WEBVTT 00:00:01.259 --> 00:00:06.919 Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is 00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:09.900 designed to uplift and strengthen you in your 00:00:09.900 --> 00:00:14.140 walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until 00:00:14.140 --> 00:00:18.160 the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:29.629 right in. Colossians chapter 2 I'm trusting God 00:00:29.629 --> 00:00:32.270 we're supposed to finish off the last part for 00:00:32.270 --> 00:00:44.789 this today. Amen. I guess is it 29 today? Hallelujah. 00:00:49.909 --> 00:00:56.189 Colossians chapter 2 verse 15. Having disarmed 00:00:56.189 --> 00:01:00.950 principalities, and powers. He made a public 00:01:00.950 --> 00:01:05.469 spectacle of them triumphing over them in it. 00:01:06.430 --> 00:01:12.750 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, 00:01:14.290 --> 00:01:20.590 or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbath, 00:01:22.370 --> 00:01:26.269 which are a shadow of the things to come, where 00:01:26.269 --> 00:01:36.340 the substance Let no one cheat you of your reward, 00:01:36.620 --> 00:01:40.840 taking delight in false humility and worship 00:01:40.840 --> 00:01:46.879 of angels, intruding into those things which 00:01:46.879 --> 00:02:02.030 he has not seen. from whom all the body nourished 00:02:02.030 --> 00:02:06.409 and knit together by joints and ligaments, grow 00:02:06.409 --> 00:02:12.750 with the increase that is from God. Therefore, 00:02:13.710 --> 00:02:18.250 if you died with Christ from the basic principles 00:02:18.250 --> 00:02:23.689 of the world, why, as though living in the world, 00:02:24.710 --> 00:02:28.310 do you subject yourself to regulations, do not 00:02:28.310 --> 00:02:35.099 touch? do not test, do not handle, which all 00:02:35.099 --> 00:02:42.240 concerning this, which concerning things which 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:46.759 perish with the using, according to the commandment 00:02:46.759 --> 00:02:51.419 and doctrine of men. These things indeed have 00:02:51.419 --> 00:02:56.719 an appearance of wisdom in self -imposed religion. 00:02:57.389 --> 00:03:05.990 false humility and neglect of the body, but are 00:03:05.990 --> 00:03:11.210 of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. 00:03:11.330 --> 00:03:14.969 Chapter 3 verse 1. If then you were raised with 00:03:14.969 --> 00:03:18.750 Christ, seek those things which are above, where 00:03:18.750 --> 00:03:23.129 Christ is sitting, at the right hand of God. 00:03:23.370 --> 00:03:27.169 Set your mind on things above, not on the things 00:03:27.169 --> 00:03:33.849 on the earth for you will die and your life is 00:03:33.849 --> 00:03:39.189 hidden with christ in god hallelujah so what 00:03:39.189 --> 00:03:43.469 i will just do today is just to look at the implications 00:03:43.469 --> 00:03:47.370 for getting involved in the worship of angels 00:03:47.370 --> 00:03:54.960 the implications of getting involved in the worship 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:02.020 of angels. In other words, what is the implication 00:04:02.020 --> 00:04:06.500 of practicing the law? Even while you are saved, 00:04:07.139 --> 00:04:13.039 even while you have been purchased, you have 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:16.740 been redeemed by the blood, what is the implication 00:04:16.740 --> 00:04:24.110 of practicing the law? Look at verse 17. after 00:04:24.110 --> 00:04:29.050 the two of collusions. He said, which are a shadow 00:04:29.050 --> 00:04:33.889 of the things to come, but the substance is of 00:04:33.889 --> 00:04:38.329 Christ. Verse 16, so let no one judge you in 00:04:38.329 --> 00:04:42.550 food or in drink, or regarding a festival, or 00:04:42.550 --> 00:04:48.750 a new moon, or sabbaths. He was just describing 00:04:48.750 --> 00:04:54.350 the law, and which we said, That actually involved 00:04:54.350 --> 00:04:57.930 in the law means involved in the religion of 00:04:57.930 --> 00:05:04.550 angels or in the worship of angels And then he 00:05:04.550 --> 00:05:08.970 said the law verse 17 is a which are a shadow 00:05:08.970 --> 00:05:16.970 of the things to come but the substance Is of 00:05:16.970 --> 00:05:22.629 Christ Another word the shadow of the things 00:05:22.629 --> 00:05:27.910 to come. What is shadow? I mean, for a long time 00:05:27.910 --> 00:05:33.990 I've read shadow, you understand, as something 00:05:33.990 --> 00:05:37.509 actually like symbol or directing you to Christ, 00:05:37.569 --> 00:05:40.329 like a signboard, you know something? Like when 00:05:40.329 --> 00:05:42.709 you stand like this, you see, you point to this 00:05:42.709 --> 00:05:46.750 place, this is the place, understand. What is 00:05:46.750 --> 00:05:49.829 shadow? Of course, here is talking about the 00:05:49.829 --> 00:05:52.750 law, that the law is a shadow. are we together 00:05:52.750 --> 00:05:57.170 and if we read in order of i think we i made 00:05:57.170 --> 00:06:01.589 mention of that hubris chapter 10 well let me 00:06:01.589 --> 00:06:17.649 read eight first hubris chapter eight look at 00:06:17.649 --> 00:06:21.829 verse four Well, let me read from verse one so 00:06:21.829 --> 00:06:26.089 that we understand. Now this is the main point 00:06:26.089 --> 00:06:30.509 of the things we are saying. We have such a high 00:06:30.509 --> 00:06:34.829 priest who is seated at the right hand of the 00:06:34.829 --> 00:06:39.350 throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister 00:06:39.350 --> 00:06:43.509 of sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which 00:06:43.509 --> 00:06:48.069 the Lord erected, not man. Verse 3, for every 00:06:48.069 --> 00:06:51.389 high priest is appointed to offer both gifts 00:06:51.389 --> 00:06:54.509 and sacrifice. Therefore it is necessary that 00:06:54.509 --> 00:06:58.870 this one also have something to offer. For if 00:06:58.870 --> 00:07:01.569 he were on earth, talking about Christ who is 00:07:01.569 --> 00:07:07.490 a high priest, he said he will not be a priest 00:07:07.490 --> 00:07:14.430 since there were priests who offered gifts according 00:07:14.430 --> 00:07:18.560 to what? according to the law. So you say they 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:22.180 were a priest. If you had been on earth, because 00:07:22.180 --> 00:07:25.279 the tabernacle of the high priest with her is 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:27.480 not made with hands. You say, if you were on 00:07:27.480 --> 00:07:30.540 earth, you would not be a priest. Because there 00:07:30.540 --> 00:07:33.220 were already people occupying that place. Are 00:07:33.220 --> 00:07:37.660 we together? They did so, offer sacrifices, according 00:07:37.660 --> 00:07:41.300 to what? According to the law. You say, who served? 00:07:41.579 --> 00:07:45.449 That is what they did. The system. self as what? 00:07:45.930 --> 00:07:51.589 As a copy and as a shadow of the things to come. 00:07:52.410 --> 00:07:54.629 That's what the point I'm trying to make. So 00:07:54.629 --> 00:07:58.430 there's a system of the law that's a shadow of 00:07:58.430 --> 00:08:03.410 the things to come. Chapter 10 verse 1. For the 00:08:03.410 --> 00:08:09.110 law, having a shadow of the good things to come 00:08:09.110 --> 00:08:16.439 and not look at the what? And what? not the very 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:21.959 image of the things can never with these sacrifices 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:27.620 which they offer continually year by year make 00:08:27.620 --> 00:08:32.259 those who approach perfect. Now it's already, 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:35.340 this place is trying to give us already what 00:08:35.340 --> 00:08:37.659 shadow means. But when you look at the word shadow 00:08:37.659 --> 00:08:49.629 in Greek is the word scare that is S. T -I -A 00:08:49.629 --> 00:08:57.509 S -K -I -A In Greek it means darkness of error 00:08:57.509 --> 00:09:06.750 darkness of error or adumbration or adumbration 00:09:06.750 --> 00:09:12.450 talking about something that's faintly represents 00:09:12.450 --> 00:09:17.049 or cast a shadow. What we're trying to say is 00:09:17.049 --> 00:09:22.269 that if I stand here, this light is showing my 00:09:22.269 --> 00:09:26.370 shadow. That means I am the real. Are we together? 00:09:27.090 --> 00:09:30.230 This one is what? Is the unreal. Are we together? 00:09:30.769 --> 00:09:34.070 So if you want to shake hands with me, will you 00:09:34.070 --> 00:09:36.669 shake hands with the real or with the unreal? 00:09:37.850 --> 00:09:41.350 Are we together? When the scripture talks about 00:09:41.350 --> 00:09:45.789 shadow, it talks about something that is faintly 00:09:45.789 --> 00:09:52.909 represented in the sun. Amen. So, there are many 00:09:52.909 --> 00:09:58.029 features of Victor you can never see from the 00:09:58.029 --> 00:10:00.629 shadow of Victor. Are we together? If you say 00:10:00.629 --> 00:10:04.350 you want to study me, like Pastor Cosimo, Dadu, 00:10:04.789 --> 00:10:09.460 Anatomy, Nitia Kadava, they sleep with cadaver 00:10:09.460 --> 00:10:14.639 they eat with cadaver hallelujah they are not 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:16.679 they didn't study shadow did you understand trying 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:23.340 to say amen they did not study shadow they brought 00:10:23.340 --> 00:10:26.539 the cadaver they were seeing it they were walking 00:10:26.539 --> 00:10:30.419 on the cadaver are we together amen if you have 00:10:30.419 --> 00:10:32.519 a doctor that walk on the shadow don't go to 00:10:32.519 --> 00:10:41.340 that doctor are we together amen so What the 00:10:41.340 --> 00:10:44.720 Bible is trying to say is that you can never 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:48.460 study the real from the shadow Did you get what 00:10:48.460 --> 00:10:55.820 I'm trying to say? So the Bible says not a war 00:10:55.820 --> 00:11:02.820 tax the law is not the reality Are we together 00:11:02.820 --> 00:11:10.879 that it is not the real thing Now read that verse 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:14.139 17 go back to that Colossians Let's read that 00:11:14.139 --> 00:11:19.059 verse 17. He said which are a shadow of the things 00:11:19.059 --> 00:11:25.159 to come You see that? He said but the substance 00:11:25.159 --> 00:11:30.059 is Christ that was substance in Greek is Soma 00:11:30.059 --> 00:11:35.600 S -O -M -A It it means literally body You did 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:39.980 get all the point so you can say The body, just 00:11:39.980 --> 00:11:45.460 like I give an example, my body, me, me, me, 00:11:45.659 --> 00:11:49.639 that is Soma. The shadow is not the real Victor. 00:11:50.779 --> 00:11:54.600 Me, my body, you can see me, you can touch me 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:57.519 in the sun, is the substance, that's the reality. 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:21.379 So the reality is Christ, not the shadow. So 00:12:21.379 --> 00:12:26.059 what are we trying to say? We're trying to say 00:12:26.059 --> 00:12:30.440 that the reality and the shadow are two different 00:12:30.440 --> 00:12:34.580 systems. That is, what the reality will give 00:12:34.580 --> 00:12:38.320 you, the shadow cannot give you. The revelation 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:41.519 in the reality, you can't see it in the shadow. 00:12:49.179 --> 00:12:53.419 The shadow brings death, the reality brings life. 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:02.940 The shadow is darkness, but the reality is light. 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:15.899 You want life is in the real, not in the shadow. 00:13:20.259 --> 00:13:29.960 Therefore, you cannot expect the shadow. What 00:13:29.960 --> 00:13:33.799 again? Death, because there is death in shadow. 00:13:34.700 --> 00:13:40.830 Eh? Darkness. Eh? to teach you about light and 00:13:40.830 --> 00:13:45.509 life. Are we together? We said the real or the 00:13:45.509 --> 00:13:52.909 reality, which is Christ, is different from the 00:13:52.909 --> 00:13:59.049 shadow. The shadow brings darkness. The shadow, 00:14:00.529 --> 00:14:04.669 so you cannot study the shadow, which is darkness 00:14:04.669 --> 00:14:10.750 to see light. Which means you cannot study the 00:14:10.750 --> 00:14:15.789 shadow. Which brings death to receive life. Did 00:14:15.789 --> 00:14:24.690 you get what I'm trying to say? Now look at what 00:14:24.690 --> 00:14:31.710 Paul outlined more. When he did a very intelligent 00:14:31.710 --> 00:14:38.809 thing here. He described the first thing by 16. 00:14:40.330 --> 00:14:44.649 He said, food and drink. What Paul grouped it 00:14:44.649 --> 00:14:48.190 is that that's dietary regulations. Did you get 00:14:48.190 --> 00:14:52.250 what I'm trying to say? Dietary what? Regulation. 00:14:53.169 --> 00:14:55.669 You know, there are some people who believe to 00:14:55.669 --> 00:15:00.409 please God, you can eat certain things. Did you 00:15:00.409 --> 00:15:02.250 get what I'm trying to say? That's why he said 00:15:02.250 --> 00:15:07.450 you cannot, you see. you cannot have life or 00:15:07.450 --> 00:15:11.269 you cannot get God's acceptance from following 00:15:11.269 --> 00:15:15.929 the shadow because in the shadow there is no 00:15:15.929 --> 00:15:20.730 you can't have acceptance of God so Paul is saying 00:15:20.730 --> 00:15:24.210 don't allow anyone to judge you you understand 00:15:24.210 --> 00:15:26.789 he said in food and drink in other way we can 00:15:26.789 --> 00:15:31.450 say the dietary regulations don't eat pork don't 00:15:31.450 --> 00:15:35.700 eat rat don't eat lizard Don't eat, what do you 00:15:35.700 --> 00:15:39.500 call it? Shellfish, you know shellfish? All those 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:47.639 crab. And the rest, they are family. Amen? Lobsters, 00:15:47.820 --> 00:15:50.379 you get the point? Even though today it has become 00:15:50.379 --> 00:15:57.379 a symbol of luxury. But if you eat it, these 00:15:57.379 --> 00:16:01.460 things, we even have one in Nigeria, they call 00:16:01.460 --> 00:16:09.190 it Taitos, right? Dietary regulation. If you 00:16:09.190 --> 00:16:14.350 read Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, you will 00:16:14.350 --> 00:16:18.149 see all kinds of dietary regulations there. Are 00:16:18.149 --> 00:16:21.110 we together? All kinds of dietary regulations. 00:16:24.129 --> 00:16:30.570 We can even classify the issue of communion in 00:16:30.570 --> 00:16:34.899 that category. You know, some people believe 00:16:34.899 --> 00:16:38.779 when you take bread and wine, that's when you 00:16:38.779 --> 00:16:44.779 will have God's favor, God's protection. And 00:16:44.779 --> 00:16:50.919 so you take things out of context. In fact, to 00:16:50.919 --> 00:16:54.700 make it, that's those people who are in the, 00:16:57.259 --> 00:17:00.639 if you take it much more, you move to our brothers. 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:10.220 that take Eucharist. They believe that to be 00:17:10.220 --> 00:17:15.859 able to be safe, you need the Eucharist. That 00:17:15.859 --> 00:17:18.859 as you eat it, you eat literally the body of 00:17:18.859 --> 00:17:25.779 Jesus. And they pick it from John chapter six, 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:30.700 when Jesus said, if you eat my body and drink 00:17:30.700 --> 00:17:34.250 my what? my blood, that's when you will have 00:17:34.250 --> 00:17:39.990 life or eternal life. Are we together? The question 00:17:39.990 --> 00:17:43.750 is, you want to ask, who has ever eaten Christ's 00:17:43.750 --> 00:17:50.430 body? The disciples that were with him, did they 00:17:50.430 --> 00:17:55.430 eat his body? If you read in that content, you 00:17:55.430 --> 00:17:57.630 will see that even then they were confused. They 00:17:57.630 --> 00:17:59.430 didn't understand what he was saying. That was 00:17:59.430 --> 00:18:02.470 why they were angry. So how did this person talk 00:18:02.470 --> 00:18:05.930 to us like this? Eat your body? You know what 00:18:05.930 --> 00:18:08.930 I'm saying? And they were angry to stone him. 00:18:13.950 --> 00:18:17.829 Jesus was not talking literally. I mean, we cherry 00:18:17.829 --> 00:18:20.170 pick scripture anyhow. Why won't you take the 00:18:20.170 --> 00:18:22.829 other one that Jesus said literally? That if 00:18:22.829 --> 00:18:24.710 your hand causes you to sin, you should cut it 00:18:24.710 --> 00:18:28.170 off. Did you understand what I'm saying? Why 00:18:28.170 --> 00:18:30.700 didn't you take that one literally? We say, no, 00:18:30.819 --> 00:18:32.839 Jesus was not talking about that if your eye 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:35.039 causes you to sin, how many times your eyes has 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:40.579 caused you to sin? Why didn't you plug it? But 00:18:40.579 --> 00:18:42.900 it is that one that said, if you eat my body, 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:45.900 you think he's talking about his physical body. 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:51.839 Hallelujah. So what we're trying to say is that 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:56.420 you can practice the law and which we are doing 00:18:56.420 --> 00:19:04.440 it. That is the religion of angels. That is the 00:19:04.440 --> 00:19:08.019 religion of angels. Then he talks about the sacred 00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:11.880 days. Look at it, it was 16. That's the second 00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:17.619 one. First one died three regulations. Then he 00:19:17.619 --> 00:19:23.039 say regarding what? Festival, new moon, and Sabbath. 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:27.400 Religious festival, this is talking about what 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:31.119 they do annually. Like for example, the Passover. 00:19:32.519 --> 00:19:36.099 Are we together? He talks about the new moon. 00:19:36.819 --> 00:19:40.700 New moon has to do with monthly festivity. Amen? 00:19:41.819 --> 00:19:46.940 Are we together? Or monthly celebration? The 00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:49.940 supper has to do with weekly. You know what to 00:19:49.940 --> 00:19:53.920 do weekly. We still have believers that follow 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:58.180 or keep the seven day. You know what I'm saying? 00:19:59.140 --> 00:20:03.809 Nope. Why we are trying to speak like this? Because 00:20:03.809 --> 00:20:07.190 we're trying to read and see what is the implication 00:20:07.190 --> 00:20:11.349 of living according to the law. You know, I've 00:20:11.349 --> 00:20:13.809 had many believers say, no problem now, there's 00:20:13.809 --> 00:20:16.190 no problem at least. Since we are not sinning 00:20:16.190 --> 00:20:19.490 directly, it's also worshipping God in different 00:20:19.490 --> 00:20:24.009 ways. No, you cannot worship God by the law. 00:20:24.109 --> 00:20:27.789 It's not possible. Did you hear what I said? 00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:35.279 You cannot worship God through the law. It's 00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:39.279 not possible. Just like you cannot receive life 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:46.240 through the law. You cannot receive God's acceptance 00:20:46.240 --> 00:21:00.519 through the law. No. Not at all. Then the last 00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:07.680 part that Paul talked about in the sack. Look 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:12.279 at down when he talked about verse 20. Therefore, 00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:16.940 if you died with the Christ from the basic principles 00:21:16.940 --> 00:21:20.640 of the world, why as though living in the world, 00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:25.220 do you subject yourself to regulations? Do not 00:21:25.220 --> 00:21:31.940 touch, do not taste, and do not handle. This 00:21:31.940 --> 00:21:34.480 poll is trying to do is what we call the rituals 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:40.000 of purity and asceticism. This issue of abstinence. 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:42.220 You know abstinence? That is, don't touch certain 00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:47.799 things. If you read particularly Leviticus 15, 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:52.140 Numbers 19, you will see the outline of what? 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:55.740 Of all the things. Don't touch this dead body. 00:21:56.099 --> 00:21:58.750 You know, some of us still do it. in our villages 00:21:58.750 --> 00:22:01.450 you understand if your mother died they say no 00:22:01.450 --> 00:22:04.109 children are not allowed to touch the mother's 00:22:04.109 --> 00:22:06.849 body did you understand say because if you touch 00:22:06.849 --> 00:22:09.250 her that means you also follow and or something 00:22:09.250 --> 00:22:12.329 all kinds of you know what i'm trying to say 00:22:12.329 --> 00:22:16.410 that so they have all these things if you touch 00:22:16.410 --> 00:22:17.829 this this is how you're going to you have to 00:22:17.829 --> 00:22:20.849 be purified kept outside the camp for so so number 00:22:20.849 --> 00:22:22.309 of days before you can come in there you are 00:22:22.309 --> 00:22:26.509 purified so all this touch not Don't do this, 00:22:26.509 --> 00:22:30.230 don't do that, understand? Or at certain time, 00:22:30.230 --> 00:22:34.910 you cannot eat this, you cannot eat that. For 00:22:34.910 --> 00:22:38.509 the sake that you are preserving purity. Are 00:22:38.509 --> 00:22:45.710 we together? Paul says that all these are what? 00:22:46.329 --> 00:22:50.890 Are commandment of man. He said they have a form 00:22:50.890 --> 00:22:54.309 of wisdom. They have an appearance of wisdom. 00:22:55.690 --> 00:23:07.430 But they lack, they lack the value in restraining 00:23:07.430 --> 00:23:11.509 one from sexual, what? Indulgence or desires. 00:23:19.009 --> 00:23:23.509 Hallelujah. So we have so many things today in 00:23:23.509 --> 00:23:27.109 different form. Many people practice the law, 00:23:27.309 --> 00:23:36.470 even as believers. There are a list of it. See 00:23:36.470 --> 00:23:39.750 people carrying bottles all around, or holy water, 00:23:40.630 --> 00:23:44.910 or handkerchief, they call it mantu, for protection. 00:23:46.049 --> 00:23:52.069 The God of my papa, he will put it inside. He 00:23:52.069 --> 00:24:05.859 will carry the Holy Spirit. Oh God. As I said, 00:24:06.700 --> 00:24:11.319 you know, when those days we used to take the 00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:14.779 wine and the cup in the sun, even back at home, 00:24:16.039 --> 00:24:18.799 I used to ask, why do we take the bread and the 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:26.349 wine? He said, well, the Bible commanded it and 00:24:26.349 --> 00:24:29.750 Jesus commanded it to do this in remembrance 00:24:29.750 --> 00:24:34.190 of me. Why do you want to remember him? The question 00:24:34.190 --> 00:24:36.890 is that, do I need to take the bread and the 00:24:36.890 --> 00:24:39.450 wine to remember Jesus? Do you have memory problem? 00:24:41.690 --> 00:24:43.609 I mean, you know, there are some certain questions 00:24:43.609 --> 00:24:46.109 you need to ask. I mean, you need to ask the 00:24:46.109 --> 00:24:48.430 question, but you know, he said, that's just 00:24:48.430 --> 00:24:52.009 what Jesus said we should do. You know, certain 00:24:52.009 --> 00:24:57.130 spiritual things are mysterious. You just have 00:24:57.130 --> 00:24:59.609 to believe to go because what we are taught as 00:24:59.609 --> 00:25:02.690 faith is abstract, that is believing in something. 00:25:03.789 --> 00:25:07.589 You understand? That's not Bible faith. Bible 00:25:07.589 --> 00:25:10.690 faith is not, I was afraid, Bible faith is not 00:25:10.690 --> 00:25:15.569 just, it's not hinged upon nothing. It's not 00:25:15.569 --> 00:25:18.529 just positive thinking. It will happen. I told 00:25:18.529 --> 00:25:21.099 you it's going to happen. Hallelujah. What will 00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:24.180 happen? Who say it will happen? Did you understand 00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:25.819 what I'm trying to say? What are you holding? 00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:29.720 Who said it? It's not just positive thinking. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:42.519 I'm optimistic. No, that's not faith. No. We 00:25:42.519 --> 00:25:45.680 have studied in this church. You see, when you 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:48.240 study the entire book of John, you will know 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:50.759 what remember means. Did you understand what 00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:53.680 I'm trying to say? You know, some of us, we read 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:57.180 Bible as if those who wrote it were Englishmen. 00:26:01.200 --> 00:26:04.380 Remembering does not mean to recall. It's not 00:26:04.380 --> 00:26:11.319 talking about memory. It's talking about understanding. 00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:16.640 Do this because at the last supper, he was teaching 00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:19.990 them, illustrating what he would do. So he said, 00:26:21.009 --> 00:26:27.029 eat this, do this. Knowing and understanding 00:26:27.029 --> 00:26:31.170 is about myself. That's what it means by do this 00:26:31.170 --> 00:26:34.609 in remembrance of me. He's also saying, continue 00:26:34.609 --> 00:26:37.150 to do it so that you can recall. No, that's not 00:26:37.150 --> 00:26:54.680 the meaning. Hallelujah So that's why you must 00:26:54.680 --> 00:27:00.039 be committed to understanding the world Some 00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:03.460 say you have to be baptized in the Sun for you 00:27:03.460 --> 00:27:08.460 to be saved the code scriptures here and there 00:27:08.460 --> 00:27:13.440 Jesus said again that Jesus suffered in the Sun 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:20.980 Unless you're born of water He said water. Gone 00:27:20.980 --> 00:27:25.000 of water and the spirit. How can you remove the 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:34.660 water and only speak about the spirit? If you 00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:38.200 are in this church for a long time, by now I 00:27:38.200 --> 00:27:41.660 believe you don't have a problem with that. We 00:27:41.660 --> 00:27:45.440 have taught you how to read the Bible in context. 00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:51.000 The Bible is not line by line. It's all verse 00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:54.500 by verse. If you have studied a book of John, 00:27:54.519 --> 00:27:57.240 you will know what it means by water. You understand 00:27:57.240 --> 00:27:59.259 what I'm saying? But if you say in one line, 00:27:59.339 --> 00:28:01.859 I'm impute your village into it. Why won't you 00:28:01.859 --> 00:28:11.339 listen? So all those things, what we're trying 00:28:11.339 --> 00:28:12.900 to say that the reason why I'm pointing this 00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:16.599 thing is that you can believe him. and practicing 00:28:16.599 --> 00:28:19.839 the religion of angels why you are a believer 00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:26.900 you say without holiness no one shall see the 00:28:26.900 --> 00:28:39.779 lord yes whose holiness your own your own so 00:28:39.779 --> 00:28:44.339 you are a joker so you mean you mean you mean 00:28:45.130 --> 00:28:48.589 You mean you are struggling that to stay holy 00:28:48.589 --> 00:28:51.829 so that so that you will see God your own effort 00:28:51.829 --> 00:28:57.250 Go and read well Are we together? Hallelujah. 00:28:57.990 --> 00:29:03.829 So what we're trying to say is that You can't 00:29:03.829 --> 00:29:06.490 get anything from human effort remember he said 00:29:06.490 --> 00:29:10.569 is based on the commandment and doctrine of men 00:29:10.569 --> 00:29:15.220 These are things carved by men You have to do 00:29:15.220 --> 00:29:18.519 this to see God. Is it God that said it that 00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:21.099 way or the man that interpreted it that way? 00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:24.119 That's not what God is saying. That's what we're 00:29:24.119 --> 00:29:28.500 talking about. Look at verse 18. So what is the 00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:32.660 implication? When you live with that type of 00:29:32.660 --> 00:29:36.259 performance mentality, that is you are living 00:29:36.259 --> 00:29:41.480 or you are involved in the religion of angels, 00:29:42.579 --> 00:29:47.619 innocent. Five ways to get favor from God. From 00:29:47.619 --> 00:30:00.400 where? Three ways for God to answer your prayer. 00:30:00.660 --> 00:30:04.140 Where did you get it? Did you see that you are 00:30:04.140 --> 00:30:07.200 also establishing your own doctrine? The doctrine 00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:15.450 of man. Hmm? Are we together? Remember those 00:30:15.450 --> 00:30:20.089 two guys that came? One that said, I have done 00:30:20.089 --> 00:30:22.630 this, done that, done this, done this, done this. 00:30:23.049 --> 00:30:26.450 Pay my tithes, do this. He listed all the things. 00:30:30.150 --> 00:30:33.269 The other one came. He came not on anything, 00:30:34.470 --> 00:30:38.349 but depending on the mercy of Him. Are we together? 00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:45.599 You see, the service of God is not based on any 00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:52.359 of our own merits. Are we together? Hallelujah. 00:30:53.779 --> 00:30:57.740 Verse 18. What is the implication of involved? 00:30:58.880 --> 00:31:03.019 He says that let no one cheat you of your reward. 00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:08.779 Why is he questioning it? Because I told you. 00:31:09.430 --> 00:31:12.190 When the Bible talks of a believer's reward, 00:31:12.410 --> 00:31:15.930 even though yes, it's based on what we do, it's 00:31:15.930 --> 00:31:20.309 not based on what we do on account of our own 00:31:20.309 --> 00:31:37.990 merit. Did you get what I'm trying to say? be 00:31:37.990 --> 00:31:41.529 steadfast, be immovable, always abandoning in 00:31:41.529 --> 00:31:44.569 the work of the Lord, knowing that your label 00:31:44.569 --> 00:31:47.650 in the Lord is not in vain. Your label where? 00:31:48.710 --> 00:32:02.390 In where? In the Lord. It's not in vain. So Paul 00:32:02.390 --> 00:32:07.720 cautioned and said, let no one cheat you. you 00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:13.119 of your reward. What Paul is trying to say is 00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:15.920 that one of the greatest implications is that 00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:20.240 there is no reward in wear, in shadow, in the 00:32:20.240 --> 00:32:23.440 law. That's why he's cautioning. Don't allow 00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:25.440 anyone. That's why he said don't allow anyone 00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:29.680 to judge you verse 16. And then verse 18 says, 00:32:30.059 --> 00:32:35.059 let no one cheat you. Don't allow it. Cheat you 00:32:35.059 --> 00:32:40.019 of your reward. How is it taking delight in false 00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:42.380 humility and in the worship of it that means 00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:46.599 in the worship of angels There is no reward you'll 00:32:46.599 --> 00:32:54.140 be cheated You'll be cheated There is no life 00:32:54.140 --> 00:32:58.880 in the law any work done in the law is called 00:32:58.880 --> 00:33:03.359 dead work That's from week from where we are 00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:11.759 saved Let me read some verses. I saw this verse 00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:19.059 in Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6. Look 00:33:19.059 --> 00:33:22.859 at verse 1. He said, therefore, leaving the discussion 00:33:22.859 --> 00:33:26.500 of the elementary principles of Christ, let us 00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:30.339 go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation 00:33:30.339 --> 00:33:35.119 of what? He said, repentance from what? So what, 00:33:35.259 --> 00:33:38.349 when we receive Christ, you understand? We are 00:33:38.349 --> 00:33:43.789 actually repenting from what? From dead walks. 00:33:47.670 --> 00:33:51.730 Chapter 9 verse 14. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 14. 00:33:53.309 --> 00:33:56.349 It says, how much more shall the blood of Christ 00:33:56.349 --> 00:33:58.769 who through the eternal spirit offered himself 00:33:58.769 --> 00:34:03.569 without spot to God cleanse what? Our conscience 00:34:03.569 --> 00:34:08.300 from what? Oh, are we together? From what? Death 00:34:08.300 --> 00:34:13.880 walks. No life is in the law. He says he cleans 00:34:13.880 --> 00:34:18.119 our conscience from death walks. To serve the 00:34:18.119 --> 00:34:27.099 living God. To serve the living God. Romans chapter 00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:33.679 five. Oh, Romans chapter seven. Look at verse 00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:39.340 five. Romans. chapter seven, verse five. He said, 00:34:39.360 --> 00:34:43.320 for when, please look at this, please. When we 00:34:43.320 --> 00:34:48.760 were in the flesh, the sinful passion, which 00:34:48.760 --> 00:34:55.280 we are aroused by the law, we are at work in 00:34:55.280 --> 00:34:59.760 our members to bear fruit. To what? To death. 00:35:00.619 --> 00:35:05.099 He said, verse six, but now we have been delivered 00:35:05.099 --> 00:35:12.010 from what? or talk to me from the law having 00:35:12.010 --> 00:35:18.889 died to what we were held by so that we will 00:35:18.889 --> 00:35:26.510 do what serve in the newness of the spirit not 00:35:26.510 --> 00:35:32.610 in the oneness of letters our service our life 00:35:32.610 --> 00:35:37.480 our conduct is in the newness of spirit, not 00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:44.980 in the letters. We were saved from the law. So 00:35:44.980 --> 00:35:49.880 going back to live by it is to do dead walks, 00:35:51.619 --> 00:35:58.079 is to live and have dead walks. We were saved 00:35:58.079 --> 00:36:02.659 from it. So that now we serve God in the newness 00:36:02.659 --> 00:36:09.360 of the spirit. not in the letters. For the letters 00:36:09.360 --> 00:36:14.699 telleth what the Spirit giveth life. We are ministers 00:36:14.699 --> 00:36:28.079 of what of the Spirit, not of letters. So when 00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:33.969 Paul said, I have run the race, I have found 00:36:33.969 --> 00:36:38.110 a good fight. I have finished my race. I have 00:36:38.110 --> 00:36:43.170 kept the faith. Then he said, therefore, now 00:36:43.170 --> 00:36:47.610 lay for me the crown of righteousness. What did 00:36:47.610 --> 00:36:50.849 he say he kept? He said he kept the faith, not 00:36:50.849 --> 00:36:54.610 that he kept the law. Are you with me? Are you 00:36:54.610 --> 00:36:58.409 with me? He didn't say he kept the law. He said 00:36:58.409 --> 00:37:00.849 he kept the faith. Faith there means he kept 00:37:00.849 --> 00:37:04.989 the sound doctrine. These are not letters. This 00:37:04.989 --> 00:37:17.710 is not the law Hallelujah So there is a kind 00:37:17.710 --> 00:37:28.230 of doctrine that is not the doctrine of man Look 00:37:28.230 --> 00:37:31.260 at that romance go back a little bit verse six, 00:37:31.500 --> 00:37:37.400 chapter six, verse 17. Romans chapter six, verse 00:37:37.400 --> 00:37:43.059 17. He said, but God be damned, that though you 00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:48.659 were a slave of sin, yet you observed from the 00:37:48.659 --> 00:37:53.860 heart that form of doctrine to which you were 00:37:53.860 --> 00:37:59.039 delivered. That means This doctrine, this one 00:37:59.039 --> 00:38:01.679 to which they were delivered is not that other 00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:05.300 doctrine of the doctrine of men, of the basic 00:38:05.300 --> 00:38:11.940 principle of the world. The one that leads men 00:38:11.940 --> 00:38:14.500 to death, the one that we have been delivered 00:38:14.500 --> 00:38:19.440 from. So the one Paul kept, he said, I have kept 00:38:19.440 --> 00:38:22.800 the faith, is this one, the form of doctrine 00:38:22.800 --> 00:38:28.190 that delivered men. He did not keep the law. 00:38:30.489 --> 00:38:35.250 That's why they are late for him. What? The crown 00:38:35.250 --> 00:38:38.130 of righteousness. So what I'm trying to say is 00:38:38.130 --> 00:38:46.030 that reward is keeping the doctrine that delivered 00:38:46.030 --> 00:38:50.409 me. That form of doctrine. That is where the 00:38:50.409 --> 00:38:54.170 reward is. So Paul now warns and say, eh, bro. 00:38:54.409 --> 00:38:57.769 He said, let no one cheat you of your reward. 00:39:01.610 --> 00:39:03.190 We're not talking about anything that works. 00:39:04.210 --> 00:39:07.510 It works. It works for me. It works for you. 00:39:07.570 --> 00:39:14.829 How? What's the meaning of that? When the devil 00:39:14.829 --> 00:39:19.429 deceived Adam and Eve, didn't it work? Is that 00:39:19.429 --> 00:39:25.840 righteousness? Don't talk like that. He walk? 00:39:27.239 --> 00:39:35.059 No. Look at that verse 18, number two. Another 00:39:35.059 --> 00:39:37.840 problem, a collusion, go back to that collusion. 00:39:40.039 --> 00:39:45.420 Two, verse 18. He said, let no one cheat you 00:39:45.420 --> 00:39:49.119 of your reward. Taking delight in the false humility 00:39:49.119 --> 00:39:56.650 and worship of angels. intruding into those things 00:39:56.650 --> 00:40:04.769 which he has not seen is a vainly poofed up by 00:40:04.769 --> 00:40:12.230 what? In his fleshy mind. One thing you will 00:40:12.230 --> 00:40:22.320 see in observing the law is prides. that leads 00:40:22.320 --> 00:40:35.380 to emptiness. Pride. Pride. Pride. When it comes 00:40:35.380 --> 00:40:37.719 to the things of God, you want to always speak 00:40:37.719 --> 00:40:42.199 as if what you have received from God was what 00:40:42.199 --> 00:40:45.300 you did. So when you are giving testimony, say, 00:40:46.519 --> 00:40:51.630 dry fasting. I was in the first day, Kalabada 00:40:51.630 --> 00:40:57.210 Gada. Second day, Anusa Sabada. Third day, suddenly 00:40:57.210 --> 00:41:00.969 the heavens opens. And I saw the Lord. I said, 00:41:02.489 --> 00:41:16.090 ooh. Fasting opens heavens. There is a dimension 00:41:16.090 --> 00:41:24.320 of God you can't touch. unless you are into intense 00:41:24.320 --> 00:41:30.639 fasting. The question is that what dimension 00:41:30.639 --> 00:41:37.340 have we not received in Christ? I'm asking you, 00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:41.559 which one is that man talking about again? That 00:41:41.559 --> 00:41:44.360 you have to receive a dimension in God by what 00:41:44.360 --> 00:41:51.699 you will do. Are we saying your alignment is 00:41:51.699 --> 00:41:54.480 not needed? No, that's not what we're saying. 00:41:55.619 --> 00:42:05.659 But not what you received. It pleases the Lord 00:42:05.659 --> 00:42:10.420 that His fullness of Godhead dwells in Him. And 00:42:10.420 --> 00:42:17.929 that Him is in me. Did you get the point? So 00:42:17.929 --> 00:42:20.309 which fullness of God have you not received in 00:42:20.309 --> 00:42:27.610 Christ? Which one are you talking about? Which 00:42:27.610 --> 00:42:32.289 one are you talking about? Philippians chapter 00:42:32.289 --> 00:42:37.369 3, I want to show you something. Pride, there 00:42:37.369 --> 00:42:41.309 is pride in the law. This is why you see men 00:42:41.309 --> 00:42:45.110 trying to distinguish us. There are different 00:42:45.110 --> 00:42:48.880 kinds of graces. Which grace? Which one did this 00:42:48.880 --> 00:42:52.039 save you? And which one did you not save the 00:42:52.039 --> 00:43:08.239 other person? Verse three. He said, for we are 00:43:08.239 --> 00:43:14.840 the circumcision. Who worship God? In what? In 00:43:14.840 --> 00:43:19.829 the spirit. rejoice in Christ Jesus and have 00:43:19.829 --> 00:43:23.989 know what oh talk to me have know what confidence 00:43:23.989 --> 00:43:29.210 in the flesh and look at what Paul said though 00:43:29.210 --> 00:43:34.429 I also have confidence in the flesh if anyone 00:43:34.429 --> 00:43:41.570 else think he may have confidence in the flesh 00:43:41.570 --> 00:43:45.420 I have more so He said, let me just give you 00:43:45.420 --> 00:43:49.960 some credatia, small, small, small, small. He 00:43:49.960 --> 00:43:52.920 said, circumcising the eddy of the stock of Israel, 00:43:53.400 --> 00:43:56.960 of the tribe of Benjamin, of the Hebrews of Hebrews, 00:43:57.239 --> 00:43:59.980 concerning the law, a Pharisee, concerning, I 00:43:59.980 --> 00:44:03.559 mean zeal, he said, perfecting the, I mean, persecuting 00:44:03.559 --> 00:44:07.639 the church, concerning righteousness, which is 00:44:07.639 --> 00:44:13.119 in the law, blameless. This is the law. Did you 00:44:13.119 --> 00:44:15.659 understand anything? This is confidence in what? 00:44:16.019 --> 00:44:18.039 In the flesh. He said, if you are talking about 00:44:18.039 --> 00:44:20.539 that, I have more. Let me just give you some 00:44:20.539 --> 00:44:23.360 list, a little bit. Now say all those things. 00:44:23.460 --> 00:44:28.559 He said, yet, look at verse 8. Indeed, I count 00:44:28.559 --> 00:44:33.260 all these things lost for the excellency of the 00:44:33.260 --> 00:44:36.940 knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom 00:44:36.940 --> 00:44:40.500 I have suffered the loss of all things, and count 00:44:40.500 --> 00:44:47.869 them as rubbish. That I may gain Christ That 00:44:47.869 --> 00:44:52.630 I may gain Christ and be found in him having 00:44:52.630 --> 00:44:57.869 Not having my own righteousness which is from 00:44:57.869 --> 00:45:02.730 the Lord But that which is true Christ or true 00:45:02.730 --> 00:45:05.690 faith in Christ the righteousness which is from 00:45:05.690 --> 00:45:13.099 God by faith This is what Paul followed and dumped 00:45:13.099 --> 00:45:16.420 that water one. You understand what I'm saying? 00:45:17.480 --> 00:45:20.179 And dumped the one that have confidence in the 00:45:20.179 --> 00:45:24.940 flesh. And followed this one in the sand that 00:45:24.940 --> 00:45:36.619 Christ gave. That is humility. Right. The 13th 00:45:36.619 --> 00:45:41.639 verse 19. Go back to Colossians chapter 2. verse 00:45:41.639 --> 00:45:47.219 19. He said, I'm not holding fast to the head 00:45:47.219 --> 00:45:51.719 from whom all the body nourished are knitted 00:45:51.719 --> 00:45:56.099 together by joints and ligament, with the increase 00:45:56.099 --> 00:45:59.360 that is from God. He said, not holding fast. 00:45:59.679 --> 00:46:02.619 You can't live in the worship of angels and hold 00:46:02.619 --> 00:46:04.820 fast the head. Did you get what I'm trying to 00:46:04.820 --> 00:46:07.139 say? And once you are not holding the head, there 00:46:07.139 --> 00:46:09.510 is no growth, there is no there is no product 00:46:09.510 --> 00:46:12.309 that came from holding fast of the head. Did 00:46:12.309 --> 00:46:13.969 you get what I'm trying to say? And that's why 00:46:13.969 --> 00:46:19.690 it is by holding the head, the last implication 00:46:19.690 --> 00:46:22.989 is that you grow with the increase that is from 00:46:22.989 --> 00:46:28.889 God. But the one that is vainly proved, the one 00:46:28.889 --> 00:46:34.750 that is practicing the law cannot hold fast to 00:46:34.750 --> 00:46:40.840 the head. Therefore, Look at anyone that every 00:46:40.840 --> 00:46:46.199 day is working with weapons. Eh? A little thing. 00:46:47.739 --> 00:46:49.440 Holy ghost fire, holy ghost fire, holy ghost 00:46:49.440 --> 00:46:55.539 fire. That person is ever and perpetually a man 00:46:55.539 --> 00:47:00.380 in fear or a person in fear. He can never go 00:47:00.380 --> 00:47:10.730 to discover his own reality. Because the faith, 00:47:11.289 --> 00:47:15.230 his belief is in a bottle, not in the spirit 00:47:15.230 --> 00:47:29.989 he carries. Are we together? You want to grow? 00:47:31.670 --> 00:47:35.909 Live the law. Understand that which is in Christ. 00:47:37.170 --> 00:47:41.309 Are we together? That is how to grow. You are 00:47:41.309 --> 00:47:44.690 rooted in Him by revelation. You are rooted, 00:47:44.809 --> 00:47:47.650 you will grow in Him by understanding who He 00:47:47.650 --> 00:47:51.809 is. That's why this text almost is closely related, 00:47:52.190 --> 00:47:54.449 this verse particularly, with Ephesians chapter 00:47:54.449 --> 00:47:58.630 4. Do you understand? If you read, you will see 00:47:58.630 --> 00:48:00.670 that it's talking about knitting together. How 00:48:00.670 --> 00:48:02.369 do you do that? It says so that you will not 00:48:02.369 --> 00:48:06.369 become too close to and what? And flow by every 00:48:06.369 --> 00:48:11.400 wind of what? by every wind of doctrine. That 00:48:11.400 --> 00:48:17.539 is if you have what? Grown. And the essence of 00:48:17.539 --> 00:48:21.860 the ministry gift is said that they will be able 00:48:21.860 --> 00:48:24.920 to reveal that we might come to the unity of 00:48:24.920 --> 00:48:28.239 faith and to the knowledge of the what? Of the 00:48:28.239 --> 00:48:34.360 Son of God. That is how you grow. By the knowledge 00:48:34.360 --> 00:48:37.949 of the Son of God. Peter said, grow in grace 00:48:37.949 --> 00:48:45.809 and in the knowledge. That is how you grow. You 00:48:45.809 --> 00:48:53.449 don't grow by the law. Because in the law, you 00:48:53.449 --> 00:49:00.449 can't hold fast to the head. You want to become 00:49:00.449 --> 00:49:04.280 a baby? Stay by practicing the law. or involved 00:49:04.280 --> 00:49:08.099 in the worship of angels, you will ever and perpetually 00:49:08.099 --> 00:49:11.699 be a baby. Today, they will say, I come from 00:49:11.699 --> 00:49:16.699 heaven. I saw this, I saw that. You say, what 00:49:16.699 --> 00:49:20.599 were they doing there? You see, because your 00:49:20.599 --> 00:49:25.400 focus is every day on the law. And before you 00:49:25.400 --> 00:49:28.480 know, today you follow these thoughts. Tomorrow 00:49:28.480 --> 00:49:32.860 you are here, toast to and fro. by every wind 00:49:32.860 --> 00:49:37.900 of doctrine. Once you are like that, you are 00:49:37.900 --> 00:49:41.940 a candidate of deception. If you see the horror 00:49:41.940 --> 00:49:46.300 of many people in the sand, so many people in 00:49:46.300 --> 00:49:49.940 church, I mean the horrible messages, how some 00:49:49.940 --> 00:49:54.260 people use God and they see the... What is Baba 00:49:54.260 --> 00:50:00.550 Lao in English? Native doctors! they have left 00:50:00.550 --> 00:50:05.650 uh busho they are wearing suit now well packaged 00:50:05.650 --> 00:50:10.570 selling soap come from heaven and you are there 00:50:10.570 --> 00:50:14.929 you didn't know are you not there oh they are 00:50:14.929 --> 00:50:18.969 looking at me we are raised with christ eh seated 00:50:18.969 --> 00:50:22.429 together where so how can somebody say he has 00:50:22.429 --> 00:50:24.510 been to heaven where has he been to see soap 00:50:24.510 --> 00:50:29.510 and say when you wash With it, you have favor. 00:50:30.050 --> 00:50:32.489 I have keys from heaven. I mean, how daft could 00:50:32.489 --> 00:50:48.469 we be? But I have come to Mount Zion. Not I will 00:50:48.469 --> 00:50:53.949 go. I am there, the city of the living God, the 00:50:53.949 --> 00:50:58.679 heavenly Jerusalem. Are we together? Amen. Amen. 00:50:59.440 --> 00:51:03.619 Say, I cannot be deceived. I cannot be deceived 00:51:03.619 --> 00:51:08.960 because I am growing in Him. And I remain in 00:51:08.960 --> 00:51:13.659 the church. You know, your strength is in your 00:51:13.659 --> 00:51:18.579 community. This level of freelancer Christianity 00:51:18.579 --> 00:51:25.280 is not good in the sun. Hallelujah. Are we together? 00:51:25.800 --> 00:51:30.730 Look at verse 20. Colossians 2 verse 20. Therefore, 00:51:31.710 --> 00:51:35.510 if you died with Christ from the basic principles 00:51:35.510 --> 00:51:40.090 of the world, why, as though living in the world, 00:51:40.469 --> 00:51:45.230 do you subject yourself to regulations? Do you 00:51:45.230 --> 00:51:48.070 subject yourself to regulations? Do not touch, 00:51:49.349 --> 00:51:54.550 do not taste, do not handle which all concerns, 00:51:54.690 --> 00:51:57.820 things which perish. with the using according 00:51:57.820 --> 00:52:02.260 to the commandment and doctrine of men, these 00:52:02.260 --> 00:52:07.880 things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in 00:52:07.880 --> 00:52:12.480 imposed religion, false humility, and neglect 00:52:12.480 --> 00:52:19.900 of the body, but are of no value against indulgence 00:52:19.900 --> 00:52:27.530 of the flesh. That's the one here. that you will 00:52:27.530 --> 00:52:32.449 not express your victory in Christ. The law only 00:52:32.449 --> 00:52:36.429 promotes desires of sinning. Did you get what 00:52:36.429 --> 00:52:42.030 I'm saying? It has no value against. That means 00:52:42.030 --> 00:52:45.590 there is nothing you will ever do to express 00:52:45.590 --> 00:52:48.090 your victory in Christ when you live by the law. 00:52:49.389 --> 00:52:55.980 Because there is no... There is no value against 00:52:55.980 --> 00:52:59.880 you to restrain yourself. I've seen so many people, 00:52:59.880 --> 00:53:03.980 maybe you have tried it. You think you kill sexual 00:53:03.980 --> 00:53:09.679 urge or immorality by fasting. Immediately after 00:53:09.679 --> 00:53:13.059 you finish the three -day fasting, it's as if 00:53:13.059 --> 00:53:15.800 they say all the demons from heaven. Did you 00:53:15.800 --> 00:53:19.059 understand? All the demons from heaven, you understand? 00:53:20.579 --> 00:53:22.860 You are sleeping eternal, oh Jesus, I bind you. 00:53:22.920 --> 00:53:25.619 I bind you. Bind who? You have not bind anything. 00:53:26.300 --> 00:53:29.800 Because in your thoughts, that it is through 00:53:29.800 --> 00:53:34.739 an effort of man that you are able to restrain 00:53:34.739 --> 00:53:38.059 yourself from indulgence of the flesh. It's not 00:53:38.059 --> 00:53:41.440 possible. You will fail. You will get disappointed. 00:53:41.880 --> 00:53:44.420 You will get discouraged. You will get confused 00:53:44.420 --> 00:53:50.079 until you understand who you are in Christ. The 00:53:50.079 --> 00:53:55.309 power is in the revelation. Understand? The power 00:53:55.309 --> 00:53:58.750 is in the gospel. The power is understanding 00:53:58.750 --> 00:54:03.730 who you are in Christ. You don't need any do's 00:54:03.730 --> 00:54:07.630 and don'ts. What you need is knowledge of who 00:54:07.630 --> 00:54:17.349 you are. That's what you need. Understand? Every 00:54:17.349 --> 00:54:22.619 habit, every attitude, is only destroyed, immediately 00:54:22.619 --> 00:54:32.480 you understand who you are in Christ. Are we 00:54:32.480 --> 00:54:36.800 together? Are we together? Not by do's and don'ts. 00:54:36.860 --> 00:54:40.980 Please take note of this last verse, verse 23, 00:54:41.559 --> 00:54:45.840 to remind yourself nothing you are trusting to 00:54:45.840 --> 00:54:49.409 overcome. To see it has gone in your life will 00:54:49.409 --> 00:55:00.429 ever be achieved through the law. Sin shall no 00:55:00.429 --> 00:55:04.329 longer have dominion over you. That is, sin shall 00:55:04.329 --> 00:55:12.590 no longer be your master. Why? He said, because 00:55:12.590 --> 00:55:18.960 you are not under the law. but under grace. Did 00:55:18.960 --> 00:55:22.260 you get what I'm trying to say? Which means that 00:55:22.260 --> 00:55:25.960 being under the law is actually being in a system 00:55:25.960 --> 00:55:33.219 that perpetually keep you in defeat. You must 00:55:33.219 --> 00:55:36.860 come to an understanding that I am under grace. 00:55:37.380 --> 00:55:42.480 The grace of God that bring us salvation is the 00:55:42.480 --> 00:55:46.559 one, understand, is the one that taught is the 00:55:46.559 --> 00:55:52.940 one that teach it teach us to abstain to live 00:55:52.940 --> 00:55:59.960 godly in this present life so you can see all 00:55:59.960 --> 00:56:07.320 these things that the law don't ever think that 00:56:07.320 --> 00:56:12.760 the law is for you i live with my children you 00:56:12.760 --> 00:56:16.059 would tell them 10 times In fact, if you say 00:56:16.059 --> 00:56:20.139 don't touch this thing, that is when their curiosity 00:56:20.139 --> 00:56:25.480 increase. You understand? To go and touch it. 00:56:27.659 --> 00:56:30.800 Because they want to know, why did they say I 00:56:30.800 --> 00:56:42.420 shouldn't touch it? So what am I trying to say? 00:56:43.820 --> 00:56:48.599 Look at verse 14, having wiped out. You can't 00:56:48.599 --> 00:56:50.860 be walking and carrying the things Christ has 00:56:50.860 --> 00:56:56.559 wiped out. Having wiped out the handwriting of 00:56:56.559 --> 00:57:00.360 requirement. We say that not handwriting of requirement 00:57:00.360 --> 00:57:07.039 means the written law that is a manuscript. The 00:57:07.039 --> 00:57:11.400 manuscript, the law is a wiped it out. Why are 00:57:11.400 --> 00:57:14.440 you going to carry it again? He said, you wiped 00:57:14.440 --> 00:57:19.659 it out. That was against us, and contrary to 00:57:19.659 --> 00:57:24.679 us. Keeping the law shows that you don't understand 00:57:24.679 --> 00:57:30.099 what Jesus has done. You can't be doing, or undoing, 00:57:30.380 --> 00:57:33.239 is that what you're saying? You can't be going 00:57:33.239 --> 00:57:35.679 and trying to bring what Christ has removed. 00:57:39.360 --> 00:57:46.219 As a believer, living by the law, is a self -sabotage. 00:57:46.619 --> 00:57:50.099 A self -sabotage means God has wiped out things 00:57:50.099 --> 00:57:52.920 that is against you and now you are bringing 00:57:52.920 --> 00:57:56.940 it back. He says it's contrary to you. Remember, 00:57:58.300 --> 00:58:01.940 in the last verse, verse 23 of chapter two, he 00:58:01.940 --> 00:58:06.599 said he has a what? An appearance of wisdom. 00:58:08.239 --> 00:58:10.059 That's all when people are dishing it up. You 00:58:10.059 --> 00:58:14.250 say, hmm, hmm. When we say sit down so that you 00:58:14.250 --> 00:58:15.789 can learn the Word of God, you don't want to 00:58:15.789 --> 00:58:18.409 come to church. But what we say, you see, what 00:58:18.409 --> 00:58:22.989 you would do is that you have the number of your 00:58:22.989 --> 00:58:27.789 mother, write it in a paper, paste it in the 00:58:27.789 --> 00:58:30.829 wall. Immediately wake up in the morning, speak 00:58:30.829 --> 00:58:34.809 to it three times. Mummy, ka la la la la. That's 00:58:34.809 --> 00:58:38.349 what you like. Because it has a what? It has 00:58:38.349 --> 00:58:44.250 an appearance of what? Wisdom. This is the reason 00:58:44.250 --> 00:58:48.429 why many men of God have used so many people 00:58:48.429 --> 00:58:52.989 and deceived them. Because people like law. Just 00:58:52.989 --> 00:58:55.610 give them what to do because they want to be 00:58:55.610 --> 00:58:57.429 involved so that when they come to give testimony, 00:58:58.750 --> 00:59:02.170 they are also included inside. Did you understand 00:59:02.170 --> 00:59:07.429 what I'm trying to say? Yes. They don't want 00:59:07.429 --> 00:59:12.630 to say, this thing look easy. Come to touch. 00:59:12.960 --> 00:59:15.340 Church, let's teach you the word of God to know 00:59:15.340 --> 00:59:24.059 who you are. To be strengthened. You say no. 00:59:28.539 --> 00:59:34.340 So the law is not for the righteous. What did 00:59:34.340 --> 00:59:40.699 I say? First Timothy chapter nine. That's what 00:59:40.699 --> 00:59:45.289 we're saying. It is against you. Did you hear 00:59:45.289 --> 00:59:48.750 what I'm saying? It is against you. Don't ever 00:59:48.750 --> 00:59:52.929 agree to live by the law. No matter the appearance 00:59:52.929 --> 00:59:57.150 of wisdom, it's against you. It's self -sabotage. 00:59:59.050 --> 01:00:03.690 The law is not of faith. And you are of faith. 01:00:07.750 --> 01:00:11.750 First, Timothy. Oh, God, help me. 1 Timothy 1 01:00:11.750 --> 01:00:17.949 verse 9. Look at it. He said, knowing this, that 01:00:17.949 --> 01:00:21.809 the law, is it made for you? Oh, talk to me. 01:00:21.829 --> 01:00:27.110 Is it made for you? Is it made for you? No. The 01:00:27.110 --> 01:00:31.449 law is not made for the righteous. Listen, this 01:00:31.449 --> 01:00:34.389 place when he was talking about, is not made 01:00:34.389 --> 01:00:37.889 for the righteous man. Remember when he mentioned, 01:00:37.889 --> 01:00:42.710 but. For the lawless, for the insubordinate, 01:00:43.090 --> 01:00:46.309 he's not describing conduct here. Because he 01:00:46.309 --> 01:00:48.730 says he's not meant for the righteous. He's talking 01:00:48.730 --> 01:00:51.909 about the righteousness by faith. So if he says 01:00:51.909 --> 01:00:56.409 the insubordinate is describing a person under 01:00:56.409 --> 01:01:03.949 the law, he's not discussing conduct. He's a 01:01:03.949 --> 01:01:06.170 mate for the righteous man. He's a bud for the 01:01:06.170 --> 01:01:09.449 lawless, the insubordinate. for the ungodly and 01:01:09.449 --> 01:01:12.769 for the sinners, for the unholy, the profane, 01:01:13.130 --> 01:01:16.889 for the murderers of fathers and murderers of 01:01:16.889 --> 01:01:20.170 mothers, the men slayers, for fornicators, for 01:01:20.170 --> 01:01:24.429 sodomites, for kidnappers, the liars, for... 01:01:24.429 --> 01:01:30.530 Did you understand what I'm trying to say? Is 01:01:30.530 --> 01:01:34.829 this one describing Israel? Are you with me? 01:01:35.309 --> 01:01:39.889 Is it describing Israel? Yes, these were who 01:01:39.889 --> 01:01:45.190 they were. Look at the Tronomy 31. I want you 01:01:45.190 --> 01:01:52.889 to connect with what we did. Because I am coming 01:01:52.889 --> 01:02:02.889 to wrapping this. The Tronomy 31. Look at 24. 01:02:06.380 --> 01:02:11.500 Look at verse 24. He says, so it was when Moses 01:02:11.500 --> 01:02:17.480 had completed writing, writing the words of this 01:02:17.480 --> 01:02:22.320 law in a book, when they were finished, that 01:02:22.320 --> 01:02:25.960 Moses commanded the Levites who bore the ark 01:02:25.960 --> 01:02:29.400 of the covenant of the Lord, saying, take this 01:02:29.400 --> 01:02:34.320 book of the law and put it beside the ark of 01:02:34.320 --> 01:02:38.199 the covenant of the Lord. your God that it may 01:02:38.199 --> 01:02:44.260 be that that it may be there as a witness against 01:02:44.260 --> 01:02:51.360 who did you see what Paul was saying it might 01:02:51.360 --> 01:02:58.320 be against you for I know you are a what a rebellious 01:02:58.320 --> 01:03:04.300 and stiff mate if today while I am yet alive 01:03:04.300 --> 01:03:07.840 with you you had been rebellious against the 01:03:07.840 --> 01:03:12.599 Lord, then how much more after my death?" This 01:03:12.599 --> 01:03:18.820 is closely when Moses was about to die. When 01:03:18.820 --> 01:03:22.619 you read actually from chapter 27, which we did, 01:03:23.599 --> 01:03:27.360 the last time we were teaching or we are studying, 01:03:28.139 --> 01:03:30.639 you see that he gave them the law. He said, when 01:03:30.639 --> 01:03:35.559 you get to Canaan, that means He knew that these 01:03:35.559 --> 01:03:40.860 people, the only way you can keep these rebellious 01:03:40.860 --> 01:03:45.780 unbelievers is by giving them the law. That's 01:03:45.780 --> 01:03:48.539 the only thing. That's why Paul was saying that 01:03:48.539 --> 01:03:51.280 the law is not meant for who? For the righteous. 01:03:52.340 --> 01:03:59.539 He gave them to restrain them. So one of these 01:03:59.539 --> 01:04:08.199 laws is Deuteronomy 22 Verse five. Why did Moses 01:04:08.199 --> 01:04:11.380 gave that law? Because they are rebellious people. 01:04:11.440 --> 01:04:13.880 They are unbelievers. They are not righteous. 01:04:16.980 --> 01:04:21.179 They are not righteous. Are we together? Go back 01:04:21.179 --> 01:04:33.239 to that 22. 22 verse five. He said, and a woman 01:04:33.239 --> 01:04:37.980 shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, 01:04:38.360 --> 01:04:42.500 nor shall a man put on a woman's garment. For 01:04:42.500 --> 01:04:48.000 all who do so are an abomination to the Lord 01:04:48.000 --> 01:04:53.480 your God. Remember, this law is both for male 01:04:53.480 --> 01:05:02.510 and female. What is the problem? I want to ask 01:05:02.510 --> 01:05:06.050 you again. When Moses gave this law, was the 01:05:06.050 --> 01:05:09.429 problem about clothes or about their hearts? 01:05:10.449 --> 01:05:15.289 Or talk to me. Was the problem about clothings 01:05:15.289 --> 01:05:18.829 or about their hearts? About their hearts. The 01:05:18.829 --> 01:05:24.309 reason is because they were all believers. The 01:05:24.309 --> 01:05:29.389 problem was because they are all believers. So 01:05:29.389 --> 01:05:36.730 the focus of this text, eh, was primarily because 01:05:36.730 --> 01:05:43.269 of the people themselves. Are we together? If 01:05:43.269 --> 01:05:45.469 you read the astronomy, I mean, sorry, Leviticus 01:05:45.469 --> 01:05:52.369 18 verse 22 and 20 verse 18, there are laws about, 01:05:52.590 --> 01:05:55.429 remember what we said when we read the astronomy 01:05:55.429 --> 01:05:59.860 31? He's talking about that now I'm about to 01:05:59.860 --> 01:06:02.780 die, even the way you are behaving. He said, 01:06:02.780 --> 01:06:05.900 package this thing. As you move into that land, 01:06:06.179 --> 01:06:08.659 this is how you should condole yourself. He talks 01:06:08.659 --> 01:06:12.960 there are laws against sodomy. You understand? 01:06:13.380 --> 01:06:17.199 Sleeping with man to man and woman to woman. 01:06:19.280 --> 01:06:23.300 And now he add this one. I don't want confusion. 01:06:24.099 --> 01:06:27.389 So there is no cross dressing. so that we know 01:06:27.389 --> 01:06:30.190 this one is man, this one is woman. So that this 01:06:30.190 --> 01:06:33.329 one will not come off black and look like a woman 01:06:33.329 --> 01:06:35.929 and then move and say, I'm coming to greet my 01:06:35.929 --> 01:06:38.329 sister. And then we don't know what is happening 01:06:38.329 --> 01:06:40.829 with them. What they say, no, no, no, no, no. 01:06:40.949 --> 01:06:45.309 Never, a woman must never wear a man's garment. 01:06:46.389 --> 01:06:50.329 And a man must never wear a woman's garment. 01:06:51.389 --> 01:06:54.920 The idea is for identification who is who. because 01:06:54.920 --> 01:06:57.219 he has already given them, you can never, don't 01:06:57.219 --> 01:07:02.840 ever sleep with a man. A righteous, righteous 01:07:02.840 --> 01:07:06.179 people don't need that. This is the foundation 01:07:06.179 --> 01:07:09.579 by which that law came from. So you cannot leave 01:07:09.579 --> 01:07:13.079 this text and come and be pestin' it on my sister 01:07:13.079 --> 01:07:15.960 who is a righteous person. You are daft, you 01:07:15.960 --> 01:07:18.460 don't understand the context by which this text 01:07:18.460 --> 01:07:26.519 was given. No! See. This text, Deuteronomy 22 01:07:26.519 --> 01:07:30.519 .5, is not for believers. Tell your neighbor, 01:07:31.340 --> 01:07:34.619 tell your neighbor it's not for believers. Say 01:07:34.619 --> 01:07:38.800 it again now, it's not for believers. So don't 01:07:38.800 --> 01:07:42.500 torment my sister. Did you understand what I'm 01:07:42.500 --> 01:07:49.119 saying? This text is given to unbelievers who 01:07:49.119 --> 01:07:54.019 are rebellious, who are bent. into disobedience. 01:07:55.139 --> 01:07:59.340 Are we together? You cannot put this mark on 01:07:59.340 --> 01:08:06.139 people. It's not about a style of dressing. It's 01:08:06.139 --> 01:08:10.159 about the nature of the man. That's how the law 01:08:10.159 --> 01:08:16.479 came. You have to understand that dressing generally 01:08:16.479 --> 01:08:30.790 is influenced by culture. You understand? If 01:08:30.790 --> 01:08:32.989 you come to the northern part of Nigeria, the 01:08:32.989 --> 01:08:36.949 same country, we see you do that. Do you understand 01:08:36.949 --> 01:08:38.850 what I'm saying? Now what we're trying to say 01:08:38.850 --> 01:08:42.130 is that you cannot import all those things like 01:08:42.130 --> 01:08:45.569 that. Even within the same culture, dressing 01:08:45.569 --> 01:08:49.869 keeps changing. Do we say you should dress half 01:08:49.869 --> 01:08:54.090 naked? No, I'm going to address that. But what 01:08:54.090 --> 01:08:57.510 we are saying is that you cannot do style of 01:08:57.510 --> 01:09:00.050 dressing. Women should not wear trouser. Which 01:09:00.050 --> 01:09:04.289 wear? This text is not saying that. Did you know 01:09:04.289 --> 01:09:09.310 the type of dressing in Israel? Did you understand 01:09:09.310 --> 01:09:12.550 what I'm trying to say? So don't carry liftings 01:09:12.550 --> 01:09:15.550 that are for unbelievers and be pestilence upon 01:09:15.550 --> 01:09:19.350 who? Believers. Are we together? Hallelujah. 01:09:20.110 --> 01:09:23.149 Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I hear some of my sisters 01:09:23.149 --> 01:09:27.229 say, a -ha! A -ha! No, it's not a -ha. We have 01:09:27.229 --> 01:09:30.930 not finished. Because the problem is that, remember, 01:09:31.210 --> 01:09:33.949 the text of the Bible must be read contextually. 01:09:35.210 --> 01:09:39.529 Are we together? Can you thank the Lord? An appreciation. 01:09:42.130 --> 01:09:45.409 We appreciate you being here today. We hope you 01:09:45.409 --> 01:09:47.489 carry this word with you throughout your week. 01:09:48.060 --> 01:09:50.420 Don't forget to check the show notes for additional 01:09:50.420 --> 01:09:53.199 insights. Stay connected with us through our 01:09:53.199 --> 01:09:57.079 website or follow us on social media. If you 01:09:57.079 --> 01:09:59.380 were encouraged, share this message with someone 01:09:59.380 --> 01:10:02.979 you care about. Until next time, stay blessed.