not a message exclusive to married
40:37
people. No. This is a message to the church.
40:42
The same message for children. The same message
40:45
for those who are married. The same message because
40:47
it's a church. All groups, the same message.
40:50
So don't say, no, it's only to the... I mean,
40:55
don't talk like that. So here is not just...
40:58
I want you to see something quickly. Look at
41:02
verse 28. So husbands ought to love their own
41:07
wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife
41:11
loves himself. For no one ever hates his own
41:15
flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as
41:21
the Lord does the church, for we are members
41:24
of his body. Of his flesh and of his bones. Of
41:30
his flesh and of his bones. Please, if you are
41:33
sleeping, wake up now. Because I'm getting to
41:36
where I'm going. Understand? I want you to note
41:40
this, please. I want you to note this. Now, look
41:43
at verse 28. I want you to note something there.
41:48
I want you to note that. He said, ought to love
41:55
their own wives as their own bodies. You know,
41:59
before, even me, when I used to read this place,
42:02
I used to think it's a physical body. That's
42:05
the direction that they are going. I used to
42:08
think that that's the scripture saying, husband,
42:09
you should love your wife as this your body.
42:13
That's what I used to think. You understand?
42:16
But I want you to take note there. He said, he
42:18
who loves his wife loves himself. So, That means
42:23
he's equating body as himself. Take note. Himself.
42:28
Take note of that also. Look at verse 29. You
42:33
see, for no one ever ate his own flesh. Yet again,
42:36
here in verse 29, not the word flesh. In verse
42:39
28, bodies. Himself. In verse 29, flesh. But
42:45
nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord
42:49
does the church. Now, not again church. The church.
42:53
Now look at verse 30. For we are members of his
42:57
body. That is talking about Christ. Not again
43:00
body. Of his flesh. I want you to not flesh again.
43:03
And of his bones. I want you to not bones again.
43:07
We are. That is where Paul was going. That was
43:11
where Paul was going. So don't forget. I don't
43:14
want to remind you again. What we did after a
43:17
Torah study. Looking at the discussion and the
43:20
teaching note of Moses. We noted that that word
43:23
bones, or the bones of my bones, it means the
43:27
same stock. It means the same kindred. It means
43:32
the same family. It means the same identity.
43:35
Are we together? So when he said we are members
43:39
of the same body, that word body is talking about
43:44
the same thing as flesh. He's talking about the
43:47
same thing as bones. So when he said we are members
43:50
of the same body, he's saying we are members
43:52
of the same family. When he said we are members
43:55
of the same flesh, that means he is saying also
43:58
we are members of the same family. When he said
44:00
we are members of his bones, it means we are
44:04
members of the same family. That's what he's
44:06
saying. So when he's talking to the man and said
44:09
that you ought to love your wives as your own
44:13
body. He's talking that you're supposed to love
44:17
her because she's from the same family. He said,
44:19
if you do so, you love yourself because you are
44:22
in that family. So it is part of your body. The
44:25
body of Christ is part of your body. So if you
44:28
love the body of Christ, you are actually loving
44:34
yourself. So that's what I want you to see there.
44:39
So the body, flesh. Bones refers to the same
44:44
thing. It's referring to the same stock, identity.
44:48
Are we together? That's what it's saying. So
44:51
it refers to Christ's union. Listen, when you
44:54
said Christ and the church, when you said the
44:57
body of Christ, you are talking about our union
45:00
with him. Do you understand what I'm saying?
45:02
So when you said body, you are talking about
45:06
union. That's another word. Because when you
45:10
say we are of the same family, what you are saying
45:12
is that we are of the same union. We are united
45:15
together. When you say the body of Christ, what
45:18
you are saying is that we are united with him.
45:21
So, he's referring to union. So, I want you to
45:25
connect with Pastor Bob. Pastor, you might talk
45:27
about, I mean, talk to us. Our union with Christ.
45:29
You understand? So, when you are marrying your
45:32
wife, don't be seeing her as a foreign body.
45:36
She is part of you. She's part of you. You are
45:40
united in Christ together. She's part of your
45:43
family. That's what this place is teaching. That's
45:46
what this place is teaching. Male and female,
45:48
we are part of the same family. We are part of
45:52
the same body. We are part of the same flesh.
45:54
Part of the same bones. Verse 28 is not referring
45:58
to physical body. That's not the direction. It's
46:00
also pointing us to physical body. No. It's pointing
46:04
us to union. Remember. Our union with Christ
46:08
makes us have our union with others. That's why
46:12
I pity people who think that my father, my father,
46:17
no. Or God is my father. They don't see that
46:23
their union with God automatically brings them
46:26
into a family. That means my union with God makes
46:29
me to be united with Pastor Chidi. That's the
46:33
same thing. So because we are the same family,
46:36
the same body, the same flesh, it also means
46:39
the same bone, you love your wife. You are actually
46:43
loving yourself. You are actually loving yourself.
46:46
So we are members of his body. We are members
46:49
of his flesh. We are members of his bones. This
46:53
means we are the image of God. As he is the image
46:57
of God, we are the image of God. It also means
47:00
as a woman is the image of God, we are also the
47:03
image of God. Or as we are the image of God,
47:05
she is also the image of God. That is the binocular
47:08
you have to see your wife. The same. You understand?
47:12
Equal. The grace that save you, the grace that
47:14
save her. The Holy Spirit in you is the Holy
47:16
Spirit in her. We are of the same family. So
47:19
Adam's response. The bones of my bones pointed
47:23
to God's plan. That is what Apostle Paul was
47:27
trying to explain. That what God showed to Adam,
47:32
that the bones of my bones is a plan God has
47:35
prepared. He planned it, that that would be in
47:42
Christ. He will bring a family. So when Adam
47:45
woke up from the vision, he saw it and he escaped.
47:50
This is the bone of my bone. What he's saying
47:52
is that she is of the same family. He pointed
47:55
us to the plan of God for humanity. So the bones
47:58
of my bones, the flesh of my flesh is not a wife.
48:01
It is a scriptural language to show equality
48:05
in Christ, to show our union in Christ. Oh, glory
48:09
to Jesus. We are the same. We are the same. We
48:13
are the same. We are the same. So in Genesis
48:15
chapter 2, verse 24, which... Paul caught it
48:19
in verse 32, in verse 31. Look at verse 31. For
48:24
this reason, a man shall leave his father a mother
48:28
and join to his wife, and the two shall become
48:31
one flesh. Not that word flesh again. Are we
48:34
together? It's signifying union. That's Genesis
48:39
chapter 2, verse 24. Union where? Union in Christ.
48:44
So you are united with her. So one flesh. is
48:49
in God's new creation. Don't be seeing it in
48:52
the physical. That one flesh is in God's new
48:57
creation. It speaks of our union. It speaks of
49:01
our union. So that thing we do, physical marriage,
49:04
is a parable, is a pointer to the new creation,
49:10
to our union together. So even if you are marrying
49:15
your wife, you must see her in Christ. You must
49:19
see her in her real identity, in her new nature.
49:23
Although a woman is different when it comes to
49:27
the issue of reproduction, is different from
49:29
the man. When you look at the physique, the physical,
49:32
but not in identity. Are we together? She's the
49:36
same in identification with the man. So when
49:38
you read Genesis chapter 2, verse 1 to 24, it
49:43
means it is supposed to shape. our view of a
49:49
woman. That she's not second class. The same
49:52
grace in the man, the same grace in the woman.
49:54
That we are members of the same family. That
49:57
we have the same thing. We are equal in Christ.
50:00
We are equal in Christ. It is meant to change
50:03
our view, our thinking. That the identity of
50:07
the woman is not in gender, but in Christ. That
50:10
the identity of the woman is not in that her
50:13
body is different from the man. That's not where
50:15
you see her identity. Identity is in Christ,
50:21
in our union. So next time you are reading and
50:24
you are seeing when you read this chapter, you
50:27
understand, see that the communication, the context
50:31
is love. The context is living or walking in
50:35
life. The context is living in the spirit. And
50:38
that the context and the reason, the motivation,
50:42
you understand, is to see. That you can't do
50:45
that to your brother. That you have the same
50:47
thing. And that's why the way sometimes some
50:50
other men of God treat others, it looks as if
50:53
some other people are less in God than others.
50:56
You hear some statement, we are not grace mates.
50:59
You don't understand what I'm saying? Those kind
51:00
of statements, they are not supposed to be. We
51:04
are not grace mates. Okay, which verse is that?
51:07
So whether now as you fellowship in church, you
51:11
understand, you must see the woman. As God sees
51:14
her. Are we together? You must see the woman
51:17
as God sees her. And that's how we must see the
51:21
woman. As you are marrying her, remove your village
51:25
from your head. You understand? All those things
51:27
that have corrupted you. You understand? All
51:30
those matters. You already have caught the woman.
51:34
Remove it from your head. You are not marrying
51:36
a housemate. You are marrying somebody who is
51:40
equal with you. in Christ, who is equal with
51:43
you in Christ. Please, permit me to read one
51:45
verse in 1 Peter as we close. It just came to
51:50
my mind now. 1 Peter, chapter 3, verse 7. He
51:55
said, Husband, likewise, dwell with them with
52:00
the understanding. Are you here with me? With
52:05
the understanding, giving honor to the wife as
52:08
to the weaker vessel. and has been heard of the
52:13
grace of life. You know, so many people do you
52:15
understand this weaker vessel? Do you understand
52:19
what I'm trying to say? Has onto weaker vessel.
52:22
You think that the women are weak. Okay, go and
52:25
touch some people. When they beat the hell out
52:29
of you, you come and tell us the story. You understand?
52:33
But where I'm going, I'm not here to, because
52:36
we have dealt with this scripture when we are
52:38
dealing with marriage issues and seminars and
52:43
messages that we talk. But where I'm going is
52:46
being hares. Did you see that place? Hares together
52:50
of the what? Of the grace of life. No, brother,
52:53
you are no higher. Do you understand what I'm
52:55
saying? So you need to love her. You understand?
52:58
Because it's of the same body. You have the same
53:02
stock. You are equal. You have your hares of
53:07
the grace of life. You are heirs of the grace
53:10
of life. I pray that both the ladies and as well
53:14
as the men, that our idea, our focus would change
53:18
in the son. To see the woman as God sees her
53:22
in the son. The woman can become a pastor in
53:26
the son. That means because you are the same,
53:28
there is no several different, I will call it,
53:32
some for women, some for men. No, there is nothing
53:34
like that. There is nothing like that. You are
53:38
the same. The calling is one. Ephesians 4, it
53:42
talks about one calling, one God, one baptism,
53:46
one Father of all. It's one, not two. There is
53:50
no two calling. And I pray that the Lord will
53:52
keep helping us. When we come next, what we will
53:54
do is to look at the other response of Christ.
54:00
You understand what I'm saying? That will take
54:02
us to Genesis chapter 1, verse 27. And then we'll
54:06
look at what exactly is the image of God. Understand?
54:10
He made them male and female in the image. In
54:15
his image. In his image. Hallelujah. We're thankful
54:22
you joined us today. Don't forget to subscribe
54:26
so you're always connected to our latest sermons.
54:30
You can also explore more about NECF on our website
54:33
or follow us online. We look forward to having
54:37
you with us next time. God bless.