WEBVTT 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:05.599 Welcome to NECF. We're thrilled you're here. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:09.339 Make sure to stay with us till the end, where 00:00:09.339 --> 00:00:12.179 we'll share some great resources to deepen your 00:00:12.179 --> 00:00:16.160 faith. Now, let's dive into this week's sermon. 00:00:21.160 --> 00:00:23.940 Matthew chapter 19. I will start reading from 00:00:23.940 --> 00:00:29.300 verse 1. So, we will be continuing our study 00:00:29.300 --> 00:00:34.570 on the issues. regarding or about women's liberty. 00:00:36.710 --> 00:00:41.149 Let's read Matthew 19, verse 1 to 6. Now it came 00:00:41.149 --> 00:00:45.350 to pass, when Jesus had finished this saying, 00:00:45.570 --> 00:00:49.189 that he departed from Galilee and came to the 00:00:49.189 --> 00:00:54.590 region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. A great multitude 00:00:54.590 --> 00:00:58.170 followed him, and he healed the Pharisees who 00:00:58.170 --> 00:01:02.649 also came to him. testing him and saying to him, 00:01:02.750 --> 00:01:07.689 Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for 00:01:07.689 --> 00:01:12.129 just any reason? And he answered and said to 00:01:12.129 --> 00:01:16.170 them, Have you not read that he who made them 00:01:16.170 --> 00:01:20.890 at the beginning made them male and female? Verse 00:01:20.890 --> 00:01:25.329 5. And he said, For this reason a man shall leave 00:01:25.329 --> 00:01:28.969 his father and mother and be joined to his wife. 00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:33.900 and the two shall become one flesh. Verse 6. 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:39.500 So then, they are no longer two, but one flesh. 00:01:40.280 --> 00:01:45.340 Therefore, what God has joined together, let 00:01:45.340 --> 00:01:51.659 not man separate. Let not man separate. So, in 00:01:51.659 --> 00:01:55.560 responding to the Pharisees' question, Jesus 00:01:55.560 --> 00:02:01.159 quoted from Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. Look at 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:04.519 verse 4. And he answered and said to them, Have 00:02:04.519 --> 00:02:08.620 you not read that he who made them at the beginning 00:02:08.620 --> 00:02:15.360 made them male and female? Male and female. This 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:19.699 quotation is from Genesis chapter 1, verse 27. 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:25.960 Again, when you look at verse 5. And he said, 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:29.039 For this reason, a man shall leave his father 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:34.280 and mother and be joined to his wife. The two 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:39.199 shall be or shall become one flesh. This quotation 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:42.780 is from Genesis 2, verse 24. Now, in the past 00:02:42.780 --> 00:02:45.479 couple of teachings, what we tried to do or what 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:50.560 we have tried to do in this series is to look 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:55.629 at reference 5, what Jesus pointed them to. Meaning 00:02:55.629 --> 00:03:00.250 that we already dealt with this, that there is 00:03:00.250 --> 00:03:06.590 a faulty way the Pharisees had or faulty mindset 00:03:06.590 --> 00:03:09.250 they had about the woman. And we noted that was 00:03:09.250 --> 00:03:15.569 not what Jesus saw. So he was trying to correct 00:03:15.569 --> 00:03:19.789 them. And obviously he showed them an error. 00:03:20.780 --> 00:03:23.879 that they have not been paying attention to details. 00:03:24.020 --> 00:03:26.620 Although they were teachers of the law, they 00:03:26.620 --> 00:03:29.560 were not paying attention to details. That's 00:03:29.560 --> 00:03:32.620 why he said, have you not read? We look at that 00:03:32.620 --> 00:03:38.060 word read, it's not just a going over, but really 00:03:38.060 --> 00:03:43.520 a keen and a deliberate effort to read diligently, 00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:47.800 to read carefully, to read with attention to 00:03:47.800 --> 00:03:52.120 detail. And we took time to look at Jesus' response 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:55.340 that took us to Genesis chapter 2. And we began 00:03:55.340 --> 00:03:59.479 our study from verse 9 in Genesis chapter 2. 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:04.199 And we moved down to 24. Now we're still on it 00:04:04.199 --> 00:04:07.379 before we move. Because I will still have to 00:04:07.379 --> 00:04:13.219 look at the response he gave in verse 4. We are 00:04:13.219 --> 00:04:17.379 coming to that. So as I said, we have some journey 00:04:17.379 --> 00:04:23.009 to cover. But bear with me. So, I think there 00:04:23.009 --> 00:04:25.410 are some important things today I want us to 00:04:25.410 --> 00:04:30.329 look at again. In response, I mean, what Jesus 00:04:30.329 --> 00:04:32.910 responds, particularly in verse 5. Particularly 00:04:32.910 --> 00:04:39.930 in verse 5. Now, I want to just remind us our 00:04:39.930 --> 00:04:45.759 last teaching or our last message. We noted that 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:49.120 in that verse 24. Maybe let's get back to, before 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:51.720 I come back again. Go back to Genesis. Let's 00:04:51.720 --> 00:04:54.740 look at that scripture from Genesis chapter 2. 00:04:55.160 --> 00:04:59.019 Let's go back there. Where Jesus quoted that. 00:04:59.060 --> 00:05:02.180 That means just corresponding to verse 5 of Matthew 00:05:02.180 --> 00:05:12.740 19. Genesis chapter 2. Look at verse 24. and 00:05:12.740 --> 00:05:15.139 be joined to his wife, and they shall become 00:05:15.139 --> 00:05:20.579 one flesh. And this word, therefore, was actually 00:05:20.579 --> 00:05:25.139 from like a conclusion and that we took time 00:05:25.139 --> 00:05:29.120 to study last time, especially Adam's response 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:33.639 in verse 23. This is now bones of my bones and 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:37.480 flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:42.329 because she was taken. out of man she was taken 00:05:42.329 --> 00:05:46.689 out of man and we said there must be we need 00:05:46.689 --> 00:05:50.810 to be careful as we read scripture and pay attention 00:05:50.810 --> 00:05:55.730 to what uh the bible is saying the bible is saying 00:05:55.730 --> 00:06:00.370 and i want us to know something and you know 00:06:00.370 --> 00:06:03.810 when most times when we just say that this is 00:06:03.810 --> 00:06:08.449 talking about just straight away marriage between 00:06:09.019 --> 00:06:14.819 Adam and Eve. You begin to wonder, did Adam have 00:06:14.819 --> 00:06:19.540 a father and a mother that he had to move away 00:06:19.540 --> 00:06:21.699 from? Have you ever thought about that? That 00:06:21.699 --> 00:06:25.259 he had to live in the sand? So that means there 00:06:25.259 --> 00:06:30.000 is something much more deeper that actually God 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.680 wants to communicate to us. And for that reason, 00:06:33.740 --> 00:06:38.589 we saw last time. that bone of my bones is not 00:06:38.589 --> 00:06:41.069 the woman. It's not just talking about the woman, 00:06:41.189 --> 00:06:45.129 but it's talking about an identity. And we saw 00:06:45.129 --> 00:06:50.069 that the word deep sleep talks about Adam's vision 00:06:50.069 --> 00:06:55.389 in deep sleep, just like what happened to Abraham 00:06:55.389 --> 00:07:02.610 also in Genesis 15. So we saw that after Adam 00:07:02.610 --> 00:07:06.449 had that vision, Then he responded that this 00:07:06.449 --> 00:07:09.870 is the bone of my bone, which means that he recognized 00:07:09.870 --> 00:07:14.410 that this woman is the same with me. We have 00:07:14.410 --> 00:07:20.930 the same identity. We have the same stock. And 00:07:20.930 --> 00:07:24.410 we saw that after we have gone through Moses' 00:07:24.589 --> 00:07:28.189 teaching notes. Now, there is something I want 00:07:28.189 --> 00:07:32.910 to do also in regard to this scripture. with 00:07:32.910 --> 00:07:35.870 Ephesians chapter 5. So I want to come back to 00:07:35.870 --> 00:07:38.649 Ephesians chapter 5 because I touched it in the 00:07:38.649 --> 00:07:42.189 last part of the message we had last time. And 00:07:42.189 --> 00:07:46.769 it's neat also to carefully and deliberately 00:07:46.769 --> 00:07:50.370 look at that scripture. Because most times we 00:07:50.370 --> 00:07:54.290 use that scripture for marriage. And as we said, 00:07:54.389 --> 00:07:59.629 there's no problem to use it in marriage if you 00:07:59.629 --> 00:08:02.279 explain it well. Just the same way when you have 00:08:02.279 --> 00:08:03.980 a bad deed, there's nothing wrong to quote a 00:08:03.980 --> 00:08:06.759 scripture as long as you didn't quote it wrongly. 00:08:07.740 --> 00:08:11.600 Or didn't explain it wrongly. Amen. Then you 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:16.439 look at Ephesians chapter 5. So just walk with 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:19.160 me gradually. I want to start reading from verse 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:21.360 1. So we're going to do maybe just a contextual 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:28.079 study. I want us to read from verse 1. Now look 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:32.840 at verse 1. Therefore, Be imitators of God as 00:08:32.840 --> 00:08:37.940 dear children and walk in love as Christ also. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:41.440 Wait a minute. By saying therefore, it means 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:44.960 that that was not where the discussion starts. 00:08:45.159 --> 00:08:48.620 So it starts from chapter 4. So let's move back 00:08:48.620 --> 00:08:51.879 a little bit to chapter 4 to see. I'm not going 00:08:51.879 --> 00:08:53.940 to read the entire chapter 4, but let me just 00:08:53.940 --> 00:08:57.659 pick some few verses from chapter 4. Look at 00:08:57.659 --> 00:09:03.139 particularly verse 1. Chapter 4, verse 31. He 00:09:03.139 --> 00:09:08.200 said, let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:12.399 and evil speaking be put away from you. Obviously, 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:14.720 he's talking to the church in Ephesus. So he 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:18.960 said, put it away from you. Put away from you. 00:09:19.059 --> 00:09:23.419 He said, with all malice, verse 32, and be kind 00:09:23.419 --> 00:09:27.299 to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one 00:09:27.299 --> 00:09:31.250 another. Even as God in Christ forgives you. 00:09:31.429 --> 00:09:38.070 So you can see verse 31 and 32 is like a comparison. 00:09:38.970 --> 00:09:41.850 What you should not or what should not even be 00:09:41.850 --> 00:09:45.549 mentioned among you as believers, as a church, 00:09:45.769 --> 00:09:51.610 as a body of Christ. It's not your identity. 00:09:51.789 --> 00:09:54.850 That shouldn't be heard among you. But then he 00:09:54.850 --> 00:09:59.450 now told them what is. in consonant with who 00:09:59.450 --> 00:10:03.610 they are. What's that one? And be kind. That 00:10:03.610 --> 00:10:07.529 is the nature of who they are. Be kind to one 00:10:07.529 --> 00:10:10.649 another. Tenderhearted. Forgiving one another. 00:10:10.809 --> 00:10:15.110 Even as God in Christ forgives you. So God now 00:10:15.110 --> 00:10:19.870 is the model of their walking in forgiveness, 00:10:19.950 --> 00:10:24.669 of their walking in kindness in the Son. So look 00:10:24.669 --> 00:10:29.100 at... Chapter 5. Therefore, be imitators of God 00:10:29.100 --> 00:10:33.840 as dear children. Meaning that he's saying that 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:37.440 just reflect your nature. Because you are God's 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:40.460 children, so you have the ability, you understand, 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:43.720 to look at what daddy is doing or what he has 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:47.019 done in Christ. And then you do it. Meaning Christ 00:10:47.019 --> 00:10:49.679 is the model. And in fact, verse 2 tells us that. 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:55.059 And walk in love. So he is trying to tell them 00:10:55.059 --> 00:10:57.799 right from this context where we start to read. 00:10:58.019 --> 00:11:02.700 In a nutshell, is to walk in love. Because that 00:11:02.700 --> 00:11:05.620 is their nature. Because he said, as dearly beloved 00:11:05.620 --> 00:11:08.259 children. We have talked about this text over 00:11:08.259 --> 00:11:12.679 and over. When he was talking about love in the 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:18.100 sand. And as Christ also has loved us and given 00:11:18.100 --> 00:11:21.980 himself for us. And offering a sacrifice to God. 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:25.799 for a sweet -smelling aroma. Which means that 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:29.100 Christ is a model of our walking in love. Are 00:11:29.100 --> 00:11:32.759 we together? Of our walking in love. So Paul 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:36.259 was teaching about love here in the sand. That 00:11:36.259 --> 00:11:39.440 that love must be modeled after our nature, must 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:44.120 be modeled after Christ, what he did in the sand 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:48.360 to us through his death and resurrection. That 00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:50.799 is through his sacrifice. Now look at verse 3. 00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:56.000 Move to verse 3. He said, but fornication and 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:01.220 all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even 00:12:01.220 --> 00:12:06.440 be named among you as it is fitting for saint. 00:12:06.679 --> 00:12:09.340 Now, if you look at also, it's like Paul was 00:12:09.340 --> 00:12:12.679 just saying what you should not be behead among 00:12:12.679 --> 00:12:15.200 you and what should be. Do you understand what 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:18.179 I'm saying? Just like we saw in chapter 4, verse 00:12:18.179 --> 00:12:22.039 31 and then 32. He said, what should not, and 00:12:22.039 --> 00:12:25.220 then what should. The same way here he is saying 00:12:25.220 --> 00:12:29.419 verse, if you look at verse 1, you understand, 00:12:29.659 --> 00:12:34.059 verse 2 of chapter 5, he said, what should. And 00:12:34.059 --> 00:12:36.659 then by the time you move to verse 3, he said, 00:12:36.740 --> 00:12:38.799 what should not, because it does not reflect 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:41.480 your nature. He said, but fornication and all 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:45.360 uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:49.940 be named among you as is fitting. for saints. 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:54.759 Remember, they are saints. They are saints. Are 00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:59.000 we together? In chapter 1, he has already, chapter 00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:02.860 1, verse 1, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, 00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:06.960 by the will of God, to the saints, you understand, 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:11.759 who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus. 00:13:12.419 --> 00:13:17.169 So already, they have been sanctified. They are 00:13:17.169 --> 00:13:20.009 saints. They have a new name. They have a new 00:13:20.009 --> 00:13:24.370 nature. And so he said, covetousness, fornication 00:13:24.370 --> 00:13:27.789 is not part of your nature. Uncleanness is not 00:13:27.789 --> 00:13:31.309 part of your nature. So it should not be named, 00:13:31.409 --> 00:13:36.009 even be mentioned among you, because that is 00:13:36.009 --> 00:13:39.269 what is fitting for the saints. Because those 00:13:39.269 --> 00:13:41.090 things are not part of the nature of the saints. 00:13:41.230 --> 00:13:43.750 He now moved to chapter 4, verse 4 of chapter 00:13:43.750 --> 00:13:48.519 5. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:52.600 coerced jesting, which are not fitting. He said, 00:13:52.620 --> 00:13:55.779 those type of talk are not fitting. There are 00:13:55.779 --> 00:13:59.139 some, there are some, this filthy talk should 00:13:59.139 --> 00:14:01.480 not be heard among you. I mean, shouldn't come 00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:05.200 out of your lips. He said, but rather giving 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:08.500 of thanks. I mean, it should come just naturally. 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:12.820 Anything that happens, oh, glory to Jesus. Oh, 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:15.620 thank you, Father. That is what is fitting for 00:14:15.620 --> 00:14:20.019 the saint. You understand? Kowals joking, and 00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:24.019 this is where you know, and you know that those 00:14:24.019 --> 00:14:26.820 who invite comedian to come and to making jest 00:14:26.820 --> 00:14:29.840 of the Holy Spirit, I mean, and be making jest 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:32.840 of sacred things, of course, cannot be true, 00:14:32.899 --> 00:14:37.720 cannot be, cannot be what is fitting for the 00:14:37.720 --> 00:14:41.159 saints. You understand? Comedy and comedians 00:14:41.159 --> 00:14:44.940 have no place. You understand? In the agenda 00:14:44.940 --> 00:14:48.940 of God. You understand? We don't need them. Generally, 00:14:48.940 --> 00:14:53.059 human beings, we can crack jokes. But there are 00:14:53.059 --> 00:14:56.320 jokes that should not be heard. Not those ones 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:59.440 that play with sacred things. Things of the spirit. 00:14:59.820 --> 00:15:06.559 No, no. Not glorifying lies. On stage, he said, 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:10.500 when I was coming on that day, and I saw my mama 00:15:10.500 --> 00:15:13.659 coming, You have not seen your mama. There's 00:15:13.659 --> 00:15:17.019 no way there. So you cook up all kinds of things 00:15:17.019 --> 00:15:19.399 and people are laughing. And we speak foolish 00:15:19.399 --> 00:15:22.840 things. We speak things that are not fitting. 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:27.919 Making jest. No, that's not correct. Speaking 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:31.279 vulgar words. You understand? No, that's not 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:34.460 correct. That is not fitting for saints. He said, 00:15:34.500 --> 00:15:38.259 but giving of thanks. He said, giving of thanks. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:41.750 So Paul was teaching the church. How they should 00:15:41.750 --> 00:15:45.250 live a life that is fitting for a saint, for 00:15:45.250 --> 00:15:48.690 their nature. The life that reflects their identity, 00:15:48.929 --> 00:15:52.049 fitting for saints. Look at verse 5. Look at 00:15:52.049 --> 00:15:56.370 verse 5. For this you know. So pay attention 00:15:56.370 --> 00:15:59.509 here. He said, for this you know. So he's telling 00:15:59.509 --> 00:16:03.009 the saint, you know, that no fornicator, unclean 00:16:03.009 --> 00:16:07.940 person, or covetous man who is an idolater. Has 00:16:07.940 --> 00:16:11.159 any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and 00:16:11.159 --> 00:16:15.740 God. Verse 6. Let no one deceive you with empty 00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:20.039 words. For because of these things, the wrath 00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:25.019 of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Comes 00:16:25.019 --> 00:16:30.779 upon the sons of disobedience. You know, most 00:16:30.779 --> 00:16:34.570 times. When we use this text, especially this 00:16:34.570 --> 00:16:39.409 text, I will read another text that is in 1 Corinthians 00:16:39.409 --> 00:16:42.929 also. You know, most times, many people have 00:16:42.929 --> 00:16:45.889 preached and taught believers. Will you go into 00:16:45.889 --> 00:16:49.129 make it? Don't you know that you can't? This 00:16:49.129 --> 00:16:51.049 is some of the text they used to say you will 00:16:51.049 --> 00:16:53.889 lose your salvation. That if you practice these 00:16:53.889 --> 00:16:56.490 things, if you live in fornication, if you live 00:16:56.490 --> 00:16:58.230 in these, you understand, you will lose your 00:16:58.230 --> 00:17:00.019 salvation because... you will not inherit the 00:17:00.019 --> 00:17:03.279 kingdom of God. But look at it. Remember, he 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:06.059 told them, don't you know, or this you know. 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:08.200 I want you each time you are reading scripture, 00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:12.299 pay attention. I mean, Paul has been saying that 00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:14.460 actually to the Corinthians, to the church in 00:17:14.460 --> 00:17:18.200 Corinth. He will tell them, don't you know that 00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:20.980 your body, do you understand what I'm trying 00:17:20.980 --> 00:17:23.119 to say? Don't you know. Now here he's saying, 00:17:23.240 --> 00:17:28.720 for this you know, which means that it is, He 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:31.819 is trying to tell them, remember what I said 00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:35.599 earlier on, that there is a lifestyle he is telling 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:39.640 them not to do because it does not align with 00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:43.059 their nature. So he's trying to point them that 00:17:43.059 --> 00:17:46.339 that lifestyle he's telling them not to do is 00:17:46.339 --> 00:17:49.279 actually coming from somewhere. It's a lifestyle 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:51.799 of other people who are not in Christ. Are we 00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:55.660 together? So verse 5 and verse 6 is describing 00:17:55.660 --> 00:18:00.549 people. Who are not in Christ. Because that is 00:18:00.549 --> 00:18:03.390 their nature. That is how they live. So when 00:18:03.390 --> 00:18:07.309 he said. For this you know. That no fornicator. 00:18:07.809 --> 00:18:11.509 That one no fornicator. Unclean person. Is not 00:18:11.509 --> 00:18:16.049 saying. That a fornicator here. In this context. 00:18:16.089 --> 00:18:21.650 Does not mean the person. Who fornicates. No. 00:18:21.769 --> 00:18:24.950 He means an unbeliever. Living in fornication. 00:18:25.049 --> 00:18:28.769 That's what this one means. Are you with me? 00:18:28.869 --> 00:18:32.730 That's why when you move to verse 6, he said, 00:18:32.789 --> 00:18:36.650 let no one deceive you. Let no one deceive you 00:18:36.650 --> 00:18:39.910 with empty words. For because these things, the 00:18:39.910 --> 00:18:43.369 wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 00:18:43.470 --> 00:18:47.250 No, saints are not sons of disobedience. Are 00:18:47.250 --> 00:18:51.369 we together? Saints, because they are saints. 00:18:51.630 --> 00:18:54.509 They are not sons of disobedience. So Paul was 00:18:54.509 --> 00:18:57.920 not saying that. If a believer practices these 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:00.819 things, he will not inherit the kingdom of God 00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:05.059 or he will have the wrath of God. No. And again, 00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:07.440 we're going to, which we started, but we'll teach 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:09.940 on what is called the wrath of God. You understand? 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:13.180 Because it's a word that needs to be understood 00:19:13.180 --> 00:19:16.920 in its own context. The wrath of God is not saying 00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:21.740 God has a wrath. No. Because that's why, let 00:19:21.740 --> 00:19:24.400 me leave that. We're coming back to it. You understand? 00:19:24.940 --> 00:19:26.960 Now, but the point I'm trying to make is that 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:30.579 he said the light of God is upon the sons of 00:19:30.579 --> 00:19:35.160 disobedient. Are we together? So when you look 00:19:35.160 --> 00:19:41.099 at from verse 5 to 6, he's just showing the lifestyle 00:19:41.099 --> 00:19:45.640 that are actually a nature of the unbelievers. 00:19:46.380 --> 00:19:49.660 And he called them fornicators. He called them 00:19:49.660 --> 00:19:54.259 unclean persons. He called them covetous. A covetous 00:19:54.259 --> 00:19:57.660 man. Who is an idolater. He said these people 00:19:57.660 --> 00:20:02.319 have no inheritance. In the kingdom of God. But 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:05.480 the saint have an inheritance. He said I commend 00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:10.019 you to God. And to the word of his grace. Are 00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:12.680 we together? Which is able to build you. You 00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:16.480 understand? That word there is not. That's not 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:18.900 the correct way. He's not able to build you and 00:20:18.900 --> 00:20:22.509 give you. No. Which has built you. and has given 00:20:22.509 --> 00:20:25.309 you an inheritance among them that are sanctified. 00:20:25.690 --> 00:20:27.869 Because it's not something that is continuous. 00:20:28.150 --> 00:20:32.869 No. Are we together? Oh, glory to Jesus. There 00:20:32.869 --> 00:20:34.509 are some certainties sometimes when we touch, 00:20:34.569 --> 00:20:37.970 we have to just adjust them a little bit before 00:20:37.970 --> 00:20:40.630 we continue. Please, go to that scripture quickly. 00:20:40.710 --> 00:20:47.390 Let me just do something. In Acts 20, verse 32. 00:20:48.230 --> 00:20:52.970 Acts 20, verse 32. You understand? 20, 32. Look 00:20:52.970 --> 00:20:56.250 at it. He says, So now, brethren, I commend you 00:20:56.250 --> 00:21:01.470 to God and to the word of his grace, which, here 00:21:01.470 --> 00:21:05.289 he says, which is able to build you and to give 00:21:05.289 --> 00:21:10.630 you an inheritance among them who are sanctified. 00:21:11.349 --> 00:21:13.490 You know, it will look, when you read this scripture, 00:21:13.609 --> 00:21:16.390 it will look as if you are to be committed to 00:21:16.390 --> 00:21:19.970 the word of God. You understand? And then it 00:21:19.970 --> 00:21:23.190 will give you your inheritance and it will build 00:21:23.190 --> 00:21:26.650 you. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Now, before 00:21:26.650 --> 00:21:29.430 I explain this, just move quickly, you understand, 00:21:29.630 --> 00:21:32.250 to chapter 26, verse 18. Just move. It's the 00:21:32.250 --> 00:21:36.769 same text also. I mean, the same way it was presented 00:21:36.769 --> 00:21:42.829 in that place. 26, verse 18. 26, verse 18. You 00:21:42.829 --> 00:21:45.200 understand? Now, maybe let me just read. A little 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:48.940 bit, but my focus is verse 18. Let me read verse 00:21:48.940 --> 00:21:51.079 17. He said, I will deliver you from the Jewish 00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:55.279 people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:58.720 now send you. Of course, Paul was just narrating 00:21:58.720 --> 00:22:03.900 that if you go back a little bit, you will understand 00:22:03.900 --> 00:22:08.200 what he was trying to communicate in the psalm. 00:22:08.539 --> 00:22:12.900 And then verse 18 says, to open their eyes in 00:22:12.900 --> 00:22:37.920 order to turn. So how is a man sanctified? He 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:42.180 is by faith. How is a man received forgiveness? 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:48.609 By faith. How is a man received or how does a 00:22:48.609 --> 00:22:52.650 man receive inheritance? Oh, talk to me now. 00:22:53.029 --> 00:22:58.109 It's also by what? By faith. So, it's by faith 00:22:58.109 --> 00:23:01.609 you receive inheritance. Are we together? Together 00:23:01.609 --> 00:23:04.769 with the saints. With other saints. So, it's 00:23:04.769 --> 00:23:06.609 not you do something. It's not that you commit 00:23:06.609 --> 00:23:11.089 yourself to the world and then God delivers to 00:23:11.089 --> 00:23:14.569 you your inheritance. No. Your inheritance comes 00:23:14.569 --> 00:23:17.650 at salvation when you believe. Are we together? 00:23:17.849 --> 00:23:21.390 So when you go back here, you will read it properly. 00:23:21.690 --> 00:23:24.130 So now, brethren, I commend you to God, verse 00:23:24.130 --> 00:23:28.450 20, I mean chapter 20, verse 32, and to the word 00:23:28.450 --> 00:23:32.049 of his grace, which has bailed you. That's how 00:23:32.049 --> 00:23:35.529 it's supposed to be. You understand? And giving 00:23:35.529 --> 00:23:38.089 you an inheritance among them that are sanctified. 00:23:38.390 --> 00:23:42.380 Glory to Jesus. Because he came by faith. It's 00:23:42.380 --> 00:23:45.140 not an ongoing thing. It's what has happened. 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:48.339 It's a past tense. It came when you believed. 00:23:48.660 --> 00:23:53.440 So when you go back to Ephesians chapter 5, where 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:58.519 we are looking at. So when he says that in verse 00:23:58.519 --> 00:24:02.720 5, that these fornicators, the person who is 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:06.839 unclean, the one who is covetous, who is an idolater, 00:24:06.940 --> 00:24:09.119 he said they have no inheritance. Definitely 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:10.920 you know he's talking about people who are not 00:24:10.920 --> 00:24:13.440 born again. They have no inheritance. We have 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:16.279 an inheritance among them that are sanctified. 00:24:16.299 --> 00:24:17.960 Together with believers, together with other 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:20.180 believers, together with brethren in the Son. 00:24:20.680 --> 00:24:23.539 And so he also moved further to talk about these 00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:26.539 unbelievers. He said they are sons of disobedience. 00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:29.960 They are sons of disobedience. They are sons 00:24:29.960 --> 00:24:35.480 of disobedience. Earlier, Paul pointed the church. 00:24:35.950 --> 00:24:39.150 in Ephesus that this is who they were before. 00:24:39.309 --> 00:24:41.609 He's trying to say this is not their current 00:24:41.609 --> 00:24:45.990 position. This is who they were before. Look 00:24:45.990 --> 00:24:49.970 at Ephesians chapter 2 from verse 1. This is 00:24:49.970 --> 00:25:08.279 what he told them. He said, Who now walk in who? 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:12.279 The sons of disobedience. He said, this is who 00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:15.559 you were before. You understand? He said, among 00:25:15.559 --> 00:25:20.440 whom also we all once conducted ourselves in 00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:23.380 the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires 00:25:23.380 --> 00:25:28.799 of the flesh and of the mind. And we are by nature, 00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:34.700 okay, by nature children of wrath. Did you see 00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:40.140 that? The believer is not under the wrath. He's 00:25:40.140 --> 00:25:43.599 only the children of disobedience. He said, just 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:46.460 as others. But look at verse 4. He said, but 00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:50.599 God, but God, who is rich in mercy because of 00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:54.880 his great love with which he loved us, even when 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:58.440 we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together. 00:25:59.400 --> 00:26:02.880 Made us alive together with Christ. By grace, 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:06.200 you have been saved. He's talking to believers. 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:10.279 Though that was your lifestyle, but now you have 00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:15.299 been saved. Verse 6, and raised up together and 00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:20.480 made us three together in heavenly. That place 00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:24.920 is not there in the sand. In the heavenly, in 00:26:24.920 --> 00:26:30.680 Christ. Jesus. In Christ is only a place. Glory 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:35.240 to Jesus. Amen. Verse 7. He said that in the 00:26:35.240 --> 00:26:39.559 ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches 00:26:39.559 --> 00:26:42.960 of his grace in his kindness toward us in Christ. 00:26:43.099 --> 00:26:46.619 Verse 8. For by grace you have been saved through 00:26:46.619 --> 00:26:51.140 faith and are not of yourself. It is a gift of 00:26:51.140 --> 00:26:54.920 God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. 00:26:55.599 --> 00:27:00.119 Verse 10. For we are his workmanship, created 00:27:00.119 --> 00:27:04.759 in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared 00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:10.019 beforehand that we should work in them. Hallelujah. 00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:14.839 Now go to verse 8 of chapter 5, Ephesians chapter 00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:18.880 5 verse 8. He also noted the same thing. He said, 00:27:18.920 --> 00:27:23.240 for you we are once in darkness, but now you 00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:31.069 are light in the Lord. So walk as children of 00:27:31.069 --> 00:27:36.430 light. Walk as children of light. So you can 00:27:36.430 --> 00:27:41.329 see that verse 5 and 6 is not saying that believers 00:27:41.329 --> 00:27:45.450 who practice those ungodly lifestyle would not 00:27:45.450 --> 00:27:48.210 inherit the kingdom of God. No, that's not what 00:27:48.210 --> 00:27:50.910 he's saying. But Paul was just admonishing them 00:27:50.910 --> 00:27:56.799 to live the life fitting for the sin. and pointed 00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:59.880 them that there's a lifestyle which they have 00:27:59.880 --> 00:28:04.039 been practicing before they believed. Now that 00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:06.660 they are believers, they cannot continue to practice 00:28:06.660 --> 00:28:10.779 those lives because they knew, now they know 00:28:10.779 --> 00:28:15.500 that those who are in that lifestyle, who are 00:28:15.500 --> 00:28:19.460 unbelievers, whose lifestyle is the way they 00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:21.039 live because they are unbelievers, that's how 00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:24.420 they live. You understand? That's their lifestyle. 00:28:25.150 --> 00:28:28.390 That is not the lifestyle of the believer. He 00:28:28.390 --> 00:28:30.349 said those ones who did not believe and they 00:28:30.349 --> 00:28:32.569 are living that lifestyle because that is the 00:28:32.569 --> 00:28:37.609 way they live. He said that they have no place 00:28:37.609 --> 00:28:40.170 in God's kingdom. They are sons of disobedience. 00:28:40.250 --> 00:28:45.750 But because they are in God, that lifestyle is 00:28:45.750 --> 00:28:49.549 a past life. And that is not fitting for the 00:28:49.549 --> 00:28:52.269 saint. So you can see from the first part of 00:28:52.269 --> 00:28:56.819 chapter 12. Chapter 5, what Paul is admonishing 00:28:56.819 --> 00:29:00.380 them is to walk in love. Is to walk in love. 00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:04.859 And walking in love, you now move on to begin 00:29:04.859 --> 00:29:09.759 to talk and speak concerning other issues. I 00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:13.180 said I want to read that verse also that looks 00:29:13.180 --> 00:29:17.259 almost what Paul is saying here in 1 Corinthians 00:29:17.259 --> 00:29:20.880 chapter 6. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6. It's 00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:24.369 the same thing he was teaching also here. 1 Corinthians 00:29:24.369 --> 00:29:28.869 chapter 6. There are any of you having a matter 00:29:28.869 --> 00:29:33.150 against another? Look at verse 1. Go to law before 00:29:33.150 --> 00:29:36.450 the unrighteous and not before the saint? Do 00:29:36.450 --> 00:29:40.970 you not know that the saint will judge the world? 00:29:41.609 --> 00:29:43.529 Now, each time you hear Paul is talking about 00:29:43.529 --> 00:29:47.910 do you know, know, know, don't you know? That 00:29:47.910 --> 00:29:51.849 is the only way a believer will live right, is 00:29:51.849 --> 00:29:57.599 by how? By knowledge. Believers do not do what 00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:01.799 is right by putting them under the law. Do this. 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:04.900 Don't do that. Touch not. Don't do this. No. 00:30:05.019 --> 00:30:09.799 They live their life by knowledge. The more they 00:30:09.799 --> 00:30:12.599 know God, the more they know their identity in 00:30:12.599 --> 00:30:16.480 him, the more they practice and they live according 00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:20.180 to who they are. So he told them here. He said, 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:24.440 do you not know? that the saint will judge the 00:30:24.440 --> 00:30:28.720 world? And if the world will be judged by you, 00:30:28.819 --> 00:30:32.140 are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 00:30:32.200 --> 00:30:36.759 Do you not know that we shall judge the angels? 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:40.900 How much more things that pertain to this life? 00:30:41.299 --> 00:30:47.819 If then you have judgment concerning things pertaining 00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:51.900 to this life, do you appoint those? who are least 00:30:51.900 --> 00:30:55.640 esteemed by the church to judge. Verse 5, I say 00:30:55.640 --> 00:30:59.339 this to your shame. Is it so that there is not 00:30:59.339 --> 00:31:04.079 a wise man among you, not even one, who will 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:07.720 be able to judge between his brethren? But brother, 00:31:07.819 --> 00:31:13.460 go to the law against brother, and that before 00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:17.859 unbelievers. Now therefore, it is already an 00:31:17.859 --> 00:31:22.000 utter failure for you. That you go to the law 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:26.880 against one another. Why do you not rather accept 00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:32.019 wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be 00:31:32.019 --> 00:31:36.519 cheated? No. You yourself do wrong and cheat. 00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:40.940 And you do these things to your brethren. Verse 00:31:40.940 --> 00:31:46.660 9. Do you not know that I am unrighteous? will 00:31:46.660 --> 00:31:49.319 not inherit the kingdom of God. Now look at verse 00:31:49.319 --> 00:31:52.700 9 again. Do not be deceived. The same thing he 00:31:52.700 --> 00:31:55.339 told them. Do not be deceived in verse 6 of Ephesians 00:31:55.339 --> 00:32:00.039 chapter 5. Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, 00:32:00.200 --> 00:32:07.099 nor idolaters, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:11.440 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:14.779 revelers, nor extortioners, will inherit the 00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:18.720 kingdom of God. So verse 9 is not talking about 00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:22.579 believers. Look at verse 11. He says, and such 00:32:22.579 --> 00:32:27.099 were some of you. Oh, talk to me. He says, such 00:32:27.099 --> 00:32:32.160 were, not now. He says, such were some of you. 00:32:32.380 --> 00:32:36.720 But you were washed. But you were sanctified. 00:32:37.059 --> 00:32:42.180 But you were justified in the name of the Lord 00:32:42.180 --> 00:32:46.740 Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Glory to 00:32:46.740 --> 00:32:49.619 Jesus. So he was pointing them to a lifestyle 00:32:49.619 --> 00:32:55.559 that is not theirs. That lifestyle is a lifestyle 00:32:55.559 --> 00:32:58.920 of those who did not believe. And those who did 00:32:58.920 --> 00:33:03.839 not believe have no inheritance. In the kingdom 00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:07.039 of God. Go back to verse 5. I mean Ephesians 00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:11.299 5. Go back to Ephesians 5. So look at verse 8. 00:33:11.460 --> 00:33:14.279 Or from verse 7. He said, therefore do not be 00:33:14.279 --> 00:33:16.200 partakers with them. Because that's not your 00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:20.180 nature. Verse 8. For you were once in darkness. 00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:27.299 Now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children 00:33:27.299 --> 00:33:30.480 of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:33.299 godliness, righteousness and truth. Finding out 00:33:33.299 --> 00:33:37.240 what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship 00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:39.920 with unfruitful works of darkness. But rather 00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:43.960 expose them. For it is shameful even to speak. 00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:48.539 of those things which are done by them in secret. 00:33:49.180 --> 00:33:54.539 For all things that are exposed are made manifest 00:33:54.539 --> 00:33:59.000 by light. Whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore, 00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:05.819 he says, awake you who sleep, arise from the 00:34:05.819 --> 00:34:10.480 dead, and Christ will give you light. Pastor, 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:12.519 you want to talk to us in this text in the psalm. 00:34:12.519 --> 00:34:15.380 Sometimes you go. He taught us some time ago. 00:34:15.880 --> 00:34:20.840 In this part. He said that. He talked to us in 00:34:20.840 --> 00:34:24.340 a number of things here. And I want you to see. 00:34:24.420 --> 00:34:27.179 In this part. He's talking about walking in light. 00:34:27.440 --> 00:34:32.539 Walking in light. Walking in light. Walking in 00:34:32.539 --> 00:34:37.340 light. He further shows us. You understand. If 00:34:37.340 --> 00:34:40.579 you continue from verse 15. So you can see from 00:34:40.579 --> 00:34:45.070 verse 7. Or from verse 8. to verse 14, he talks 00:34:45.070 --> 00:34:48.849 about walking in light. From when you read from 00:34:48.849 --> 00:34:54.250 verse 15, he says, See then that you walk circumspectly, 00:34:54.250 --> 00:34:58.210 not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time 00:34:58.210 --> 00:35:00.769 because the days are evil. We talked about these 00:35:00.769 --> 00:35:03.730 scriptures before, meaning that the days are 00:35:03.730 --> 00:35:08.750 unreliable. Therefore, do not be unwise, but 00:35:08.750 --> 00:35:13.460 understand what the will of the Lord is. what 00:35:13.460 --> 00:35:17.460 the will of the Lord is. So he said, do not be 00:35:17.460 --> 00:35:20.340 unwise. So he talks about working in wisdom also 00:35:20.340 --> 00:35:24.219 here. When you move from verse 18, he talks about, 00:35:24.300 --> 00:35:28.320 and do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, 00:35:28.420 --> 00:35:31.800 but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one 00:35:31.800 --> 00:35:36.559 another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 00:35:36.780 --> 00:35:40.639 singing and making melody in your heart to the 00:35:40.639 --> 00:35:52.730 Lord. Did you see that? Verse 21. Submitting 00:35:52.730 --> 00:35:58.510 to one another in the fear of the Lord. If you 00:35:58.510 --> 00:36:01.449 look at this place, it's talking about also being 00:36:01.449 --> 00:36:04.449 filled with the Spirit or living in the Spirit. 00:36:05.090 --> 00:36:07.889 And by living in the Spirit means ministering 00:36:07.889 --> 00:36:11.480 to one another. Now, in all of this, he's talking 00:36:11.480 --> 00:36:14.500 about the same thing. Working in love, it means 00:36:14.500 --> 00:36:19.380 working in light. Working in light means working 00:36:19.380 --> 00:36:22.579 in wisdom. Working in wisdom means working in 00:36:22.579 --> 00:36:26.099 the Spirit. Glory to Jesus. So, Paul was just 00:36:26.099 --> 00:36:28.000 emphasizing, but he's talking about the same 00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:30.400 thing. All the same thing. Now, look at verse 00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:35.539 22. Wives, submit to your own husband as to the 00:36:35.539 --> 00:36:40.420 Lord. For the husband is their head. of the wife. 00:36:40.619 --> 00:36:43.559 As also Christ is the head of the church and 00:36:43.559 --> 00:36:46.360 he is the savior of the body. He is the savior 00:36:46.360 --> 00:36:49.420 of the body. Now, most times we use this text, 00:36:49.480 --> 00:36:52.539 you understand, and thought it as marriage. But 00:36:52.539 --> 00:36:55.719 no, it is not marriage. I don't want you to disconnect 00:36:55.719 --> 00:36:58.340 this text from the others that we have read. 00:36:59.159 --> 00:37:02.420 It's the context we are reading. Don't disconnect 00:37:02.420 --> 00:37:06.019 it. No. What is the context saying? We have talked 00:37:06.019 --> 00:37:09.059 about it. Walking in love. which means walking 00:37:09.059 --> 00:37:12.579 in light, walking in wisdom, walking in the Spirit. 00:37:12.820 --> 00:37:15.380 Are we together? That's the context of discussion. 00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:18.039 You can say walking in love, it still means the 00:37:18.039 --> 00:37:20.559 same thing. You are correct. When you say also 00:37:20.559 --> 00:37:22.219 walking in the light, you are correct. When you 00:37:22.219 --> 00:37:24.219 say walking in wisdom, you are correct. You understand? 00:37:24.760 --> 00:37:27.159 When you say walking in the Spirit, you are correct. 00:37:27.760 --> 00:37:29.960 Or being filled with the Spirit. Because it talks 00:37:29.960 --> 00:37:31.880 about being filled with the Spirit. We have taught 00:37:31.880 --> 00:37:34.059 it in this church. It's not something coming 00:37:34.059 --> 00:37:36.559 on you. You understand? It's you. That's why 00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:38.480 he said be filled with the Spirit. You understand? 00:37:38.679 --> 00:37:40.880 He says speaking to one another. Talking about 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:43.340 ministering to one another. Just the same way 00:37:43.340 --> 00:37:45.559 walking in love. You understand? Forgiving one 00:37:45.559 --> 00:37:47.380 another. All those things we have talked about. 00:37:47.559 --> 00:37:49.500 So that's the context. And I don't want you to 00:37:49.500 --> 00:37:52.820 go away from the context. So he continues in 00:37:52.820 --> 00:37:56.900 that perspective. Look at verse 22. You understand? 00:37:57.139 --> 00:38:00.800 He says wives. So this verse 22 to that point 00:38:00.800 --> 00:38:04.599 is actually talking about the application of 00:38:04.599 --> 00:38:07.320 what Paul has already taught the entire church. 00:38:07.769 --> 00:38:11.869 to wives. What he taught from verse 22 to 24, 00:38:12.329 --> 00:38:16.429 it's just like, for example, what you just maybe 00:38:16.429 --> 00:38:20.510 told a child and then an adult appeared, you 00:38:20.510 --> 00:38:24.110 just informed or you just teach the same thing. 00:38:24.389 --> 00:38:26.469 These are two different class of people, but 00:38:26.469 --> 00:38:28.530 we are teaching the same thing. Remember, when 00:38:28.530 --> 00:38:30.969 he said wives submit, that's exactly what he 00:38:30.969 --> 00:38:34.630 taught to the child. In fact, in verse 21, he 00:38:34.630 --> 00:38:37.110 said submitting to one another. So that is... 00:38:37.320 --> 00:38:40.440 Living in the spirit. So when you read also, 00:38:40.679 --> 00:38:44.519 you understand? So that is also means living 00:38:44.519 --> 00:38:48.219 in love. That's what also means living in the 00:38:48.219 --> 00:38:52.500 light. It also means living in wisdom. Are we 00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:55.760 together? Or not living as unwise because submitting 00:38:55.760 --> 00:38:58.320 means that you are not living as unwise. Hallelujah. 00:38:58.500 --> 00:39:01.280 So being filled with the spirit ministry to one 00:39:01.280 --> 00:39:03.619 another. So in fact, Paul told the wives to submit, 00:39:03.780 --> 00:39:06.699 you understand? What he said to submit. was not 00:39:06.699 --> 00:39:09.739 different from what he told the church. So to 00:39:09.739 --> 00:39:11.840 submit, as I said, it means working love. To 00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:14.420 submit means working light. To submit means working 00:39:14.420 --> 00:39:17.019 wisdom. To submit means working the spirit. That's 00:39:17.019 --> 00:39:19.699 what it means. Look at verse 25 quickly. He said, 00:39:19.739 --> 00:39:23.119 Husband, love your wives just as Christ also 00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:27.000 loved the church and gave himself for her that 00:39:27.000 --> 00:39:30.980 he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing 00:39:30.980 --> 00:39:33.760 of the water by the word that he might present 00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:52.800 her. Again, here he's instructing the man to 00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:55.760 walk in love. What is walking in love again? 00:39:55.900 --> 00:39:58.980 It means walking in the light. What is walking 00:39:58.980 --> 00:40:01.809 in the light? He said also walking in wisdom 00:40:01.809 --> 00:40:05.150 or not walk as unwise. It also means walking 00:40:05.150 --> 00:40:07.849 in the spirit. You understand? And in each case, 00:40:07.889 --> 00:40:09.949 when you see what he told, he told the man when 00:40:09.949 --> 00:40:12.889 you walk in love, he gave the man as Christ is 00:40:12.889 --> 00:40:15.150 the model for him to walk in love. Just the same 00:40:15.150 --> 00:40:18.030 way he taught the church. In verse 1, if you 00:40:18.030 --> 00:40:20.429 look at it, he told them, he told the church, 00:40:20.650 --> 00:40:23.389 he said be imitators of God as dearly beloved. 00:40:23.849 --> 00:40:26.150 And then he pointed to Christ as their model. 00:40:27.050 --> 00:40:30.389 The same thing is pointing to Christ as the model 00:40:30.389 --> 00:40:33.489 of the man to live in love. So it's not a different 00:40:33.489 --> 00:40:37.269 message. This is not a message exclusive to married 00:40:37.269 --> 00:40:41.710 people. No. This is a message to the church. 00:40:42.230 --> 00:40:45.289 The same message for children. The same message 00:40:45.289 --> 00:40:47.590 for those who are married. The same message because 00:40:47.590 --> 00:40:50.349 it's a church. All groups, the same message. 00:40:50.809 --> 00:40:55.230 So don't say, no, it's only to the... I mean, 00:40:55.250 --> 00:40:58.380 don't talk like that. So here is not just... 00:40:58.380 --> 00:41:02.500 I want you to see something quickly. Look at 00:41:02.500 --> 00:41:07.260 verse 28. So husbands ought to love their own 00:41:07.260 --> 00:41:11.840 wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife 00:41:11.840 --> 00:41:15.980 loves himself. For no one ever hates his own 00:41:15.980 --> 00:41:21.900 flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as 00:41:21.900 --> 00:41:24.519 the Lord does the church, for we are members 00:41:24.519 --> 00:41:30.710 of his body. Of his flesh and of his bones. Of 00:41:30.710 --> 00:41:33.969 his flesh and of his bones. Please, if you are 00:41:33.969 --> 00:41:36.210 sleeping, wake up now. Because I'm getting to 00:41:36.210 --> 00:41:40.690 where I'm going. Understand? I want you to note 00:41:40.690 --> 00:41:43.989 this, please. I want you to note this. Now, look 00:41:43.989 --> 00:41:48.349 at verse 28. I want you to note something there. 00:41:48.530 --> 00:41:55.829 I want you to note that. He said, ought to love 00:41:55.829 --> 00:41:59.769 their own wives as their own bodies. You know, 00:41:59.809 --> 00:42:02.849 before, even me, when I used to read this place, 00:42:02.969 --> 00:42:05.829 I used to think it's a physical body. That's 00:42:05.829 --> 00:42:08.110 the direction that they are going. I used to 00:42:08.110 --> 00:42:09.889 think that that's the scripture saying, husband, 00:42:09.989 --> 00:42:12.889 you should love your wife as this your body. 00:42:13.250 --> 00:42:15.710 That's what I used to think. You understand? 00:42:16.469 --> 00:42:18.929 But I want you to take note there. He said, he 00:42:18.929 --> 00:42:23.960 who loves his wife loves himself. So, That means 00:42:23.960 --> 00:42:28.679 he's equating body as himself. Take note. Himself. 00:42:28.860 --> 00:42:33.059 Take note of that also. Look at verse 29. You 00:42:33.059 --> 00:42:36.820 see, for no one ever ate his own flesh. Yet again, 00:42:36.920 --> 00:42:39.840 here in verse 29, not the word flesh. In verse 00:42:39.840 --> 00:42:45.280 28, bodies. Himself. In verse 29, flesh. But 00:42:45.280 --> 00:42:49.000 nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord 00:42:49.000 --> 00:42:52.539 does the church. Now, not again church. The church. 00:42:53.050 --> 00:42:57.570 Now look at verse 30. For we are members of his 00:42:57.570 --> 00:43:00.389 body. That is talking about Christ. Not again 00:43:00.389 --> 00:43:03.730 body. Of his flesh. I want you to not flesh again. 00:43:03.929 --> 00:43:07.309 And of his bones. I want you to not bones again. 00:43:07.510 --> 00:43:11.090 We are. That is where Paul was going. That was 00:43:11.090 --> 00:43:14.329 where Paul was going. So don't forget. I don't 00:43:14.329 --> 00:43:17.889 want to remind you again. What we did after a 00:43:17.889 --> 00:43:20.769 Torah study. Looking at the discussion and the 00:43:20.769 --> 00:43:23.900 teaching note of Moses. We noted that that word 00:43:23.900 --> 00:43:27.980 bones, or the bones of my bones, it means the 00:43:27.980 --> 00:43:32.219 same stock. It means the same kindred. It means 00:43:32.219 --> 00:43:35.500 the same family. It means the same identity. 00:43:35.719 --> 00:43:39.840 Are we together? So when he said we are members 00:43:39.840 --> 00:43:44.059 of the same body, that word body is talking about 00:43:44.059 --> 00:43:47.050 the same thing as flesh. He's talking about the 00:43:47.050 --> 00:43:50.349 same thing as bones. So when he said we are members 00:43:50.349 --> 00:43:52.570 of the same body, he's saying we are members 00:43:52.570 --> 00:43:55.030 of the same family. When he said we are members 00:43:55.030 --> 00:43:58.469 of the same flesh, that means he is saying also 00:43:58.469 --> 00:44:00.710 we are members of the same family. When he said 00:44:00.710 --> 00:44:04.010 we are members of his bones, it means we are 00:44:04.010 --> 00:44:06.210 members of the same family. That's what he's 00:44:06.210 --> 00:44:09.369 saying. So when he's talking to the man and said 00:44:09.369 --> 00:44:13.690 that you ought to love your wives as your own 00:44:13.690 --> 00:44:17.280 body. He's talking that you're supposed to love 00:44:17.280 --> 00:44:19.679 her because she's from the same family. He said, 00:44:19.719 --> 00:44:22.559 if you do so, you love yourself because you are 00:44:22.559 --> 00:44:25.699 in that family. So it is part of your body. The 00:44:25.699 --> 00:44:28.900 body of Christ is part of your body. So if you 00:44:28.900 --> 00:44:34.920 love the body of Christ, you are actually loving 00:44:34.920 --> 00:44:39.760 yourself. So that's what I want you to see there. 00:44:39.940 --> 00:44:44.670 So the body, flesh. Bones refers to the same 00:44:44.670 --> 00:44:48.210 thing. It's referring to the same stock, identity. 00:44:48.610 --> 00:44:51.650 Are we together? That's what it's saying. So 00:44:51.650 --> 00:44:54.590 it refers to Christ's union. Listen, when you 00:44:54.590 --> 00:44:57.869 said Christ and the church, when you said the 00:44:57.869 --> 00:45:00.909 body of Christ, you are talking about our union 00:45:00.909 --> 00:45:02.809 with him. Do you understand what I'm saying? 00:45:02.949 --> 00:45:06.050 So when you said body, you are talking about 00:45:06.050 --> 00:45:10.650 union. That's another word. Because when you 00:45:10.650 --> 00:45:12.590 say we are of the same family, what you are saying 00:45:12.590 --> 00:45:15.409 is that we are of the same union. We are united 00:45:15.409 --> 00:45:18.710 together. When you say the body of Christ, what 00:45:18.710 --> 00:45:21.190 you are saying is that we are united with him. 00:45:21.429 --> 00:45:25.409 So, he's referring to union. So, I want you to 00:45:25.409 --> 00:45:27.050 connect with Pastor Bob. Pastor, you might talk 00:45:27.050 --> 00:45:29.730 about, I mean, talk to us. Our union with Christ. 00:45:29.929 --> 00:45:32.469 You understand? So, when you are marrying your 00:45:32.469 --> 00:45:35.550 wife, don't be seeing her as a foreign body. 00:45:36.449 --> 00:45:40.739 She is part of you. She's part of you. You are 00:45:40.739 --> 00:45:43.920 united in Christ together. She's part of your 00:45:43.920 --> 00:45:46.380 family. That's what this place is teaching. That's 00:45:46.380 --> 00:45:48.880 what this place is teaching. Male and female, 00:45:48.920 --> 00:45:52.639 we are part of the same family. We are part of 00:45:52.639 --> 00:45:54.840 the same body. We are part of the same flesh. 00:45:54.940 --> 00:45:58.239 Part of the same bones. Verse 28 is not referring 00:45:58.239 --> 00:46:00.960 to physical body. That's not the direction. It's 00:46:00.960 --> 00:46:04.239 also pointing us to physical body. No. It's pointing 00:46:04.239 --> 00:46:08.650 us to union. Remember. Our union with Christ 00:46:08.650 --> 00:46:12.150 makes us have our union with others. That's why 00:46:12.150 --> 00:46:17.130 I pity people who think that my father, my father, 00:46:17.210 --> 00:46:23.090 no. Or God is my father. They don't see that 00:46:23.090 --> 00:46:26.170 their union with God automatically brings them 00:46:26.170 --> 00:46:29.909 into a family. That means my union with God makes 00:46:29.909 --> 00:46:33.050 me to be united with Pastor Chidi. That's the 00:46:33.050 --> 00:46:36.199 same thing. So because we are the same family, 00:46:36.199 --> 00:46:39.619 the same body, the same flesh, it also means 00:46:39.619 --> 00:46:43.760 the same bone, you love your wife. You are actually 00:46:43.760 --> 00:46:46.420 loving yourself. You are actually loving yourself. 00:46:46.619 --> 00:46:49.840 So we are members of his body. We are members 00:46:49.840 --> 00:46:53.699 of his flesh. We are members of his bones. This 00:46:53.699 --> 00:46:57.639 means we are the image of God. As he is the image 00:46:57.639 --> 00:47:00.280 of God, we are the image of God. It also means 00:47:00.280 --> 00:47:03.280 as a woman is the image of God, we are also the 00:47:03.280 --> 00:47:05.820 image of God. Or as we are the image of God, 00:47:05.900 --> 00:47:08.880 she is also the image of God. That is the binocular 00:47:08.880 --> 00:47:12.260 you have to see your wife. The same. You understand? 00:47:12.619 --> 00:47:14.880 Equal. The grace that save you, the grace that 00:47:14.880 --> 00:47:16.579 save her. The Holy Spirit in you is the Holy 00:47:16.579 --> 00:47:19.420 Spirit in her. We are of the same family. So 00:47:19.420 --> 00:47:23.869 Adam's response. The bones of my bones pointed 00:47:23.869 --> 00:47:27.969 to God's plan. That is what Apostle Paul was 00:47:27.969 --> 00:47:32.190 trying to explain. That what God showed to Adam, 00:47:32.389 --> 00:47:35.909 that the bones of my bones is a plan God has 00:47:35.909 --> 00:47:42.809 prepared. He planned it, that that would be in 00:47:42.809 --> 00:47:45.230 Christ. He will bring a family. So when Adam 00:47:45.230 --> 00:47:49.190 woke up from the vision, he saw it and he escaped. 00:47:50.150 --> 00:47:52.650 This is the bone of my bone. What he's saying 00:47:52.650 --> 00:47:55.590 is that she is of the same family. He pointed 00:47:55.590 --> 00:47:58.150 us to the plan of God for humanity. So the bones 00:47:58.150 --> 00:48:01.690 of my bones, the flesh of my flesh is not a wife. 00:48:01.869 --> 00:48:05.090 It is a scriptural language to show equality 00:48:05.090 --> 00:48:09.409 in Christ, to show our union in Christ. Oh, glory 00:48:09.409 --> 00:48:13.230 to Jesus. We are the same. We are the same. We 00:48:13.230 --> 00:48:15.710 are the same. We are the same. So in Genesis 00:48:15.710 --> 00:48:19.980 chapter 2, verse 24, which... Paul caught it 00:48:19.980 --> 00:48:24.599 in verse 32, in verse 31. Look at verse 31. For 00:48:24.599 --> 00:48:28.300 this reason, a man shall leave his father a mother 00:48:28.300 --> 00:48:31.920 and join to his wife, and the two shall become 00:48:31.920 --> 00:48:34.820 one flesh. Not that word flesh again. Are we 00:48:34.820 --> 00:48:39.000 together? It's signifying union. That's Genesis 00:48:39.000 --> 00:48:43.719 chapter 2, verse 24. Union where? Union in Christ. 00:48:44.019 --> 00:48:49.039 So you are united with her. So one flesh. is 00:48:49.039 --> 00:48:52.340 in God's new creation. Don't be seeing it in 00:48:52.340 --> 00:48:57.480 the physical. That one flesh is in God's new 00:48:57.480 --> 00:49:01.599 creation. It speaks of our union. It speaks of 00:49:01.599 --> 00:49:04.760 our union. So that thing we do, physical marriage, 00:49:04.840 --> 00:49:10.059 is a parable, is a pointer to the new creation, 00:49:10.239 --> 00:49:15.079 to our union together. So even if you are marrying 00:49:15.079 --> 00:49:19.039 your wife, you must see her in Christ. You must 00:49:19.039 --> 00:49:23.559 see her in her real identity, in her new nature. 00:49:23.739 --> 00:49:27.320 Although a woman is different when it comes to 00:49:27.320 --> 00:49:29.940 the issue of reproduction, is different from 00:49:29.940 --> 00:49:32.599 the man. When you look at the physique, the physical, 00:49:32.780 --> 00:49:36.059 but not in identity. Are we together? She's the 00:49:36.059 --> 00:49:38.920 same in identification with the man. So when 00:49:38.920 --> 00:49:43.559 you read Genesis chapter 2, verse 1 to 24, it 00:49:43.559 --> 00:49:49.780 means it is supposed to shape. our view of a 00:49:49.780 --> 00:49:52.260 woman. That she's not second class. The same 00:49:52.260 --> 00:49:54.539 grace in the man, the same grace in the woman. 00:49:54.719 --> 00:49:57.440 That we are members of the same family. That 00:49:57.440 --> 00:50:00.579 we have the same thing. We are equal in Christ. 00:50:00.900 --> 00:50:03.619 We are equal in Christ. It is meant to change 00:50:03.619 --> 00:50:07.599 our view, our thinking. That the identity of 00:50:07.599 --> 00:50:10.360 the woman is not in gender, but in Christ. That 00:50:10.360 --> 00:50:13.139 the identity of the woman is not in that her 00:50:13.139 --> 00:50:15.960 body is different from the man. That's not where 00:50:15.960 --> 00:50:21.500 you see her identity. Identity is in Christ, 00:50:21.719 --> 00:50:24.480 in our union. So next time you are reading and 00:50:24.480 --> 00:50:27.059 you are seeing when you read this chapter, you 00:50:27.059 --> 00:50:31.019 understand, see that the communication, the context 00:50:31.019 --> 00:50:35.519 is love. The context is living or walking in 00:50:35.519 --> 00:50:38.800 life. The context is living in the spirit. And 00:50:38.800 --> 00:50:42.239 that the context and the reason, the motivation, 00:50:42.440 --> 00:50:45.460 you understand, is to see. That you can't do 00:50:45.460 --> 00:50:47.840 that to your brother. That you have the same 00:50:47.840 --> 00:50:50.619 thing. And that's why the way sometimes some 00:50:50.619 --> 00:50:53.079 other men of God treat others, it looks as if 00:50:53.079 --> 00:50:55.639 some other people are less in God than others. 00:50:56.059 --> 00:50:58.639 You hear some statement, we are not grace mates. 00:50:59.199 --> 00:51:00.960 You don't understand what I'm saying? Those kind 00:51:00.960 --> 00:51:04.219 of statements, they are not supposed to be. We 00:51:04.219 --> 00:51:07.460 are not grace mates. Okay, which verse is that? 00:51:07.840 --> 00:51:11.679 So whether now as you fellowship in church, you 00:51:11.679 --> 00:51:14.909 understand, you must see the woman. As God sees 00:51:14.909 --> 00:51:17.550 her. Are we together? You must see the woman 00:51:17.550 --> 00:51:21.030 as God sees her. And that's how we must see the 00:51:21.030 --> 00:51:25.550 woman. As you are marrying her, remove your village 00:51:25.550 --> 00:51:27.849 from your head. You understand? All those things 00:51:27.849 --> 00:51:30.389 that have corrupted you. You understand? All 00:51:30.389 --> 00:51:33.769 those matters. You already have caught the woman. 00:51:34.070 --> 00:51:36.909 Remove it from your head. You are not marrying 00:51:36.909 --> 00:51:40.170 a housemate. You are marrying somebody who is 00:51:40.170 --> 00:51:43.179 equal with you. in Christ, who is equal with 00:51:43.179 --> 00:51:45.780 you in Christ. Please, permit me to read one 00:51:45.780 --> 00:51:50.179 verse in 1 Peter as we close. It just came to 00:51:50.179 --> 00:51:55.880 my mind now. 1 Peter, chapter 3, verse 7. He 00:51:55.880 --> 00:52:00.320 said, Husband, likewise, dwell with them with 00:52:00.320 --> 00:52:05.059 the understanding. Are you here with me? With 00:52:05.059 --> 00:52:08.739 the understanding, giving honor to the wife as 00:52:08.739 --> 00:52:13.210 to the weaker vessel. and has been heard of the 00:52:13.210 --> 00:52:15.909 grace of life. You know, so many people do you 00:52:15.909 --> 00:52:19.610 understand this weaker vessel? Do you understand 00:52:19.610 --> 00:52:21.889 what I'm trying to say? Has onto weaker vessel. 00:52:22.489 --> 00:52:25.710 You think that the women are weak. Okay, go and 00:52:25.710 --> 00:52:29.030 touch some people. When they beat the hell out 00:52:29.030 --> 00:52:33.409 of you, you come and tell us the story. You understand? 00:52:33.710 --> 00:52:36.369 But where I'm going, I'm not here to, because 00:52:36.369 --> 00:52:38.010 we have dealt with this scripture when we are 00:52:38.010 --> 00:52:43.110 dealing with marriage issues and seminars and 00:52:43.110 --> 00:52:46.530 messages that we talk. But where I'm going is 00:52:46.530 --> 00:52:50.309 being hares. Did you see that place? Hares together 00:52:50.309 --> 00:52:53.530 of the what? Of the grace of life. No, brother, 00:52:53.670 --> 00:52:55.389 you are no higher. Do you understand what I'm 00:52:55.389 --> 00:52:58.190 saying? So you need to love her. You understand? 00:52:58.389 --> 00:53:02.650 Because it's of the same body. You have the same 00:53:02.650 --> 00:53:07.869 stock. You are equal. You have your hares of 00:53:07.869 --> 00:53:10.769 the grace of life. You are heirs of the grace 00:53:10.769 --> 00:53:14.750 of life. I pray that both the ladies and as well 00:53:14.750 --> 00:53:18.769 as the men, that our idea, our focus would change 00:53:18.769 --> 00:53:22.949 in the son. To see the woman as God sees her 00:53:22.949 --> 00:53:26.530 in the son. The woman can become a pastor in 00:53:26.530 --> 00:53:28.690 the son. That means because you are the same, 00:53:28.869 --> 00:53:32.110 there is no several different, I will call it, 00:53:32.150 --> 00:53:34.949 some for women, some for men. No, there is nothing 00:53:34.949 --> 00:53:38.139 like that. There is nothing like that. You are 00:53:38.139 --> 00:53:42.659 the same. The calling is one. Ephesians 4, it 00:53:42.659 --> 00:53:46.139 talks about one calling, one God, one baptism, 00:53:46.360 --> 00:53:50.340 one Father of all. It's one, not two. There is 00:53:50.340 --> 00:53:52.360 no two calling. And I pray that the Lord will 00:53:52.360 --> 00:53:54.860 keep helping us. When we come next, what we will 00:53:54.860 --> 00:53:59.480 do is to look at the other response of Christ. 00:54:00.199 --> 00:54:02.940 You understand what I'm saying? That will take 00:54:02.940 --> 00:54:06.840 us to Genesis chapter 1, verse 27. And then we'll 00:54:06.840 --> 00:54:10.619 look at what exactly is the image of God. Understand? 00:54:10.900 --> 00:54:15.719 He made them male and female in the image. In 00:54:15.719 --> 00:54:22.719 his image. In his image. Hallelujah. We're thankful 00:54:22.719 --> 00:54:26.360 you joined us today. Don't forget to subscribe 00:54:26.360 --> 00:54:29.360 so you're always connected to our latest sermons. 00:54:30.000 --> 00:54:33.380 You can also explore more about NECF on our website 00:54:33.380 --> 00:54:37.139 or follow us online. We look forward to having 00:54:37.139 --> 00:54:39.599 you with us next time. God bless.