WEBVTT 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:06.639 Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:09.660 designed to uplift and strengthen you in your 00:00:09.660 --> 00:00:13.939 walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until 00:00:13.939 --> 00:00:17.879 the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive 00:00:17.879 --> 00:00:28.379 right in. Hallelujah. Luke chapter 3. Luke chapter 00:00:28.379 --> 00:00:39.020 3. Thank you, Jesus. So we are continuing our 00:00:39.020 --> 00:00:48.259 message. We started long ago. And last Wednesday, 00:00:48.759 --> 00:00:55.299 we saw that in Luke, Dr. Luke was somehow to 00:00:55.299 --> 00:01:03.299 rewriting Genesis chapter 5. And we know that 00:01:03.299 --> 00:01:07.760 that Genesis chapter 5 is also linked to Genesis 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:13.780 chapter 1, verse 26 to 27. In fact, verse 1 and 00:01:13.780 --> 00:01:20.700 2 is also of Genesis chapter 5 is right in Genesis 00:01:20.700 --> 00:01:27.540 1. Are we together? Verse 26 and 27. Amen? And 00:01:27.540 --> 00:01:32.640 we also noted that That Jesus, as Luke presented, 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:38.159 traced Jesus back, not just to Adam, but also 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:41.819 to God. But he said at the last part, and I want 00:01:41.819 --> 00:01:44.280 us to read that please. He said, the son of Adam, 00:01:44.500 --> 00:01:50.159 the son of God. Hallelujah. Are we in Luke chapter 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:56.099 3? Look at verse 23. Luke chapter 3, verse 23. 00:01:57.239 --> 00:02:02.040 Now Jesus himself. began his ministry at about 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:08.120 30 years of age, being, as was supposed, the 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:12.400 son of Joseph, the son of Heli. And then when 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:14.719 you go and we saw all the son of this, the son 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:19.099 of that, and traces Jesus back to Adam. Look 00:02:19.099 --> 00:02:24.120 at verse 38. It said, the son of Enos, the son 00:02:24.120 --> 00:02:31.939 of Seth, the son of Adam, the son. of God. The 00:02:31.939 --> 00:02:37.620 son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. 00:02:38.900 --> 00:02:45.319 And remember we said go back to Genesis chapter 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:58.939 5. Genesis chapter 5. Look at verse 1. He said, 00:02:58.979 --> 00:03:03.800 this is a book of the genealogy of Adam. In the 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:09.680 day that God created man, he made him in the 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:14.439 likeness of God. Verse 2, he created them male 00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:19.699 and female and blessed them and called them mankind. 00:03:20.460 --> 00:03:26.050 In the day we are created. We said this also 00:03:26.050 --> 00:03:29.090 was rewritten, just when we read Genesis 1, 26 00:03:29.090 --> 00:03:35.509 and 27, you will see that. Now in verse 3 of 00:03:35.509 --> 00:03:39.389 that chapter 5, it says, And Adam lived one hundred 00:03:39.389 --> 00:03:43.810 and thirty years, and begot a son in his own 00:03:43.810 --> 00:03:52.629 likeness after his own image, and named him Seth. 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:58.800 And name him Seth. And then we talked and noted 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:03.219 that that word image is relational. Or we said 00:04:03.219 --> 00:04:08.039 that word image, we can say it means son. It 00:04:08.039 --> 00:04:14.500 means son. Or we can say family or kingship. 00:04:15.460 --> 00:04:18.160 It means that what unites you with the other. 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:22.800 And so when we go back. and look at what Luke 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:26.500 is saying, and say the son of Seth, which means 00:04:26.500 --> 00:04:29.660 Seth in the image, sorry, the son of Seth, yes, 00:04:29.720 --> 00:04:32.800 the son of Adam, that means Seth is a son of 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:37.420 Adam, which means Seth in the image of Adam. 00:04:37.620 --> 00:04:40.879 Are we together? And Adam in the image of who? 00:04:41.019 --> 00:04:44.120 God, because he said the son of God, which means 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:47.199 the image of God. Are we together? So which means 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:50.100 that Jesus, the image of God, or Jesus, the son 00:04:50.100 --> 00:04:52.199 of God, Jesus, the image of God. Are we together? 00:04:52.779 --> 00:04:59.439 Hallelujah. Go back to Matthew 19. And what we 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:03.180 just last concluded on Wednesday, we said, so 00:05:03.180 --> 00:05:09.019 why is Jesus called the image of God? We said 00:05:09.019 --> 00:05:12.660 Jesus is called the image of God because he became 00:05:12.660 --> 00:05:27.790 a man. Hallelujah. Matthew 19. Matthew 19. Look 00:05:27.790 --> 00:05:33.949 at verse 4. He said, and he answered and said 00:05:33.949 --> 00:05:36.089 to them. Of course, this is in response. This 00:05:36.089 --> 00:05:38.930 is Jesus' response to the Pharisee questioning 00:05:38.930 --> 00:05:42.870 verse 3. The Pharisee, verse 3, also came to 00:05:42.870 --> 00:05:47.870 him, testing him. And saying to him, Is it lawful 00:05:47.870 --> 00:05:51.730 for a man to divorce his wife for just any other 00:05:51.730 --> 00:05:58.990 reason? And verse 4, And he answered and said 00:05:58.990 --> 00:06:05.649 to them, Have you not read that he who made them 00:06:05.649 --> 00:06:12.649 at the beginning made them male and female? Made 00:06:12.649 --> 00:06:17.600 them. Male and female. Of course, Jesus pointing 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:26.019 them back to Genesis 1, verse 27. Also Genesis 00:06:26.019 --> 00:06:32.959 5, verse 1 and 2. Hallelujah. Now, in his response, 00:06:33.019 --> 00:06:40.180 Jesus did not own exclusively the phrase, the 00:06:40.180 --> 00:06:46.540 image of God. He made them at the beginning male 00:06:46.540 --> 00:06:52.779 and female. So Jesus was pointing the issue that 00:06:52.779 --> 00:06:55.860 male and female are made in the image of God. 00:06:56.720 --> 00:06:59.660 Now I want you to note something here. Again, 00:06:59.779 --> 00:07:05.540 how Jesus responded to the Pharisee. When they 00:07:05.540 --> 00:07:08.079 asked him, is it lawful for a man to divorce 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:10.920 his wife for just any other reason? In verse 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:15.490 3. He did not say, well, it depends whether she's 00:07:15.490 --> 00:07:17.750 born again or not. That's not what Jesus said. 00:07:20.170 --> 00:07:24.670 Hallelujah. Remember, they were Pharisees. They 00:07:24.670 --> 00:07:27.769 were not born again because he made them to understand 00:07:27.769 --> 00:07:30.649 that even the issue of divorce, of putting away, 00:07:30.949 --> 00:07:35.689 it was not so in the beginning. Are we together? 00:07:36.149 --> 00:07:38.370 And they were asking because that was what they 00:07:38.370 --> 00:07:40.990 were doing. In fact, they wanted to claim, they 00:07:40.990 --> 00:07:43.389 said, Moses even asked us, they said, we should 00:07:43.389 --> 00:07:47.029 give a certificate of divorce. What we are trying 00:07:47.029 --> 00:07:51.670 to say is that this is already, we have a certification 00:07:51.670 --> 00:07:59.829 in this process. You see? There's something we 00:07:59.829 --> 00:08:03.990 are standing on. We are not just speaking. We 00:08:03.990 --> 00:08:08.189 have a source from the Bible. You see? And some 00:08:08.189 --> 00:08:11.800 of us say, It is written now. It is written now. 00:08:12.279 --> 00:08:15.540 It's in the Bible. It's in the Bible. We want 00:08:15.540 --> 00:08:21.379 to defend our... It's in the Bible. Hallelujah. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:25.759 So, what are we trying to say? So, Jesus responded. 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:29.360 He didn't say, well, you can divorce your wife 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:32.019 if she's not born again. You can put her away. 00:08:32.659 --> 00:08:34.519 You understand? That's not what he's talking 00:08:34.519 --> 00:08:37.799 about. The issue of the image is not an issue. 00:08:38.890 --> 00:08:43.730 exclusive to those who are born again. Are we 00:08:43.730 --> 00:08:46.929 together? We've already talked and said image 00:08:46.929 --> 00:08:52.970 is identity. It's a collective identity. You 00:08:52.970 --> 00:08:58.509 understand? Rather Jesus pointed them that in 00:08:58.509 --> 00:09:01.950 the beginning it was not so. And therefore what 00:09:01.950 --> 00:09:06.409 God joined together because he mentioned that 00:09:07.340 --> 00:09:11.299 He said, let no man put asunder. What God has 00:09:11.299 --> 00:09:15.919 joined together is not marriage ceremony. He's 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:20.139 talking about joined in creation. Are we together? 00:09:20.519 --> 00:09:28.000 He's talking about in creation. So, because these 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:33.899 people are unbelievers, they are hard -hearted 00:09:33.899 --> 00:09:39.210 people. They disrupted the plan of God. And today 00:09:39.210 --> 00:09:42.629 we still have that identity crisis. Hallelujah. 00:09:43.210 --> 00:09:48.070 The world is full of identity crisis. All kinds. 00:09:49.129 --> 00:09:54.350 So the first thing you will be able to help yourself 00:09:54.350 --> 00:10:00.830 is that your understanding of a woman and of 00:10:00.830 --> 00:10:05.700 a man be shaped by Scripture. Your understanding 00:10:05.700 --> 00:10:09.059 of a man and a woman be shaped by Scripture. 00:10:10.539 --> 00:10:14.840 Colossians chapter 15. Let's go there. I'll still 00:10:14.840 --> 00:10:19.080 press a little bit on the issue of why Jesus 00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:23.960 is called the image of God. We have already established 00:10:23.960 --> 00:10:26.899 earlier that the reason why he's called the image 00:10:26.899 --> 00:10:30.519 of God is because he became a man. Colossians 00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:45.350 chapter 1. Verse 15. Colossians 1, 15. It says, 00:10:45.549 --> 00:10:52.149 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn 00:10:52.149 --> 00:10:58.470 over all creation. Over all creation. And I want 00:10:58.470 --> 00:11:01.909 you to know the word, who is the... image of 00:11:01.909 --> 00:11:06.149 the invisible God. The image of the invisible 00:11:06.149 --> 00:11:13.470 God, the firstborn of every creature. Hallelujah. 00:11:15.490 --> 00:11:18.590 Now, if you look at it, maybe just glance, it 00:11:18.590 --> 00:11:22.330 will look as if Paul is saying that Jesus is 00:11:22.330 --> 00:11:26.950 the only image of the invisible God here. Jesus 00:11:26.950 --> 00:11:29.610 is the only image of the invisible God. If you 00:11:29.610 --> 00:11:32.740 just look at it, just By face value. I mean just 00:11:32.740 --> 00:11:37.299 glance through it. But no. Look at the word. 00:11:37.659 --> 00:11:41.500 By using the firstborn of every creature. Because 00:11:41.500 --> 00:11:45.279 it didn't stop there. It said the firstborn. 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:49.620 So the image of the invisible God. Is not exclusive. 00:11:49.899 --> 00:11:55.240 It said the firstborn of what? Of. Over every 00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:59.200 creation. Now that word every creation is talking 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:03.519 about. is man or refers to man. Firstborn of 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:08.639 every creation. That is man in the image of God. 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:12.539 So Jesus, because he's man, is the image of the 00:12:12.539 --> 00:12:15.659 invisible God. The first, you understand, born 00:12:15.659 --> 00:12:21.700 over all what? Creation. So it means he is the 00:12:21.700 --> 00:12:26.480 first, you understand, over all creation. So 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:31.019 image is a collective identity. The first bond 00:12:31.019 --> 00:12:43.659 is the word prototokos, P -R -O -T -O -K -O -S, 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:53.460 prototokos in Greek. It means the model of how 00:12:53.460 --> 00:12:57.899 other sons will look like, meaning that it is 00:12:57.899 --> 00:13:01.500 not the... Only, but means that there are others. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:05.379 Are we together? How others, he is the model 00:13:05.379 --> 00:13:10.779 of how others will look like. So, and that is 00:13:10.779 --> 00:13:16.620 talking about, and I want us to note, look at 00:13:16.620 --> 00:13:20.360 verse 18 of that same Colossians. Look at verse 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:24.179 18. He said, and he is the head of the body. 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:29.250 Are we together? Amen. He is the head of the 00:13:29.250 --> 00:13:37.330 body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn, 00:13:37.570 --> 00:13:42.190 from what? From the dead. I want us to come together. 00:13:42.389 --> 00:13:46.490 I mean, just follow me. From the dead, that in 00:13:46.490 --> 00:13:54.350 all things he might have the preeminence. Acts 00:13:54.350 --> 00:14:12.009 chapter... 13 verse 33. Acts 13, 33. Acts 13, 00:14:12.169 --> 00:14:20.590 33. He said, God has fulfilled this for us, their 00:14:20.590 --> 00:14:26.519 children, in that he has raised up Jesus. As 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:31.980 it is also written in the second Psalm. You are 00:14:31.980 --> 00:14:37.659 my son. Today have I done what? Begotten you. 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:40.419 So of course he's talking about the resurrection 00:14:40.419 --> 00:14:45.139 of the body. So our hope of the resurrection. 00:14:46.600 --> 00:14:52.820 Is because he was risen. Is because he was risen. 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:57.419 And of course I want to just read. A text in, 00:14:57.500 --> 00:15:04.519 remember, Prototokos showing us a model of what 00:15:04.519 --> 00:15:15.279 we will be, all of us. Men, not angels. Hallelujah. 00:15:16.980 --> 00:15:21.980 What we would be, men, we, men, will be, you 00:15:21.980 --> 00:15:27.759 understand, not angels. Glory to Jesus. 1 Corinthians 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:42.620 15. Let me read some few things there. Look at 00:15:42.620 --> 00:15:50.240 what's starting. But if there is no resurrection 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:54.750 of the dead, then Christ Christ is not risen. 00:15:58.350 --> 00:16:03.710 Verse 20. But now Christ is risen from the dead 00:16:03.710 --> 00:16:09.909 and has become the what? The first fruit of those 00:16:09.909 --> 00:16:15.590 who have fallen out as what? As sleep. Of those. 00:16:16.570 --> 00:16:23.580 The first fruit of who? Those. So when he said 00:16:23.580 --> 00:16:27.899 the image of the invisible God, the firstborn 00:16:27.899 --> 00:16:32.360 over all creation, he's not trying to say that 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:36.720 Jesus exclusively is called the image of the 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:40.980 invisible God. Are we together? It's an inclusive 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:48.740 word. It's a collective term. Image. Image is 00:16:48.740 --> 00:16:54.740 a collective term. And when you look at verse 00:16:54.740 --> 00:17:02.000 23, it says, but each one in his own order. Christ, 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:07.779 the what? The first fruit. Afterward, those who 00:17:07.779 --> 00:17:15.400 are Christ at his what? At his coming. So you 00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:18.339 see, there will always be those. Are we together? 00:17:18.819 --> 00:17:23.750 There will always be what? Those. Every creation. 00:17:23.990 --> 00:17:28.470 All over all creatures. Listen. Of course, he's 00:17:28.470 --> 00:17:30.710 not talking about the plants, the animals, everything. 00:17:31.609 --> 00:17:38.170 Listen. He's talking about men. Those. Those. 00:17:40.269 --> 00:17:46.809 In fact, Romans 28 says brethren. Are we together? 00:17:47.349 --> 00:17:52.990 Romans 8. Look at 29. He clearly says brethren. 00:17:53.190 --> 00:17:58.349 He didn't say those even. He said brethren. 29. 00:17:59.390 --> 00:18:05.910 He said for whom he foreknew, he also predestined 00:18:05.910 --> 00:18:12.509 to be conformed to the image of his son that 00:18:12.509 --> 00:18:18.529 he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 00:18:19.470 --> 00:18:29.769 Firstborn. among many brethren. So image is inclusive. 00:18:30.150 --> 00:18:35.609 Talks about image is relational. Image is family. 00:18:35.869 --> 00:18:42.369 Are we together? Family is a plan of God that 00:18:42.369 --> 00:18:47.750 we are together. Understand? Remember the last 00:18:47.750 --> 00:18:51.259 time we discussed It's not the plan of God to 00:18:51.259 --> 00:18:57.000 stay in isolation. You understand? To stay in 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:02.720 isolation. You cannot achieve God's purpose alone. 00:19:03.220 --> 00:19:07.140 You cannot achieve God's purpose in isolation. 00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:12.519 This freelancer kind of a believing life is not 00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:17.819 God's will. You understand? You are a freelancer. 00:19:21.609 --> 00:19:27.150 You move from your online. Today is Sunday. You 00:19:27.150 --> 00:19:32.630 attend 20 services. You move from this one to 00:19:32.630 --> 00:19:42.049 that one. And you are not in any. God wants us 00:19:42.049 --> 00:19:49.769 to be together. Hallelujah. Amen. So, Jesus. 00:19:51.480 --> 00:20:04.140 Patuk from our nature. Man. Man. So, when we 00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:07.140 talk about Jesus, the image of God, he points 00:20:07.140 --> 00:20:12.920 us to what he has come to do. Are we together? 00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:21.609 Amen. Look at this text. Let me read because 00:20:21.609 --> 00:20:26.549 I think it's good to read the whole of it. Hebrews 00:20:26.549 --> 00:20:46.490 chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2. Let me read from 00:20:46.490 --> 00:20:49.890 verse 9. Hebrews chapter 2, I will read from 00:20:49.890 --> 00:21:46.539 verse 9. Verse 11. And those who have been sanctified 00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:54.900 are all of one. For which reason he is not ashamed 00:21:54.900 --> 00:21:59.960 to call them brethren. Saying, I will declare 00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:05.039 your name to my brethren. In the midst of the 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:12.099 assembly, I will sing praise to you. Again. Look 00:22:12.099 --> 00:22:15.609 at verse 13. And again. I will put my trust in 00:22:15.609 --> 00:22:23.109 him. And again, here am I and the children whom 00:22:23.109 --> 00:22:26.950 God has given to me or given me. Look at verse 00:22:26.950 --> 00:22:33.589 14. Inasmuch then as the children have partaken 00:22:33.589 --> 00:22:39.569 of flesh and blood, he himself, he himself likewise 00:22:39.569 --> 00:23:14.339 share in the same. Verse 16. Verse 16. But he 00:23:14.339 --> 00:23:21.720 does give aid to the seed of Abraham. He gives 00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:27.259 aid to the seed of Abraham. He said, those who 00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:31.880 belong to Christ are the seed of Abraham. Hallelujah. 00:23:32.420 --> 00:23:38.660 Say, I have help. I have help of God. He said, 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:43.440 therefore, in all things. He had to be made like 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:47.359 his brethren. Oh, are you together with me? Are 00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:51.079 you together with me? He had to be made like 00:23:51.079 --> 00:23:55.940 his what? Like his brethren. He became a man. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:01.539 That he might be a merciful and faithful high 00:24:01.539 --> 00:24:07.200 priest in the things pertaining God to make propitiation 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:14.609 for the sins of the people. Hallelujah. Amen? 00:24:15.190 --> 00:24:24.049 Are we together? So Jesus, being the image of 00:24:24.049 --> 00:24:26.690 God, or we say the image of the invisible God, 00:24:26.750 --> 00:24:32.730 is not exclusive to him. Rather, it shows the 00:24:32.730 --> 00:24:43.640 inclusive nature of what he came to do. Of what 00:24:43.640 --> 00:24:50.559 he came to do. That's why you saw. Verse 17 will 00:24:50.559 --> 00:25:00.940 say. Therefore. In. In all things. He had to 00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:06.660 be made. Like his brethren. He had to be made. 00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:11.099 Like brethren. Go back a little bit to. Hebrews 00:25:11.099 --> 00:25:19.200 chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1. God who at various 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:23.640 times and in various ways spoke in time past 00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:28.220 to the fathers by the prophet has in these last 00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:33.440 days spoken to us by his son whom he has appointed 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:38.180 heirs of all things through whom also he made 00:25:38.180 --> 00:25:43.380 the worlds. Verse 3. who being the brightness 00:25:43.380 --> 00:25:49.220 of his glory and the express image of his person, 00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:56.539 and upholding all things by the word of his power. 00:25:57.619 --> 00:26:04.940 That word image is a great word character. C 00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:17.160 -H -A -R -A -K. T -E -R, character. Now, this 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:23.240 word is different from the one we read. You understand? 00:26:23.819 --> 00:26:27.740 A little bit in what I mean different. I mean, 00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:30.279 they're not the same spelling. You understand? 00:26:31.079 --> 00:26:34.720 In Colossians 1 .15, which we said the invisible 00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:39.970 God, also the image. of his son, that the image 00:26:39.970 --> 00:26:45.170 that is in Romans chapter 8 verse 29. Of course, 00:26:45.170 --> 00:26:48.309 we have many other places in scripture that talks 00:26:48.309 --> 00:26:51.150 about the image. For example, 2 Corinthians 4, 00:26:51.369 --> 00:26:56.230 4 talks about also the image. You understand? 00:26:57.490 --> 00:27:01.109 Character is, this is the only place we have 00:27:01.109 --> 00:27:04.450 this word character. You understand? In Hebrews 00:27:04.450 --> 00:27:10.480 chapter 1 verse 3. Character refers to representation. 00:27:11.420 --> 00:27:16.960 You understand? It talks about the person, representation 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:23.940 also. Now, the word, image, which I said we read 00:27:23.940 --> 00:27:30.140 in Colossians 1 .15, Romans 8 .28, and so forth 00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:32.559 and so on, I mean, and so many of those other 00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:39.519 places, is icon. E -I -K -O -N, icon in Greek, 00:27:39.720 --> 00:27:46.319 icon. It also refers to representation, status 00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:50.339 or representative figure or likeness. You understand? 00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:55.380 In fact, this word icon is the one used most 00:27:55.380 --> 00:27:59.259 in the New Testament Greek. You will see it appears, 00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:02.980 for example, in the King James Bible more than 00:28:02.980 --> 00:28:08.839 23 times. Or about 23. Let's say 23. So you can 00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:15.119 see that. And this word icon. The Hebrew word 00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:20.700 is Salem. You know what we study? So icon. The 00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:25.880 Hebrew word is Salem. Which we have already studied. 00:28:25.980 --> 00:28:30.839 Which is image. Now if you look at it. You will 00:28:30.839 --> 00:28:38.410 see that. Character. and a corn are synonymous. 00:28:41.490 --> 00:28:48.730 They are synonymous. All of them refers to likeness 00:28:48.730 --> 00:28:52.730 or representative or representative figure or 00:28:52.730 --> 00:29:00.430 representation. Therefore, the theology that 00:29:00.430 --> 00:29:06.599 Jesus Is the image of God is correct. But it 00:29:06.599 --> 00:29:11.019 does not show. That the description image of 00:29:11.019 --> 00:29:14.819 God. Is exclusive to him alone. Are we together? 00:29:15.420 --> 00:29:19.740 It's correct to say Jesus the image of God. But 00:29:19.740 --> 00:29:28.440 that description. Is not. Exclusive to him. In 00:29:28.440 --> 00:29:32.809 fact as we have noted. That he's called the image 00:29:32.809 --> 00:29:41.130 of God because he became a man. So, God who became 00:29:41.130 --> 00:29:47.750 a man is called the image of God. You've heard 00:29:47.750 --> 00:29:50.650 him called also the son of man a lot. Are we 00:29:50.650 --> 00:29:59.380 together? Hallelujah. Yes. He is a son of man. 00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:03.000 He is a son of God because he is a son of man. 00:30:06.359 --> 00:30:14.440 So, our view about man, about, when I say man, 00:30:14.599 --> 00:30:24.319 I mean male and female, believers or not, should 00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:31.789 be that of The representatives of God. In the 00:30:31.789 --> 00:30:38.170 plan of God that he created all of us to represent 00:30:38.170 --> 00:30:46.849 him. Are we together? To be as his image. You 00:30:46.849 --> 00:30:49.569 know, I told you that word in the image. You 00:30:49.569 --> 00:30:53.579 know, probably that's what we use. So I want 00:30:53.579 --> 00:30:55.980 to use that word as his image because it means 00:30:55.980 --> 00:31:01.980 to represent him. And what that means is that 00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:11.380 it's not just man or him alone in terms of male. 00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:19.240 It's male and female. And remember we said in 00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:24.890 the plan of God, They are not to walk in isolation. 00:31:25.789 --> 00:31:31.069 It's a collective term. It shows us that God 00:31:31.069 --> 00:31:36.970 desire to build a family. That in God's plan 00:31:36.970 --> 00:31:45.670 is to build a family. So he made them male and 00:31:45.670 --> 00:31:52.450 female in the image of God. In the image. of 00:31:52.450 --> 00:31:58.509 God. Remember, one of the problems which I will 00:31:58.509 --> 00:32:09.670 come to it is that our view have to be adjusted 00:32:09.670 --> 00:32:15.369 because even though, yes, somehow we know that 00:32:15.369 --> 00:32:19.859 men in this church that men are not born sinners. 00:32:20.099 --> 00:32:23.740 Did you get what I'm trying to say? Are we together? 00:32:24.839 --> 00:32:27.740 But you see, sometimes there's some debris that 00:32:27.740 --> 00:32:33.500 makes you to think that you are of a higher value 00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:41.319 to God than those who are unbelievers. In fact, 00:32:41.319 --> 00:32:43.059 there's a way we sometimes say sometimes this, 00:32:43.160 --> 00:32:46.420 you understand? I am the apple of God's eye. 00:32:51.469 --> 00:33:00.950 There is a jealousy of God over my life. You 00:33:00.950 --> 00:33:03.289 are a dead man if you say anything against me. 00:33:07.490 --> 00:33:11.230 So we conjure scripture and we grab here, grab 00:33:11.230 --> 00:33:18.400 here. And we are happy. When others are suffering. 00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:21.480 It's only when you hear that they are killing 00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:26.519 believers. Then you say. Lord save them. Lord. 00:33:26.940 --> 00:33:29.880 What is this? But once you hear. Especially those 00:33:29.880 --> 00:33:35.079 who have been against you. Once. You have heard. 00:33:35.660 --> 00:33:41.819 You say. That's the judgment of God. They are 00:33:41.819 --> 00:33:44.680 joking with the God's anointed. You see, your 00:33:44.680 --> 00:33:53.119 theology is tempered. Something is wrong. It 00:33:53.119 --> 00:33:56.519 makes it look as if the love of God has high 00:33:56.519 --> 00:34:02.339 and low. There is some certain situation, certain 00:34:02.339 --> 00:34:06.960 condition. When you received him, his love is 00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:10.639 higher towards you. When you have not received 00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:15.349 him, his love towards you is low. and his dispositions 00:34:15.349 --> 00:34:17.750 toward those who are against him, he killed them. 00:34:23.809 --> 00:34:29.190 Our worldview ought to be shaped by the word 00:34:29.190 --> 00:34:36.369 of God. That in the plan of God, male and female, 00:34:36.610 --> 00:34:46.409 you understand, in the image of God. You have 00:34:46.409 --> 00:34:50.610 to fight your village. Because so many of us 00:34:50.610 --> 00:34:52.730 have been walking with our villages, even though 00:34:52.730 --> 00:34:56.150 we have left it far away. But he's still following 00:34:56.150 --> 00:35:03.610 us. There's nothing wrong to go to a village, 00:35:03.789 --> 00:35:12.630 but let it not continue to be in your head. When 00:35:12.630 --> 00:35:14.690 you see a woman, what is your disposition towards 00:35:14.690 --> 00:35:24.800 her? What is your first instinct? And even our 00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:31.420 women, our ladies, each time you come among people, 00:35:31.800 --> 00:35:35.260 I've seen it in class. We say, who represent 00:35:35.260 --> 00:35:39.239 us? The man who you know is the dumbest in the 00:35:39.239 --> 00:35:43.420 class, you come out. The smart ladies, you see 00:35:43.420 --> 00:35:48.280 them. He said, you, can't you? No, he can't do 00:35:48.280 --> 00:35:53.920 it. Because consistently we have been taught 00:35:53.920 --> 00:36:00.980 or society have made it to look like you are 00:36:00.980 --> 00:36:06.519 inferior. And your value is only in marriage. 00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:13.610 And many of us unconsciously You are sitting 00:36:13.610 --> 00:36:16.510 now. Even though you are doing well in school, 00:36:16.750 --> 00:36:24.130 your main goal, your ultimate desire, your apex, 00:36:24.530 --> 00:36:30.730 your zenith, you understand, in life, is to get 00:36:30.730 --> 00:36:37.969 married. You feel something, as people told you, 00:36:38.030 --> 00:36:42.320 that... If you didn't see men crowding around 00:36:42.320 --> 00:36:44.599 you, something is wrong with you. Did you see 00:36:44.599 --> 00:36:53.159 that your village is still following you? You 00:36:53.159 --> 00:36:56.760 must understand that there is an inherent value, 00:36:57.059 --> 00:37:03.320 an essence and a significance that God has made 00:37:03.320 --> 00:37:13.489 you. In his own image, just like the man. We 00:37:13.489 --> 00:37:16.650 might differ because of, in terms of reproduction 00:37:16.650 --> 00:37:20.329 and things. Are we together? But there are not 00:37:20.329 --> 00:37:23.849 two kinds of men, God admit. There are not two 00:37:23.849 --> 00:37:26.969 kinds of images. Did you understand what I'm 00:37:26.969 --> 00:37:37.710 trying to say? It's one. It's one. Look at what 00:37:37.710 --> 00:37:52.429 James said. Look at James. Chapter 3. Let me 00:37:52.429 --> 00:37:56.909 read from verse 6. James chapter 3 verse 6. He 00:37:56.909 --> 00:38:00.250 was talking about the tongue. He said the tongue 00:38:00.250 --> 00:38:05.570 is a fire. A wall of iniquity. The tongue is 00:38:05.570 --> 00:38:28.519 so set among our members. That is the fire. Verse 00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:43.539 8. Verse 8. Full of deadly poison. Look at verse 00:38:43.539 --> 00:38:46.860 9 where I'm going. Oh, let's read together. One, 00:38:46.900 --> 00:38:51.860 two, go. With it, we bless our God and Father. 00:38:52.059 --> 00:38:56.639 And with it, we curse men who have been made 00:38:56.639 --> 00:39:02.719 in the world. Oh, talk to me again. Hallelujah. 00:39:03.360 --> 00:39:11.039 That word, similitut. That word, similitut. He 00:39:11.039 --> 00:39:16.079 didn't say believers who. He said man. All man. 00:39:16.940 --> 00:39:22.739 Made in the similitude of God. That was similitude. 00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:30.639 It's homoesis. H -M. H. Did I say H -M? H -O. 00:39:31.860 --> 00:39:35.559 H -O. Don't worry. Maybe I want to return to 00:39:35.559 --> 00:39:37.920 Hebrew. You know, in the earlier Hebrew, there 00:39:37.920 --> 00:39:52.289 was no vowels. H -O -M -O -I -O -S -I -S. H -O 00:39:52.289 --> 00:40:01.610 -M -O -I -O -S -I -S. It means likeness. Interestingly, 00:40:01.750 --> 00:40:09.219 this word in Hebrew is the moot. Remember? Image 00:40:09.219 --> 00:40:11.900 and likeness, which we have studied before. Are 00:40:11.900 --> 00:40:17.579 we together? Which was used also for Seth. He 00:40:17.579 --> 00:40:21.400 was born after the likeness and the image of 00:40:21.400 --> 00:40:25.940 God. And we noted that the word likeness, you 00:40:25.940 --> 00:40:30.159 understand, is the same like image, which is 00:40:30.159 --> 00:40:34.800 Salem. Are we together? So, this word similitude 00:40:34.800 --> 00:40:39.820 also means... Or it means, you can say, it's 00:40:39.820 --> 00:40:45.239 the same thing with image. It's a man made in 00:40:45.239 --> 00:40:55.260 the image of God. So this means all of us, male 00:40:55.260 --> 00:41:00.199 and female, male and female, have been made in 00:41:00.199 --> 00:41:07.739 the image of God. Did you see that, what I'm 00:41:07.739 --> 00:41:12.000 saying? He said, who have been made, not who 00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:16.860 will be. Are you with me? He did not say who 00:41:16.860 --> 00:41:19.679 will be. Did you understand what I'm saying? 00:41:19.840 --> 00:41:26.519 Who have been made. That's why we said the word 00:41:26.519 --> 00:41:29.059 image is not something that is even exclusive 00:41:29.059 --> 00:41:44.579 to believers. Every man and every woman. Look 00:41:44.579 --> 00:41:53.320 at Acts. Look at what Paul said. Jesus. Acts 00:41:53.320 --> 00:42:04.559 17. Acts 17. I want you to see what is the view 00:42:04.559 --> 00:42:09.239 of the Bible in this regard. I want you to see 00:42:09.239 --> 00:42:13.440 how these apostles... How the prophet of old 00:42:13.440 --> 00:42:21.320 wrote and what they meant by the image of God. 00:42:21.440 --> 00:42:24.960 And what the apostles, when they came, also what 00:42:24.960 --> 00:42:27.440 was their view? What was their understanding 00:42:27.440 --> 00:42:30.820 and revelation concerning this? Look at verse 00:42:30.820 --> 00:42:38.480 17. Well, let me read from verse 16. Acts 17. 00:42:39.289 --> 00:42:44.030 Verse 16. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, 00:42:44.230 --> 00:42:48.130 his spirit was provoked within him when he saw 00:42:48.130 --> 00:42:51.469 that the city was given over to idols. Therefore 00:42:51.469 --> 00:42:54.829 he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and 00:42:54.829 --> 00:42:57.929 with Gentiles, worshipers, and in the marketplace 00:42:57.929 --> 00:43:02.670 daily with those who happened to be there. Then 00:43:02.670 --> 00:43:06.989 certain Epicureans and Stoic philosophers encountered 00:43:06.989 --> 00:43:11.239 him. And some said, what does this babbler want 00:43:11.239 --> 00:43:15.340 to say? Others said, he seems to be a proclaimer 00:43:15.340 --> 00:43:20.639 of foreign gods because he preached to them Jesus 00:43:20.639 --> 00:43:27.460 and the resurrection. Verse 19. And they took 00:43:27.460 --> 00:43:32.460 him and brought him to the Areopagus saying, 00:43:32.639 --> 00:43:40.440 may we know what this new doctrine is of which 00:43:40.440 --> 00:43:46.000 you speak. For you are bringing some strange 00:43:46.000 --> 00:43:50.239 things to our ears. Therefore, we want to know 00:43:50.239 --> 00:43:54.280 what these things mean. These are not believers. 00:43:54.300 --> 00:44:01.880 For all the Athenians and the foreigners who 00:44:01.880 --> 00:44:06.119 were there spent their time in nothing else. 00:44:06.780 --> 00:44:12.820 but either to tell or to hear some new things. 00:44:14.760 --> 00:44:20.400 Then Paul, verse 22, stood in the midst of Areopagus 00:44:20.400 --> 00:44:25.320 and said, Men of Athens, I perceive that in all 00:44:25.320 --> 00:44:30.880 the things you are very religious. For as I was 00:44:30.880 --> 00:44:35.679 passing through and considering the... objects 00:44:35.679 --> 00:44:40.320 of your worship. I even found an altar with this 00:44:40.320 --> 00:44:46.039 inscription to the unknown gods. Therefore, the 00:44:46.039 --> 00:44:49.539 one whom you worship without knowing, him I proclaim 00:44:49.539 --> 00:44:57.760 to you. Look at verse 24. God who makes the world 00:44:57.760 --> 00:45:08.690 and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven 00:45:08.690 --> 00:45:14.289 and earth, does not dwell in temples made with 00:45:14.289 --> 00:45:19.489 what? Made with hands. Verse 25. No, is he worshipped 00:45:19.489 --> 00:45:23.070 with men's hands as though he needed anything 00:45:23.070 --> 00:45:30.269 since he gives to all life breath and all things. 00:45:30.409 --> 00:45:37.019 Verse 26. And he made. Please note verse 26. 00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:44.099 What did he do? And he made from one blood every 00:45:44.099 --> 00:45:51.539 nation of men to dwell on all the face of the 00:45:51.539 --> 00:45:55.739 earth and has determined their pre -appointed 00:45:55.739 --> 00:46:01.760 times and boundaries of their dwellings. Verse 00:46:01.760 --> 00:46:05.920 27. So that they should seek the Lord in the 00:46:05.920 --> 00:46:10.840 hope that they might grow for him and find him. 00:46:10.880 --> 00:46:20.960 Though he is not far from each of us. For in 00:46:20.960 --> 00:46:26.519 him we live, we move and have our being. As also 00:46:26.519 --> 00:46:35.969 some of your poets have said. also is offspring. 00:46:36.150 --> 00:46:40.269 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, 00:46:40.409 --> 00:46:45.090 we ought not to think that the divine nature 00:46:45.090 --> 00:46:50.909 is like gold or silver or stones or something 00:46:50.909 --> 00:46:58.730 shaped by art and man's devising. I want you 00:46:58.730 --> 00:47:00.969 to know that Paul, first and foremost, was not 00:47:00.969 --> 00:47:04.110 speaking in church. He was not speaking to believers. 00:47:05.210 --> 00:47:08.349 So he was not speaking to Christians. He was 00:47:08.349 --> 00:47:11.510 speaking to these philosophers. Are we together? 00:47:12.809 --> 00:47:17.329 Look at verse 26. He said, and he makes from 00:47:17.329 --> 00:47:27.409 one blood every nation of men. Every. Every. 00:47:28.650 --> 00:47:34.190 One blood from one blood. This means that every 00:47:34.190 --> 00:47:39.750 human being has the same identity. Did you understand 00:47:39.750 --> 00:47:42.690 what I'm trying to say? Every human being has 00:47:42.690 --> 00:47:48.889 the same identity which came from God. Remember 00:47:48.889 --> 00:47:53.570 what James said. You understand? Men who have 00:47:53.570 --> 00:47:59.980 been made, how? In the similitude of God. Paul 00:47:59.980 --> 00:48:04.179 is again reaffirming that every man, every human 00:48:04.179 --> 00:48:07.340 being, you understand, have the same identity. 00:48:11.880 --> 00:48:17.320 That same identity is what Jesus partook. You 00:48:17.320 --> 00:48:27.760 understand? Are we together? And the word became 00:48:27.760 --> 00:48:38.460 flesh. And he dwell among us. The word became 00:48:38.460 --> 00:48:45.860 flesh. And he dwell among us. So Paul. In this 00:48:45.860 --> 00:48:53.679 text. Is pointing. To Moses view. In Genesis 00:48:53.679 --> 00:48:58.090 chapter 1 and 2. About man. James pointed us 00:48:58.090 --> 00:49:02.150 to that one also. Remember we have said that 00:49:02.150 --> 00:49:04.869 these people were not writing from a thin air. 00:49:05.090 --> 00:49:07.590 Did you understand what I'm saying? The apostles, 00:49:07.730 --> 00:49:10.190 when they were writing and teaching, they were 00:49:10.190 --> 00:49:13.690 not writing from a thin air. It was the materials 00:49:13.690 --> 00:49:17.690 of Moses and the prophet they were using. So 00:49:17.690 --> 00:49:21.289 every view that we are holding, we ought to see 00:49:21.289 --> 00:49:24.570 it across scripture. Because what they were holding 00:49:24.570 --> 00:49:30.980 were actually what was taught and revealed. So 00:49:30.980 --> 00:49:34.840 Paul agrees with even the poet. You know, you 00:49:34.840 --> 00:49:37.360 don't need, it's all necessary. You know, I see 00:49:37.360 --> 00:49:42.280 many believers when something happens and then 00:49:42.280 --> 00:49:44.760 they ask, and maybe something very spectacular 00:49:44.760 --> 00:49:49.300 and it happens and they ask, who is he? Is he 00:49:49.300 --> 00:49:52.860 a believer? I know that thing is from the pit 00:49:52.860 --> 00:49:58.150 of hell. Did you hear what I'm trying to say? 00:50:00.210 --> 00:50:04.670 We have not seen that kind of pattern. Please, 00:50:04.670 --> 00:50:11.190 Jesus did not save you to enter into bitterness 00:50:11.190 --> 00:50:16.309 with those people who are not saved. Are we together? 00:50:22.309 --> 00:50:27.000 The fact that you acknowledge The good things 00:50:27.000 --> 00:50:32.699 of God in man doesn't mean that you subscribe 00:50:32.699 --> 00:50:35.619 to their ideology. Did you understand what I'm 00:50:35.619 --> 00:50:39.880 saying? Paul agreed with their poet. This philosopher, 00:50:40.000 --> 00:50:42.820 he agreed with them. Remember, we have it in 00:50:42.820 --> 00:50:47.340 our... I think it's here, right? In him we do 00:50:47.340 --> 00:50:53.840 what? This is not a quotation from Bible. It's 00:50:53.840 --> 00:50:57.179 not from any Old Testament. This is Paul's extraction 00:50:57.179 --> 00:51:02.400 from the philosophers. Did you understand what 00:51:02.400 --> 00:51:07.900 I'm saying? From these poets. Please don't deny 00:51:07.900 --> 00:51:15.460 good things. Don't deny good things. You know, 00:51:15.460 --> 00:51:20.900 I know brothers do that. If you see good things, 00:51:20.920 --> 00:51:26.570 acknowledge it. Acknowledge it. It's always seen. 00:51:28.969 --> 00:51:42.309 It means you are healthy. Acknowledge it. You 00:51:42.309 --> 00:51:44.829 know, in those days, anything you see, an invention 00:51:44.829 --> 00:51:46.909 in the world or anything that is good, you say, 00:51:46.949 --> 00:51:51.610 we know who is giving them those ideas. They 00:51:51.610 --> 00:51:54.670 are getting it from the pit of hell. It's from 00:51:54.670 --> 00:51:56.369 the marine world. How did you know? Were you 00:51:56.369 --> 00:52:04.010 there? There are truths, and we taught this during 00:52:04.010 --> 00:52:06.250 the time we were talking about the communicity 00:52:06.250 --> 00:52:08.349 of Scripture, I think during one of our cataclysms, 00:52:08.469 --> 00:52:13.969 right? There are many texts, many biblical writers 00:52:13.969 --> 00:52:18.510 that actually quote from materials from unbelievers. 00:52:20.619 --> 00:52:22.739 But the fact that you quote a piece does not 00:52:22.739 --> 00:52:24.639 mean that you say everything they are writing 00:52:24.639 --> 00:52:26.639 and everything is okay. No, that's not what they're 00:52:26.639 --> 00:52:29.760 saying. In fact, if you check here, in that same 00:52:29.760 --> 00:52:32.719 place, Paul disputed some of the things also 00:52:32.719 --> 00:52:34.280 they are saying. Did you understand what I'm 00:52:34.280 --> 00:52:37.519 trying to say? So it's not that blanketly. Oh, 00:52:37.699 --> 00:52:43.260 let me see that place. Verse 29. Therefore, since 00:52:43.260 --> 00:52:46.639 we are of the hospital of God, we ought not to 00:52:46.639 --> 00:52:49.639 think that the divine nature is like gold. Did 00:52:49.639 --> 00:52:52.019 you see that? That means they are taking that 00:52:52.019 --> 00:52:54.920 the divine nature is like what? He said, no, 00:52:55.019 --> 00:52:56.619 no, no, no, that's wrong, that's wrong, that's 00:52:56.619 --> 00:52:59.880 wrong. So the fact that Paul quoted from them 00:52:59.880 --> 00:53:02.920 and said this is right does not mean that he 00:53:02.920 --> 00:53:04.679 subscribes to everything they are saying. Are 00:53:04.679 --> 00:53:08.300 we together? So please acknowledge this. If you 00:53:08.300 --> 00:53:10.360 see a lady beautifully dressed, you say, oh, 00:53:10.360 --> 00:53:14.260 you are beautifully dressed. You know, sir? Don't 00:53:14.260 --> 00:53:21.090 you say, bless you, sister. And then when you 00:53:21.090 --> 00:53:25.030 go in your heart, say, this lady is endowed. 00:53:30.090 --> 00:53:36.849 Hallelujah. You are human. Live it. Humanity 00:53:36.849 --> 00:53:38.869 is not sinfulness. Do you understand what I'm 00:53:38.869 --> 00:53:41.389 saying? Do you get what I'm trying to say? I 00:53:41.389 --> 00:53:45.610 see some people do look as if you are a believer. 00:53:47.179 --> 00:53:50.760 You make Christianity look as if it's about you 00:53:50.760 --> 00:53:55.820 frowning your face. When people are laughing, 00:53:55.860 --> 00:54:11.000 you don't want to laugh. What is that? When we 00:54:11.000 --> 00:54:13.000 are fellowshipping and everybody is speaking 00:54:13.000 --> 00:54:15.150 and eating some this thing. You don't want to 00:54:15.150 --> 00:54:17.050 eat before bread. What is the meaning of that? 00:54:26.329 --> 00:54:30.769 You say, what do you call it? Ministerious ethics. 00:54:33.369 --> 00:54:43.050 Where did you learn that? From your Jesus? Hallelujah. 00:54:47.880 --> 00:54:56.559 Now, as I close for today, the question is, is 00:54:56.559 --> 00:55:02.539 that identity, the human identity, is that image, 00:55:02.679 --> 00:55:11.400 that identity, sin of sin? No. We have already 00:55:11.400 --> 00:55:14.800 noted that that has never been the teaching of 00:55:14.800 --> 00:55:18.480 Moses. Moses never taught that. That we are born 00:55:18.480 --> 00:55:24.659 sinners. Never. Are we together? Moses never 00:55:24.659 --> 00:55:27.579 taught that. The apostles never taught that. 00:55:28.679 --> 00:55:35.380 Never. They never taught that. Many people misinterpret 00:55:35.380 --> 00:55:37.860 Romans chapter 3. We have taught it in this place. 00:55:38.099 --> 00:55:41.340 Romans chapter 3 verse 23. You understand? All 00:55:41.340 --> 00:55:43.679 have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. 00:55:44.739 --> 00:55:50.420 You understand? Or Romans 5. Verse 12. No. That's 00:55:50.420 --> 00:55:52.980 not what Paul is saying. He didn't say that everybody 00:55:52.980 --> 00:55:57.619 on earth have sinned. It's not true. You know, 00:55:57.639 --> 00:56:01.760 son, when we come next, we will ask the question, 00:56:01.940 --> 00:56:07.860 is our physical body part of the image of God? 00:56:09.119 --> 00:56:15.139 Is our physical body part of the image of God? 00:56:16.300 --> 00:56:19.260 Because we need to address a lot of things. And 00:56:19.260 --> 00:56:24.320 so that you see it clearly. That, you know, there 00:56:24.320 --> 00:56:28.900 are some teachings of a mixture of different 00:56:28.900 --> 00:56:32.559 things. Whereby you think is by destroying your 00:56:32.559 --> 00:56:35.239 body and killing your body is the body of sin. 00:56:35.639 --> 00:56:39.739 Is the body of sin. We have to kill it and we 00:56:39.739 --> 00:56:45.719 die daily. Okay, from what? Of course, I die 00:56:45.719 --> 00:56:51.159 daily. See my gray hairs. But that's not what 00:56:51.159 --> 00:56:55.960 Paul is saying. Are we together? But as you are 00:56:55.960 --> 00:56:58.420 moving, know that there is an inherent value. 00:56:59.039 --> 00:57:03.679 The same value like that of a man. God has no 00:57:03.679 --> 00:57:06.420 different value for a woman different from that 00:57:06.420 --> 00:57:09.420 of a man. Are we together? You have an inherent 00:57:09.420 --> 00:57:11.800 value. And it's not because you have done anything. 00:57:13.139 --> 00:57:17.260 James told us that he has made. Meaning that 00:57:17.260 --> 00:57:20.599 it's an identity not by doing, but by being. 00:57:21.019 --> 00:57:26.139 Are we together? By being. You do nothing to 00:57:26.139 --> 00:57:30.179 receive such inherent value. It's an act of God. 00:57:30.940 --> 00:57:34.960 It's the doing of God. It's the work of God. 00:57:35.519 --> 00:57:40.079 And we have seen it. And we tell the Lord for 00:57:40.079 --> 00:57:46.840 it. Can you just thank the Lord for that? And 00:57:46.840 --> 00:57:51.480 say, Lord, let my view concerning my sister change. 00:57:52.480 --> 00:57:56.920 Concerning who I am change. To the one that is 00:57:56.920 --> 00:58:01.440 yours. That you have value in her. Just like 00:58:01.440 --> 00:58:05.400 you have value in me as a man. That we are both 00:58:05.400 --> 00:58:09.900 in the image of God. That you never desire that 00:58:09.900 --> 00:58:15.070 we... Stay in isolation. That together. That 00:58:15.070 --> 00:58:18.489 together. That it is your plan we stay together. 00:58:18.969 --> 00:58:24.489 That it is your plan. You are planning. You are 00:58:24.489 --> 00:58:27.389 planning right from the beginning. You wanted 00:58:27.389 --> 00:58:31.389 a family. A family that is connected. Male and 00:58:31.389 --> 00:58:35.110 female. You wanted a church. Male and female. 00:58:39.639 --> 00:58:42.699 Glory to Jesus. Oh, thank you, Lord.