Day 3: Contextual Reading of the Bible (Part 3)

Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is

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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive

right in. We will continue from where we stopped

yesterday. And we try to look at a number of

things. Fundamentally, we noted that context

is very important. And we said the very ministry

we're talking about is hinged upon the truth

of God's words. Are we together? You are going

to be laying a wrong emphasis if we lack understanding

of the essence of scripture. We noted that first,

that if you are studying any passage of the Bible,

then you need to bear in mind that first and

foremost, there is something we call the canonical

context. And we said is the apex. Everything

you ever read in this Bible must submit to it.

We said that you cannot read any portion of this

Bible and it contradicts that. And you said you

have actually understood what you have read.

We said this Bible has a unified plot line, have

a unified storyline from Genesis to Revelation.

It's about the subject of salvation. and true

faith in Christ Jesus. In between narratives,

you will see the thought of men, you will see

the devil spoke, and you'll be seeing that everything

is to come against this storyline. So in every

part of this Bible, you will see these two things.

You will see one, for example, light and darkness.

Because once you have salvation through faith

in Jesus Christ, you will definitely have characters,

attitudes, statement that will always negate

that. Are we together? In history, we have seen

that. Righteousness and unrighteousness, as I

said, light and darkness. Amen. You will see

that faith and the law, these are, you will continue

to see that. So, which means that if you say

you are speaking for God, and you are saying

that you are doing the will of God, then every

will of God is defined by a unified message.

And that message is a message of salvation, is

a message of the love of God, is a message of

the character of God showing his benevolence,

showing his mercy to mankind. Anything you read

and you see is God that deviates from these thoughts.

That means you are out of context. Are we together?

And we saw that all scripture is given by the

inspiration of God. We saw also that no prophecy

of this scripture is of man's initiative, is

of man's private interpretation. He said, everything

you see has been inspired by God. The Holy Spirit

moved holy men to write it. And we try to make

a distinction. The fact that it is written in

the Bible doesn't mean that we have made this

distinction here in this church over and over.

And we said it's different. which Pastor Fred

noted very clearly that there is different between

the act of the writing, are we together, and

the content of it. We said everything written

here was actually inspired by God, but it's not

everything that is actually documented came from

God, are we together? So, That means if not everything

in this Bible came from God, it necessitates

that we interpret accurately so that we will

not carry the attribute of Satan and we'll put

it on God. Are we together? That is a deformation

of character. We will not carry attitude of a

fool, attitude of evil, and place it on God's

character. And remember, because this Bible fundamentally

is about Christ, and Christ himself laid the

model of how we should interpret the scriptures.

In Luke 24, 25, 26, 27, O ye foolish ones, law

of heart to believe all that the prophet hath

spoken, in all that the prophet hath spoken,

or not Christ to have suffered these things and

to enter into his glory and say beginning at

Moses and all the prophets he expounded were

explained unto them the things concerning himself

so he shows us a pattern that is and we saw that

from Genesis to Revelation is concerning the

Christ and so that is the nature of how we should

read Bible the Bible was not given for you for

for wealth creation you do man is already ingenious

to know how to make I mean God has already endowed

man naturally you understand to know how to be

creative and make better use of the available

resources are we together Amen. Yes. And so there

must be a parity. There must be a sacredness.

And so we noted that he said from childhood,

second Timothy, chapter three, and that from

childhood, that has known the holy scriptures.

Please, I want you to know that word holy means

set apart. That means these words are not like

other scriptures. Are you with me? There are

many other manuscripts, but this manuscript is

holy. Are we together? Thou has known the holy

means set apart, sacred writings. The sacred

writings means that you can compare them So when

I'm talking about the character of God the things

of God the things of the spirit Don't bring natural

things. They might be good, but they are not

the same level Are we together? They are not

at the same level Anywhere the Holy Spirit Is

like for example now we are gathering here Brother

this meeting Can never be compared with any meeting

That is not of God on earth no matter how excellent

Name it This is what makes it holy you say wherever

two or three are gathered in my name dear. I

am in their midst Do you know what it means?

because that means the gathering of believers

because of the name of jesus has a sacredness

that it must be it must it must it must be revealed

clearly in your heart you can't compare it you

understand with any meeting not united nation

it's not as honorable it's very important united

nation Meeting with Donald Trump meeting with

any leader on a political meeting or whatever

the president of your country meeting whatever

meeting they are important But sir, they are

not at the same importance with the meeting of

believers No, if you understand this you're going

to be a good servant of God So I don't want to

tomorrow as you continue to be making some careless

statements Some statement that that shows that

you are not well taught. No No And that is why

the Word of God is sacred the Church of God is

sacred The things of God is sacred in the Sun

They are not at the same level And that is where

I'm trying to start from there. We look at immediate

context. And we saw a lot of things. We said

it's important that you pay attention to the

surrounding verses. Don't be picking verses anyhow.

When this Bible was written, there was no verses,

there was no, in fact, there was no spaces. It

is, we have these commas and punctuations and

space, they are English language. It's not in

the original. Meaning, the very text in which

those truths were communicated. So don't just

be picking verses, they are thoughts. And that's

why you must follow the author's thoughts. As

we said, the reason why you have to pay attention

to that is that because you don't the lives of

men the eternal destiny of men depends on the

right interpretation of these words yesterday

we saw that that error cannot bet new life no

matter how good you are pocketing message and

shout this is the glory of god no sir no sir

it's not today that prophet started following

for something that looks like the glory of god

somewhere so alien and say surely this is a lot

anointed but it's not there it's not by big chest

you understand I hope you know the world has

its glory when the devil tempted Jesus he said

he showed him the glory of the world so that

world has glory are we together so it is important

that we pay attention Men cannot develop. You

cannot mature believers with error. No, sir.

The reason why we are seeing all kinds of somebody

have stayed in church, you understand? For decades.

But when the person speaks and you are just wondering,

wait a minute. He said he gave to his life in

the 1990s. This is about how many years now.

Why is he speaking like that? That means he has

not been hearing certain, I mean the truth that

he ought to. So that's why we have to pay attention.

We now look at and say it again. We have the

literary context and we saw that God speaks,

can reveal his thoughts, his will through cultures.

We saw historical and cultural context. We saw

geographic context, that geography can speak.

God have used geography to reveal his will, to

reveal his thought. And we saw that geography

explained many times. We saw yesterday salvation,

bondage, slavery in the spirit, right? Are we

together? Yes Then we saw the supernatural context

that as believers we must not be naive That this

world is just material. Sorry, sir. That's not

what the Bible says that this material world

always interacts with the spirit world and There

are influences and that's why Paul will remind

us it is upon his understanding that he said

That the weapon though we live what in the flesh

we do not wage war after the war after the flesh

So there are principalities and powers is a ruler

they are ruling territories While we understand

so you must understand the understanding there

is an understanding so when you see the stars

and the moon in the Sun Don't just be thinking

it's just science or astronomy. You have to read

carefully because in those days, the view, the

worldview of the Bible writers, they have, they

are heavily influenced by the spiritual. So they

use those bodies, elements, hosts of heavens.

in the sun as symbols, elements that tell about

the spiritual or the spirit beings. We saw it

yesterday. And when we move, we try to start

to understand what we call how the Bible has

been taken out of context and then It was used

maliciously and it was abused. We started by

slavery in America. We saw about the slave Bible,

how men can be cruel. And I'm not trying to scare

you. Let me tell you, you're going to face persecution,

but more of the persecution will come from church

people. It's not today's are started it will

come from people holding a Bible not people who

doesn't even believe in God Are we together?

Yes They're the first people to call you false

prophet while they are the first prophet They're

the first people to call you names That is the

idea and that's the reason why I want to suggest

to you if it is God you want to You are following

please. I'm begging you from today as you are

moving in this meeting please Don't be so sensitive

about your reputation. Let me say it again Don't

be sensitive about your what? about your reputation

hmm, I will show you Jesus said a A servant is

all greater than his master the context of that

He was saying that if they have persecuted me,

they have called me many names, they will also

do what? They will also call you those names.

That's why he say, a what? A servant is no greater

than his teacher. Mean that whatever was done

to him, be sure it will be done to you. Are we

together? Hallelujah. And that's the reason why

we have to sustain a level of conviction in the

world for us to be able to move on. Amen. So

let me just highlight some few things about what

we started on the issue of Slavery America and

the text. I've already given you some text. So

I'll just pick from just what I've given you,

just one or two texts, and then we will interpret

it based in the light, I mean, in the light of

what we did yesterday. Are we together? Looking

at the larger context, which is a canonical context,

and we'll look at the immediate context. and

if the text require us, we will look at the geographic

context, we'll look at the literal context or

the supernatural context. Are we together? And

we see where those scriptures have been weep

on eyes. So today we're going to do a lot of

heavily on Bible interpretation using those thoughts

we shared yesterday. Amen. Genesis chapter 9.

Genesis 9 · chapter mention

So this is one of the texts that was used to

promote slavery. Genesis chapter 9 verse 18.

Genesis 9:18

And remember, those who promoted slavery are

not just church members who, as I said, they

are professors of theology. You understand? So

some of the people you are going to face are

people who have certificates. Are we together?

Yes. Genesis chapter nine, verse 18. Genesis

chapter nine, verse 18. Now the sons of Noah

who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth.

And Ham was a father of Canaan. Verse 19, these

three were the sons of Noah. And from these,

the whole earth was populated. And Noah began

to be a farmer and he planted a vineyard. Then

he drank of the wine and was drunk and became

uncovered in his tent. Verse 22. I'm reading

from the New King James. And Ham, the father

of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and

told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth

took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders

and went back and covered the nakedness of their

father. Their faces were torn away. They did

not see their father's nakedness. Noah awoke

from his wine and knew that his younger, his

younger, Amen. Shall I continue? Verse 24. Verse

25, then he said, "'Course be canon. A servant

of servant, he shall be to his brethren.'" Hallelujah.

Are we together? So these Southern pro -slavery

theologians, they claim that black people were

the descendants of Ham. Black people were the

descendants of Ham and therefore had been cursed.

They are the descendants of Ham and therefore

had been cursed. They claim that God had divinely

ordained the subjugation of black people. They

said that just as Cain had a mark, you know,

when Cain did what he did, Genesis chapter four,

you know, the Bible says that God make a mark

on him, right? And so they said just like when

Cain did sinful things and then they make a mark

on him, so that the name came. In Hebrew means

dark or black. The name ham means dark or black.

I'm just trying to tell us what they said or

what they interpreted as ham means dark or black

or hot bond, something like that. Which signify

a mark. So they said that that dark skin, is

a mark of the curse on the dark skinned people

of Africa. So not even every part of Africa is

a dark skinned people is a curse. Now what we

want to do is that is to look at the claim in

the sun contextually. First and foremost, just

that, I mean, you just read it now. You must

have noted that The curse was not on Ham. That's

the first thing, right? It was not on Ham. It

was on one of his sons, which is Canaan. So if

Ham, I don't know how, because you know, at that

moment, Canaan, I'll show you because from The

name Ham seems to promote their narrative. Because

at that time we didn't develop yet so much on

the understanding of names. So they just covered

and said Ham in Hebrew means dark. Because you

can a canon doesn't, this name does not go close

to dark. So that's why they moved to harm, because

they want to paint a narrative. But that's the

first thing for when you read, because it wasn't

a harm. Because if it was harm that was caused,

then that means all his descendants, not just,

I mean all his sons, the descendants of his sons,

not just one of them would have been cursed.

So it's Kanan that was cursed. He said, a servant

of servant shall be to his brethren. So that

word they use is servant of servant. That's why

you say, okay, you have to be perpetual servant

all the rest of your life because you are the

descendants of him. Now, as I said, in the study

of names, you understand, in fact, up to now,

we don't know what actually, what is the meaning

of ham in the sun, because it has no roots or

related to the word dark in Hebrew or any Semitic

language. I mean, any, it's not just only Hebrew,

any Semitic language. Ham is not closely, they

are not, they are not related. There's no any

name. either dark or black that is related to

ham at all in Hebrew, or any Semitic language,

none. So which means that up to now, no one can

categorically tell you exactly what a ham exactly

mean. Are we together? Even Kanan curse was due

to his misconduct. It was not because of his

skin color. Although they are saying that it

is a curse. The skin color is a mark of the curse.

So the descendants of Canaan, again, we know

them because the Bible clearly tells us that

descendant. They are the Canaanites in the Middle

East. They are not in Africa. Amen. because they

are not lost. We can follow them. You understand

what I'm saying? Yes. We can follow through the

descendants. So this means that this doctrine,

as I said, was just used to justify the enslavement

of the Dasken people and therefore it is fabricated.

And as I said, because at that time they are

looking for any word. that will look closely

to something that they want to justify and that's

why they are using harm but as you said harm

was not the one curse hallelujah this one is

simple because you can just read through in a

sign and just get what exactly is saying okay

let's go to the other ones that looks a little

bit much more work that we need to do Ephesians

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6, we said they also use a number of

texts in the New Testament. Ephesians chapter

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

6. So let me just read those verses that they

use also in the New Testament. Ephesians chapter

Ephesians 6:5

6 verse 5. Ephesians 6 verse 5. Born servant,

Ephesians 6:5

that is a word. uh that translation you slaves

be obedient to those who are your masters according

to the flesh with fear and trembling in sincerity

of heart as to christ in sincerity of heart as

to what as to christ hallelujah yes so again

um Colossians chapter 3. Go to Colossians chapter

Colossians 3 · chapter mention Colossians 3:22

3 verse 22. Colossians 3 22. Born servant obey

in all things your servant according to the flesh

not with eye service as men's pleasers for the

sincerity of heart fearing God. Titus chapter

Titus 2:9

2 verse 9. Titus chapter 2 verse 9. Exalt bond

Titus 2:9

-servants to be obedient to their own masters,

to be well -pleasing in all things, not answering

back. They love these titles. Hallelujah. So

these are the texts they use. Another one is

in Philemon. We're going to E2, in the sun, in

Philemon, but we're coming to that. Now, these

theologians, these pro -slavery theologians heavily

weaponized the New Testament also, particularly

these portions that I have read. They used these

verses to preach total submission, arguing that

rebelling against a master was a sin. against

God. Remember yesterday I told us what they did,

particularly this apostle to the slave, Jones,

right? He said because if we, we don't need just

to leave them, you understand, because they targeted

first the people at the time of authority so

that they can support and support the slavery.

But then they say cut, no. If we just ensure

that the people are the authorities, they are

the ones that like slavery and they are subjugating

them, the thing is still, they will be doing

their work, but they will be doing it grudgingly.

So how do we also, not just the top, but come

to the sleeve? Let's first and foremost preach

Christ, let them be born again. That way we can

teach them and psychologically to be completely

obedient so that they see the slavery itself

as the will of God. So one of these is what they

did here and so they use this text of the Apostle

Paul particularly because these are all texts

of Apostle you understand and they argue that

the Apostle only regulated slavery now that's

what he said that there is nowhere that he called

slavery or he immediately say no we must abolish

this no he only regulated it He only regulated

it. Okay, so let's go to efficiency. Let's look

at the context. First and foremost, let's look

at the context of efficiency. Let's start from

here five, because I told you we are trying to

look at the immediate context. You might need

to move across chapters. Are we together? Ephesians

chapter five, because that's where the discussion

starts. Or will I say somehow, because it started

from chapter four, actually. Paul was talking

about love and use God as an example, as the

model. So he's talking about love work. That's

the foundation, love work. So you see, by understanding

the context already, You already dismantled that

that is not what Paul is saying. Because there

is no how you are talking about love work and

you support slavery. Slavery is not love. It's

subjugation. It's inhumane treatment. Are we

together? It's not love work. So are you in chapter

five? Maybe we'll just start chapter five is

okay. Chapter five verse one. Therefore, be imitators

of God as their children, and walk in love."

And then he didn't leave you to what to be wondering,

what exactly are we to what? Which love? He's

on an open ending. He clearly gave you the model.

He said, as who? As Christ also has loved us.

How did he love us? He said, and he has given

himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God

for his sweet smelly aroma. The opposite is what

the slave owners were doing. They are exploiting

other humans. They are not sacrificing, rather

they are exploiting because he gave us Christ

as the model. Love as dearly beloved children.

Are we together? And work in love as Christ also

has loved us, given himself. So all through what

we'll be reading from here is about love, how

to show love to one another. And the model is

the love of Christ. We were helpless in trouble.

He came to save us. He did not come to exploit

us for his own benefits Are we together? We were

to die. He died on our place We were harassed

by the devil remember as many as a Partakers

of flesh and blood he say he partake the same

why he said that he might test dead And why will

he die? He said that he might destroy him. Who

has the power of death? That is the devil. And

why is it so? He said, and liberate those who

have been in all their lifetime. They are in

fear. They are in trembling because of that.

so that means he came to liberate us from the

harassment of satan in the sun we were perpetually

in fear of death he came to save us hebrew chapter

2 verse 14 and 15 he came to save us that is

why when the spirit of god came into us he said

you have not received the spirit of bondage to

do what to fear what you have received, eh? The

spirit that cried out, Abba, father. So the spirit

we have received is not the spirit of fear. It

didn't bring bondage to us, it brought freedom.

That is the love, not that that exploit a people.

Are we together? So that's the context. And when

you continue to read all through to 21, right?

Talk about fornication in the Psalm, but fornication

and all uncleanness, covetousness. Listen, all

these things, do you know that these things is

not just only a problem to you, it's also a problem

for the other person? Did you understand what

I'm trying to say? Yes, because you are harming

the other person, right? Yes. And then he kept

saying, these are not befitting of saints. Neither

fulness and so on and so on. Up until 21, he

keeps saying, this is what you should be doing,

verse 18. Do not be drunk with wine and with

dissipation, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

And then he says, speaking to one another in

psalms, in hymns and spiritual songs, singing

and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

giving thanks always for all things to God. The

father in the name of Jesus and he says submit

to one another in the fear of God He was speaking

to the entire church and then he turned to several

groups in the church Listen when he turned he

was not speaking a different thing in the sun

He just also continued to speak about love. Remember

he first started addressing the entire church

As you come together as we are doing things together.

He now moved to other relationship I hope you

know that the relationship we have here in the

church is in different strata. Are we together?

Now here we are members of the church, and some

of us again have another relationship in between

them, which is husband and wife. You understand

what I'm trying to say? Some has parent and children.

So there are several kinds of relationship, you

understand, in within the church. In all the

relationship, Paul was saying that you must exercise

love. That's the foundation. And then after talking

to the general church, he now moved in, verse

22, and now talk to wives. Right and say why

we should submit was 22 to 24. He talked to wife.

He said this is how you should express love Are

we together? He says submits in the sun submit

this submission is not Is not a foundation of

subjugation. This is love Are we together are

we together because he gave us a model he said

as the church submit to Christ. Did the trust

submit to Christ to be exploited? So why will

you think that the submission Christ is telling

you to do to your husband is that of exploitation?

How? Where did you get it? The foundation is

love. Everything is emanating from love work.

Are we together? Amen. That is it. So he told

the wife, submit. As the church submits to Christ,

as unto the Lord, again Christ's love is the

model. You now move to the husbands. Next is

the husbands. You now tell the husbands, from

verse 25 to 28, Ephesians 5, 25 to 28, and said,

you should love your wife. Again, he points them

to Christ, as Christ loved the church. Are we

together? As Christ loved the church, this love

is sacrificial love. I used to tell men, if you

understand what that means, you will not be everyday

looking as if you are a boss in the house. You

won't understand what you are talking about in

the sun. Because this love, this hardship, this

leadership is not... because you are wise in

many instances your wife is wiser than you are

but that's not what we are talking about here

because this is an election of grace are we together

this is an election of grace just the same way

we have pastors in this church we are not more

human than you are we are not actually a more

love before god than you are it's just a a a

position held by grace are we together that we

will have to leave the church And you are asked

also to submit to us, you understand? The same

way as also as unto the Lord. And this submission

is not exploitation. This submission, you understand,

is for accountability. This submission is for

leadership, is for headship. Are we together?

And that's why he is speaking. And he said, husband,

love your wife as Christ loved the church. Sacrificial

love, you understand? Every day, you are protecting,

you are leading. Means that you are leading you

want your wife to know how to love you show it.

That's leadership You know, it's not a command,

you know son cries did not come on. That's why

I have to follow his model It is a you you have

to love No, he offers some formulas. He did it

while we're yet sinners and then he said yeah

By this year all men know that you are my disciple

if you love one another but first and foremost

he shared he said He first commanded his love.

Are we together? In 1 John 3, 16, he will show

us that this is the way that he's shown his love.

That he laid down his life for us. So the same

way, we should do the same. That means we should

follow his pattern. So if you are the head of

the house, you are to show a leadership, the

Christ -like leadership. which means that whatever

you want a wife to learn whatever because you

are the leader you have to demonstrate it it's

not by command here hey hey hey that's a boss

you know a leader is a one that demonstrate points

convince show the way you understand i'm saying

some men we have to start teaching young men

in this church you know you don't know how to

talk you talk anyhow you understand you don't

know how to how to communicate well you understand

i said this is what i mean you have to explain

you are not a boss that you don't need that your

subordinate don't need a explanation they only

say your boss just come in the morning today

we are going to do this we do that you this one

you do this one no that's not how to run a house

you understand it's not a company did you understand

i'm saying no that's not how to run a house you

understand before you take a decision you say

sit down my love i have some this thing you have

to explain you understand like a salesman You

have to show the vision when Jesus will come

to you. He will not just tell you no He will

tell you what is going to this is what in fact

from day one Whatever that you will not get you

will tell you Whatever you get Jesus will say

anyone that follow me. This is what this is that

the conditions will Because it's not a journey

of deception. It's a journey of clarity But you

assure you of his commitment to the end That

is love. Then he moved to children, chapter six,

verse one. Children, obey your parent in the

Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and

mother, which is a first commandment with a promise

that it might be well with you, and you may live

long on the earth. You fathers, but before we

come to fathers, he told children, again, in

the Lord, the model is Christ's love. Are we

together? He moved to children. Then he moved

to fathers verse four. Fathers do not provoke

your children to rat, but bring them up in the

training and the admonition of the Lord. This

is not exploitation. This is clear indication

of the good of the child. Are we together? This

is training. This is training. Hallelujah. This

same word here, bring them up in the training

is the same word used in second timuti understand

that word instruction in righteousness verse

16 all scripture is given by the inspiration

of god and profitable for doctrine for reproof

for correction that word instruction in righteousness

is this same word bring up a child then you know

that this is one is not about slap here slap

there slap here slap here slap here that means

he's talking about instruction teaching Yes,

they are children. There are times that you will

need, especially because there are moments you

will have to give them a spank. The reason is

because you tell them to do something or you

say, don't do this, they repeat it. Don't do

this, they repeat it. Don't do it, they repeat

it. If you allow them, they will manipulate you.

That's where you just give them That is to remind

them they are under authority. So, and it is

scriptural. If you read the book of Proverbs,

there is a book of instruction. There are only

few verses that talk about the Lord. Are you

two with me? This is a wisdom, it's not by mistake.

That means the bulk of the training of a child

you understand is clearly teaching and instruction

and may I tell you the first thing that a child

will learn is from your attitude that is the

major thing of teaching your lifestyle in the

house you are joking whatever you do is a useless

one if your attitude does not change your prayer

life your attitude the way you live with your

wife these are mandatory modeling is the best

way of training understand it's first and foremost

and so he told him then he moved to slaves verse

five to what verse five to what verse five to

eight right now this is another form of relationship

you understand of course so many things listen

people don't understand when you are reading

scriptures in the sun when jesus came he came

under the uh what do you call it the roman uh

will i say rule or coloniality or colonialism

right because jesus christ's mission did not

come to overthrow the the government do you understand

what i'm trying to say That was what the disciples

thought he came to do. He came to remove the

Roman government and liberate them and return

them to those days when their kings were ruling

them. We see Jesus' mission was different. So

you kind of expect Jesus came to die, to save

us from our sins, and he came, he's trying to

overthrow the government. That's not why he came.

And so just because now he didn't overthrow the

government, and you now say Jesus is supporting

colonialism. That means you are confused. Are

we together? So Paul came and found the eels

in the society. What he did was to communicate

that boat, to communicate what they should do.

He told the servants, they are believers. He

said, this is how you should treat your own master.

based according to law, not on eye service. Obedience

to them, those who are your masters according

to the flesh, with fear and trembling, with sincerity.

The fact that some of them are crude, just the

same way today, it's not different. Some of us

are employed by this thing. How many cruelty

did you have endured? How many... things that

your dues has not been paid yet. You didn't go

and overthrow the university. Did you understand

what I'm saying? So he's showing them how to

live life, you understand? Because the fact that

your university is your enemy, there is a way

to work with your enemy. He's here in the Bible.

Yesterday we saw it. You pray for them, you understand?

He said, by so doing you will heap what call

of fire in the sun the fact that somebody was

clear to you he said how you should do things

to those who do evil to you so paul is teaching

to these people even though you are servants

or you are slaves and these people might be cruel

this is how you should behave but remember he

didn't stop there he also go to their masters

themselves are we together He now turned to the

masters, verse 9. He now said, you and you, masters,

do the same. Now, say to me, do the same. Do

the same. Now, this is no way. That means the

same thing He told the servants to do to their

masters. He now is saying, you, masters, do the

same to your slaves. That cannot be a man supporting

slavery Are we together he said do the same If

your Bible is not borrowed on the line that place

because you need it tomorrow he said do the same

Do the same That means everything is being said

here is about love walk is the same thing is

only application at different point You know

what I'm saying? Different way of relationship.

Depending on how I'm relating with you. You understand?

Because Sister Glory is my church member. Are

we together? I will relate to her as a pastor.

You understand? But I can't relate with her as

her husband. Did you understand what I'm trying

to say? depending on the relationship, I will

communicate love in that manner. There is a communication

of love that Pastor Fred will do to Sister Glory,

and it's love. Me, if I do it, it's not love.

It will be lost. Did you understand what I'm

saying? So, it is a guidance. That's why I told

you, he said to the masters, do the same. Do

the same. Things to them. Giving up threatening.

Did you hear that? He said, you can't threaten

them. Slavery is based on threats. On compulsion,

on subjugation. He said, knowing that your own

master Also is in heaven meaning that in showing

to them that you must learn from your own master

Your own master is Christ Yeah, and this master

this is how he does things Are we together There

is no what partiality with him This your master

that you, you the masters must learn is that

with this master, there is no partiality. With

this master, he pays you as you work for him.

He does not exploit you. He is not a partial

master. You must learn from this master because

you also have a master. Are we together? This

is anti -slavery. This is love work. So this

context, the context of this scripture is not

slavery, is love. Remember, Pastor Fred told

us that don't bring a subject that is not a subject

being discussed. You can learn principle there.

The context here is love work, not slavery. So

Paul was not addressing the church. He said,

hey today we are going to talk about slaves and

slavery. No, he is discussing love work everyone

So Paul was giving instruction That how we should

live is a pastoral letter to the church on how

we should live the Christian faith That's the

same thing he did To Colossians because it's

the same pattern look at Colossians. I'll just

mention the same pattern Colossians chapter 3

Colossians 3:1–17

verse 1 to 17. He also started with the general

church Talk with them in the sun if they you

are a you were raised with Christ He said seek

those things which are above in the Sun We are

Christ is seated at the right hand of God this

word above is not talking about the sky in the

sun it's talking about heaven it's talking about

the spiritual those things that are spiritual

that's where you are you say that's where Christ

is seated right remember this you are raised

with Christ uh Ephesians 2 we're raised with

Christ seated uh where in the heavies are we

together that's this same place you say that's

where Christ is seated we're sitting with Christ

here That means what Paul is saying, you should

do the things that is of your identity, which

are above. This same word means above. Again,

he said verse two, set your mind on the things

above, not on the things on the earth. Listen,

this word above on earth are figurative. He's

not talking literature here. Above mean spiritual

in Christ. On Earth means evil and the flesh.

You don't understand what I'm saying? He's not

talking about literature here. That's why when

you read down, he explained to you exactly what

he means by above and the things that are on

the Earth. It's not cars. It's not houses. You

understand? They are fleshy attitudes. Then verse

five, look at verse five. He said, therefore

put to death your members. And then somebody

will ask, the Bible says we have died. Why is

he saying we should put to death? You see, this

word put to death means to render, you understand,

to render those, remember, this your members

means your parts of body. Do you understand what

I'm trying to say? If you say put to death, that

means you go and court yourself. Amen? Members

which are on the earth. You understand? That

means you're part of the body. You understand?

Members. So when you said put to death means

behave in your own identity. That's what it means.

That means to behave according to your identity.

It means to deny or to deprive. You understand?

The members on the earth and then he mentioned

remember we talked about the issue that are on

the earth Yeah, he said that set your things

above not on the things on the earth He now mentioned

the things on the earth fornication uncleanness

Passion evil desires covetousness adored. You

know something. These are the things on the earth

He's saying don't set your eyes on those things

You should set the things on the things above

these are the things on earth so you should deny

your members these things deprive them of these

things because verse 6 of these things the wrath

of god is coming upon the sons of disobedience

in which you yourself once walked and lived in

them but now you should know you are no longer

living there you yourself you understand and

then he continued he talked about do not lie

verse 9 to one another these are things on the

earth verse 11 where there is neither greek nor

jew he talks about again our life therefore as

a let of god holy and beloved put on tender mercy

now these are the things above tender mercy kindness

Humility, meekness, long -suffering, bearing

with one another, forgiving one another. If anyone

has a complaint against another, even as Christ

forgave you. Christ is the model of the love.

So you must... You see, this is what he was teaching

the church. He said the things are both, not

the things on the earth. Then he came and started

also the same way that we saw in Ephesians. He

started dealing with the other relationships

that are within the church are we together you

now say wives verse 18 look at verse 18 wife

submit your husband then verse 19 you say husband

also you don't turn to husband love your wife

the same thing we saw verse 20 he turned to children

he said what children obey your parent in all

things in the son for this is where please remember

as we said don't just when you read All things.

All things is not all things. All things is within

the context. There's something he mentioned.

The things on the world. Above. All things. All

things. All things. Not everything. Both the

one above and the one on the earth. No! You can't

carry these all things. These all things is contextual.

is the old things above. Are we together? And

then he continued also. After children, he moved

to fathers, verse 21, right? Fathers do not just

like we saw. After fathers, then he moved to

slave, obey your earthly masters. The same thing.

And then most of us will stop here, right? But

when you move, he didn't stop there chapter four

verse one he moved to masters he has not completed

he must tell these masters he's not everybody

must hear this he said masters give your bone

servant what is just and fear is that what slavery

has been doing these people are evil they remove

all these verses give your master what is fear

is what is fear to carry somebody across the

atlantic and force him to be having sexual intercourse

or I don't know whether it's immorality intercourse

or whatever, you understand? To be giving birth

to babies, breaking families, you understand?

If you have a big chest like Chris, they will

carry you, you understand? Even if it's your

sister, they saw she's also good, they will combine

you and say you must give birth because they

want heavy, heavy children. That's evil In the

Sun is disgusting to think that a pastor a theologian

has supported this Give them what is just and

fear knowing that you also have a master in heaven

We saw it that this master is not saying knowing

that this master will also deal with you. No,

he's saying look at the master you have. This

master is not a tyrant. This master is one that

is sacrificial. The lordship of Christ is not

of servitude. The lordship of Christ is of freedom.

Go to Titus. Hallelujah. You know Titus is interesting

in the sun. Titles start with older men. This

one is telling Titus what to teach in the sun.

He said I am not here because he said just the

same way he sent Timothy. He also sent Titus.

He told Titus in verse two of chapter two. He

said this is what you should teach in the church

when you go. This is what you should do. He said

to the older men Ask them be sober, be reverent,

be sound in faith, in love, in patience. Then

you move to the older. He said to the older women

in church, tell them this. Teach them this. Older

women likewise, that they may be reverent in

behavior, not slanderous, not giving too much

wine. Teachers of good things. Are we together?

Vashfor. That they admonish. Then he said, this

is what you should do. The older women, apart

that you should teach them to live, ask them,

because you don't need to go and be teaching

everybody. As you are teaching these older women,

ask them to go and teach the younger women. Say

that they should tell and admonish the younger

women, first of all. To love their husbands.

You know, I hear some callous men when they are

discussing issues. You know, when you remove

kai, The Bible did not say a woman should love

a man. The Bible says she should submit. Because

in his mind, submission means subjugation. Stupid

man. You see, that's the problem. Remember we

already noted that the context of efficient is

what? It's love work. So the submission is what?

It's love as well. So when Titus is saying, I

mean Paul is saying to Titus, tell the older

women to admonish the younger women, to love

their husband. What he is saying also is that,

tell them to submit to their husbands. Are we

together? See, love is the fruit, fruit, not

fruits, fruit. of the spirit and it has varied

what expression love is the fruit of the spirit

and it has varied expression for the fruit of

the spirit is not is love and in love there is

patience in love there is kindness In love, there

is goodness. Are we together? So when you show

goodness, what are you showing? Love. If you

are patient, what are you showing? Love. If you

have self -control, what are you showing? Love.

Again, if you are submitting to your husband,

what are you showing? Love. Do you understand

what I'm trying to say? Everything is love, only

that is expressing itself in various ways. So

when you said, admonish young women to love their

husband is not contradicting what he said inefficient

he's just giving it adumkuli hallelujah those

from northern nigeria understand this greek word

adumkuli you understand that is i don't know

how to explain this adumkuli he's giving it as

a whole, you know what I'm saying? Hallelujah.

So he now move then to younger men, you know

what I'm saying? After telling the older women

to admonish the younger women, to love their

husbands, but also to love their children, to

be discreet, to be chaste, homemakers, you know

what I'm saying? Good, obedient, to their own

husbands that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

Homemakers, you understand? Homemakers is not

saying house help. Homemakers, you understand?

If you enter to a house of a woman that is making

her home. You will see it. It means she's a coordinator.

She coordinates things. Things are not scattered.

They are not upside down in the sun. That does

not mean she is the one that necessarily have

to do it. But she is making it. And we were not

treating on this. I will not explain this one

today. That's not what we are dealing with today.

So that's exactly what he continued to speak.

Then he turned to the young man, look at it.

Likewise, you see likewise again. Likewise, that

is in the same manner. That means he's just telling

each one to do the same thing, you understand,

according to his own position. Likewise, exhort

the young men to be sober -minded. You see, he

had already told the older men to be sober. Do

you want something? He said to be sober -minded

in all things, showing yourself to be a pattern

of good work, in doctrine. Showing integrity,

you understand? Reverence, incorruptible. Young

men don't agree, you understand? People to be,

that's what he told Timothy. Don't allow your

youth to be despised, you understand? No, don't

allow yourself to be looked down upon because

you are young. Look at what they say that young

men, you understand? Not talking anyhow. Is it

the pattern of good works? Inducting. Inducting.

This is why we are desiring to raise men that

know God, that are sound. Inducting. In integrity.

Not swindlers. Not those who are craving always

to cheat someone. Men of character is an integrity.

reverence they are incorruptible these are men

young men this is a desire and the will of god

then he turned to slaves verse nine and then

talked to them as well exhort bond -servant to

be obedient to their masters to be well pleasing

in all things not in answering back What is trying

to say that don't be a tyrant also You know,

we have even employees today that they are wicked

than their masters You know something That is

not submission when your boss is speaking and

then you are answering back That is not honoring

Again, when you say all things, it does not mean

in evil, you understand? In, remember, is a context

we are talking. If you remove it, it will say

anything. Are we together? Hallelujah. Fill him

on. Let's finish with this one, because we need

to move away from this. So nobody because I have

seen a lot of people carry this narrative today

online. They are sharing See that the church

has supported this thing the church at that Yes,

we agree a portion of a church have done it but

don't use the word a church and I want to acknowledge

I mean admonish you to Don't use those statement,

you know those statement that because you have

one experience with somebody you just generalize

in the Sun Like a lady who has been jilted. All

men are the same. You understand what I'm trying

to say? No, don't be speaking like that. You

understand? We say come for counseling. You refuse.

You went behind our back. You went and start

liking the boy. Of course, when the boy displays

his boyhood. You understand? And then you come

back and say that's how all men are. You understand

what I'm saying? That's a boy. We are saying

all men. No, you have not met a man. You understand?

All you have been meeting are boys. So I've seen

all those things and vice versa. You see a man

just carelessly made. Women, that's how they

are. You have to handle them that way. You can

see your mind has been corrupted. Has been corrupted

by the doctrine of Balaam. The doctrine that

likes money. You understand? Hallelujah. Doctrine

that move to control, because that money is moving,

because they want to control something. Amen.

Are you in Philemon? Philemon 1. I'm not going

to read everything, but they use this to support

this doctrine of slavery also. They call it,

yesterday I told you, they call it the Christian

doctrine of slavery. Are we together? Amen. So

if you start reading from Philemon, they use

this, they said, Paul sent a runaway slave. He

said, go back and be the slave you are, in the

sun. Or Nussemon was back to his master. He said,

go back, in the sun. That's not what Paul is

saying. If you read from verse one, talking about

to Philemon, our beloved brother, and Phileo

Labora, the beloved Afir, archipelago, and then

he moved on. And then he started addressing the

matter downward. Therefore was it, though I might

be very bold in Christ to command you what is

fitting, yet, For what? For love what? Hey, are

we together? For love's sake, I rather appeal

to you. That's love work. You see how a man is

demonstrating it? I appeal to you, being such

a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner

of Jesus Christ, I appeal to you for my son Onesimus.

You see how you call him? he did not call him

his slave, he called him my son whom I have begotten

while in chains. So that means when he ran away

they met and he preached Jesus and now he is

his son in the faith because he was the one who

led him to Christ. Verse 11, who once was unprofitable

to you but now is profitable to you and to me.

I'm sending him back. Now, is he sending him

back to be a slave again? He said, you therefore

received him, that is my own heart, whom I wish

to keep with me. That on your behalf, he might

minister to me in my change for the gospel. But

without your consent, I wanted to do nothing

that your good deed might not be compulsion as

it were. but voluntary. Verse 15, for perhaps

he departed for a while for this purpose, that

you might receive him forever. You will receive

him for what? Does that look like a servant?

Does that look like a slave? No. Verse 16, look

at 16 particularly. He said, no longer as a slave.

but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially

to me, but how much more to you both in the flesh

and in the Lord. Amen. So Paul did not send his

unassailable back to be enslaved. No, no, he

is now a brother. Now a brother. So there's no

how this book, because the book of Philemon is

not a book of slavery. It's a book of reconciliation

and love. How we reconcile. That's the book of

reconciliation. That's what you see. how people

in dispute can be reconciled. The Bible didn't

tell us what Onesimus did. We didn't know what

actually the dabaru he caused in the sun. But

what we're saying is that, sorry, dabaru means

the Confucian. We don't know what he did. However,

for him to end up in prison, to meet Paul that

means it's something that that is reasonable

something like that did you hear what i'm trying

to say because if not they would not have met

there now if he has just run away like that just

run away that means it was something a grave

offense that led him to the prison where they

met with paul hallelujah amen now these are just

some of the texts so we will move from this one

let me introduce the next one which is the law

of gender discrimination The, why I want to spend

some time here is because it's one of the problem

we are still facing up to today. Where women

are said that women cannot teach, cannot preach

in church, cannot be pastors. Is this same attitude?

Is this same laws that is still, will I say law?

Is this same discrimination? It has been there

for a long time and has been promoted by children.

Some of them, they are professors. or will I

say they are career people, they are professional

pastors? Listen. Amen. Okay, number two. So that

was the first one. We're going to the second

one that how these scriptures has been, I mean

the context, the scripture has been removed from

its context. Number two, Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow.

Laws and gender discrimination. Jim Crow, J -I

-M -C -R -O -W. Laws and gender discrimination.

Now following the abolition of slavery, because

later on we saw this issue of the slavery led

to the Civil War America in the sand where the

North and the South fought. And of course, they

were able to win what they call the Union. They

won and then ensured that because as a result

of this, the Northern parts with the Union refused,

they do not agree with the position of the South

regarding slavery. So when they saw that the

North wants to succeed in in putting sand inside

their garden. They say, okay, we're going to

part away. We're not going to be part of the

America again. So they separate themselves more

or less like to, what do you call it in political

science? Your association, yes. Are we together?

Yes. So they now say, no, no, no, no. And they

fought the civil. Just the same with what we

had in Nigeria, the issue of Biafra. and the

disunwanted Biafra want to carve out their own

this and that the Nigerian the other part of

the Nigerian had to fight the war to keep Nigeria

united amen so the same thing so after that they

unite they abolish slavery but you see the problem

has not gone because the ideology still exists

The same theological framework we adopted and

maintain what we call a strict racial segregation.

A strict racial segregation. That's what is the

Jim Crow. It's from a fictional character. Just

make it into that. You can read about that. So

once you hear the Jim Crow loss, it's all the...

racial segregation, understand? And then later

on, we have also other form of restriction, restricting

women, those segregation, we have racial, then

we also have this gender discrimination as well,

meaning to restrict women from civil, from legal,

from leadership position, even in the church,

understand? It started, it covers a lot of things

in the society. Women couldn't vote, women couldn't,

there are so many things. Then later on they

were allowed and so on and so forth. And then

the one that persists up to now is the one of

the church, the leadership in the church. They

don't want women to lead, you understand? Hallelujah.

Because those men, if you are patriarchal, that's

why you think. Amen. Now, what are some of the

texts they brought? Let's start from Jim Crow.

They brought Ezra chapter nine to 10, Ezra chapter

nine to 10 and Nehemiah 13, Nehemiah 13, the

whole of chapter 13. Ezra nine to 10 and Nehemiah

13. So in this, passages Israel we are ordered

to dissolve marriages with foreign women in the

Sun Israel we are ordered by their leadership

at that time to dissolve marriages with foreign

women so white supremacists in the Sun in America

use these to pass laws binding interracial marriage

to depict these texts in the sun and say, no,

no, no, no, we cannot continue like that. So

they banned interracial marriage. And that's

what brought about a lot of these gender discriminations.

Now remember, as I said, what we have already

treated for the issue of slavery, are also applicable

to racial discrimination. So even after the civil

war, they came together, they were seen discriminating.

The black person cannot be where the white person

is because they are also, they are considered

all the texts we have said. They are cursed,

they are this, they are that, they are this.

And that's what brought about the civil rights

movement, Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. King. and

so on and that one we are very much aware of

all those struggles. Amen. Are we together? Yes.

So what I'm going to address much more now is

just the issue of women discrimination. Now let's

look at the text. I'm going to read the whole

chapter because we have chapter Ezra chapter

Ezra 9 · chapter mention

9 and 10 and Nehemiah 13. What I will do is that

I will give you a snippet that is a position

I'm going to read because it's important. Normally

when that place is read, that place is covered.

It's not been mentioned at all. So let me first

give you the order of Nehemiah contextually.

Now contextually, let's start with Nehemiah 13.

Now Nehemiah 13, when you look at from verse

23 to 24. Nehemiah 13, 23 to 24. You will see

the interracial problem. Sorry, yeah, not interracial.

Why is I'm using, because I'm using interracial.

It mean intermarital problem, meaning that the

money between Israel and the foreign, are we

together? Yes, so let me say it again. the intermarital

problem verse 23 to 24 that's the problem so

just maybe you just say intermarital problem

23 verse 23 to 24 next is how Nehemiah confronted

the issue verse 25 how Nehemiah confronted the

issue that's in verse 25 the next is king Solomon

as the bad example and this I will have to read

this place. This is where many of them jump in

the sand because the reason for the leadership

at then of Israel to ask that those marriages

must be dissolved is not because they dislike

the women. It's not because of segregation. It's

because these women are from pagan nations. And

once they come, they corrupt, you understand,

the service of God. They now lead these people

or lead the people of God into sin. So the foundation

of this take is not segregation. It's not gender

segregation. It is to remove or to stop evil,

you understand, from happening. Are we together?

Look at verse 26. Because when Nehemiah was telling

them the reason why he have to do what he did,

he gave them an example of Solomon. I think when

Paso Tike was teaching us, he made mention of

this issue here. Are we together? 26. He said,

did not Solomon king of Israel sinned? So you

see the issue is sinning. How did he sin? By

these things. What are these things? Yet among

many nations there was no king like him who was

beloved of God. And God made him come over Israel.

Nevertheless, pagan women cursed him. cost even

him to sin. Did you see the reason? Why am I

saying that? No, we will not allow you to go

to other nations to marry. We even have the king

himself. When he married, his head turned upside

down. Are we together? Hallelujah. Verse 27.

Should we then hear of your doing all this great

evil transgressing against God by marrying pagan

women. So the focus is not about just marrying

foreign women. It's marrying pagan foreign women,

pagan and the late people as three. Now you see

already the context has nothing to do about marrying

a foreign woman. is the issue of sin. Nehemiah,

let's go to Nehemiah. And sorry, Ezra. Ezra 9

and 10. Again, we're not going to read it. You

can read it later on in the son, Ezra chapter

nine, chapter 10. So I will start from chapter

nine. Again, Ezra in chapter nine, verse one

and two, he also tell the problem. or the intermarital

problem, where they go to marry the foreign women.

Then Ezra, I'm sorry, verse three to verse five,

Ezra was extremely grieved about the problem.

Verse three to five, he shows how he was grieved

about the problem. He was grieved about the problem.

Verse six, To verse 15. Israel's prayer and confession.

Israel's prayer and confession. Now I want to

read verse 10 here. So verse six to 15, it shows

Israel's prayer and confession. Let me read verse

10 to 14. And now, O God, what shall we say after

this? For we have forsaken your commandment,

which you commanded yourself and the prophets,

saying, the land which you are entering to possess

is an unclean land, with the uncleanness of the

people of the land, with their abomination, which

have filled it from one end to another with their

impurity. Verse 12, now therefore, do not give

your daughters as wife for their sons, nor take

their daughters to your sons and never seek their

peace or prosperity that you may be strong and

eat the good of the land and leave it as an inheritance

to your children. Did you see why they are asking

them not to marry? because the land is filled

with uncleanness. You understand? The people

are evil. So that's the same fear which we saw

in Nehemiah. That when you marry these people,

you understand? When you marry these people,

they will come in and become and lead your children

to sin, lead your children to the seven... leaving

the living God and serving pagans. That's what

we saw with King Solomon. Verse 13, and after

all that has come upon us for our evil deeds

and for our great deal, since you, our God, have

punished us less than our iniquities deserve

and have given us such a deliverance as this.

Should we again break your commandment and join

in marriage with the people committing this abomination?

Would you not be angry with us until you had

consumed us so that there would be no remnant

or survival? So the focus is the problem that

marrying these pagan women will cause. You know,

the woman is powerful. Very, very powerful. In

history, if you want to catch a man, that's what

they have been used to. You understand? If you

have been watching maybe all the security documentaries,

maybe Mossad and all those, you must have seen

that one of the weapon they use is a woman. You

understand? Yes. So they know how strong they

are. That's why they don't want to, because if

they allow marriage, And that's why it has happened

to Solu. Before you know, he started building

all kinds of high places, shrines everywhere,

for different gods. And then turns his heart

away from God. And of course, because he needs

so much money to be able to afford that kind

of lifestyle, to provide all houses for all those

women. He had to tax his people. He overtaxed

his people. So don't think the money that Solo

got is from just his work, his business. No,

it's from taxation. And the foolish young man,

after him that came, Rehobo, they called him

and said, bro, now that you are here, this is

what your father did to you. Please, can you

just reverse it so that your people follow him?

And the foolish person would go and join your

agencies. I have them as his advisors. And he

told you, hey, don't do that. If your father

flogged with the ringer, use you scorpion. And

he led to the division of the Israel into southern

northern kingdom. I mean, just look at him. Hallelujah.

We will not be unwise in Jesus' name. We will

be wise. because every day we're learning from

the wisdom of God. We're learning to do love

work. We're learning to repay evil with good.

Are we together? Nobody is our enemy. We know

the enemy. Even though they act as enemies, people

can be enemy, they can see us as their enemy,

but we are not their enemies. Hallelujah. Are

we together? Now let me start introducing something

which will continue in the next session. The

issue of second Timothy, first Timothy chapter

two. Again we are on gender discrimination. This

is one of the hot, even today, so I'm going to

spend some time here in the sand. This scripture

has been weaponized to say that Paul say that

a woman should not teach men, and so should not

be in leadership position in the church. Verse

12, look at verse 12, first Timothy chapter one,

chapter two, sorry, verse 12. I thank the Lord

because we have already done a part of this text,

you understand, during issues of women liberty.

The series are, it's online for those of us who

are following online if you want to check that

we've dealt with the issue of uh verse nine in

like manner that women are do themselves with

modest apparel and we said again the bible writers

we are not english writers are we together so

you don't see operate and think it's clothing

no this one is not clothing here in the sign

if you look at the uh root word or the greek

word here used it's not talking about apparatus

talking about attitude is an attitude innocent

that modest attitude attitude and that's why

you see he said with with propriety and moderation

that's the attitude and then he now said not

with breaded here which means that he is comparing

attitudes are we together he's saying that your

focus should be on your attitude, not just focus

on Atwa Sapira. And I'm going to tell you reasons

why Paul was saying that, because we need to

understand again the immediate context here.

Because in Ephesus is a town of spiritual female

supremacy. You understand? So there are many

if you understand the context you now know you

appreciate the reason why Paul was talking this

week you know, sir Just the same way That we

have in the days of old and then when we are

coming we have a patriarchal society So there

are so much mentality of men in Ephesus. We have

a goddess called the Artemis in the sun I'm going

to give us some part in that because we have

to look at it and see from that what Paul is

saying here. Amen. Now, so he says, so we have

already dealt with these and we said, he's not

saying that you should not wear a braided hair

or the, no, no, no. His emphasis is that your

attention should be more, is the same or similar

text with what Peter was saying, you know what

I'm saying? That your focus should be on the

inner beauty, you know what I'm saying? So which

means that You can wear good clothing see understand,

but your Emphasis of life should not be outwards

should be in order of priority your attitude

should be ahead Are we together then in our state

verse 10, but which is proper? of women professing

godliness. So he said that this is actually the

pattern of godliness we have seen in Assam with

good works. Then verse 11. In answer, let a woman

learn in silence with all submission. And I do

not permit a woman. This is the main text. Verse

12, I do not permit a woman to teach or to have

authority over a man, but be silent. So men have

used this text and say women are banned from

teaching. They cannot teach, that means they

cannot be pastors. They cannot be elders in the

church. But is that what Paul is saying? And

so those people that are, those that weaponize

this, do gender discrimination, They have instituted,

don't go because of now, but we still have the

problem in church. But in then, including the

society, in institution, woman cannot be a leader.

Then when we have very close relationship between

the church and the state, so the church is highly,

highly connected with the state. So every part

of the organization, a woman cannot be a leader.

So it's a system of exclusion. Remember where

I told you where they started? Even women cannot

vote. So the discrimination is high, not to talk

of talking about that you... They won't get there.

And they are using Bible. The question is that,

when Paul was writing this in his head, was his

intention is to ban women from teaching. That's

the context. You know, the problem with most

of the problem we have in the church is that

we isolate a verse. First you need to ask, you

remember what we said? You need to ask a question.

First, let's turn to what we have learned yesterday.

In Christ, right? In the, that's canonical context.

In Christ, do we have any discrimination in Christ?

Are we together? We only have, there is no Greek

or Jew, there is no male or female, right? We

are all sons of God. We sang that song. We are

sons of the Lord. We are built on what? Is it

the men that are built on the rock alone? Are

men only the sons of God? No, men and women.

Are we together? What you have, we have. Peter

will said, because you are joined hairs of the

grace of God. First Peter chapter three. Dwell

with them according to knowledge, verse seven.

O you husbands, dwell with her according to knowledge.

With this understanding that you are joined here

of the grace of God That means in Christ whatever

you have she has So anything that has to do with

the With things privileges in Christ in a son

there is no issue of discrimination Anything

a man can be, a woman can be. Anything a man

has, a woman has. Because our identity is spiritual.

See, that's why I told you, if you start with

the canonical context, it already started to

dismantle the argument. Christ did not intend

to bring any division in his church, any form

of discrimination. You understand? Not tribe,

not ethnicity, not gender. You understand? There

is no any form of discrimination. We are one.

That's the emphasis of the message of the Bible.

Common salvation, common faith. Do you understand

what I'm trying to say? Our own precious faith.

We have everything common. There is nothing unique

between a man and a woman. When it comes to Christ

in the sun when it comes to the church Hallelujah

Where you begin to see the issue of headship

the difference in terms of role is in the family

setting Are we together? It's in the family setting

and that's why Paul will always ensure that when

he is talking in the chat and he's talking general,

you will know, sir, he's talking to everyone.

If he's talking to married people, sorry, sir,

he will not use as if he's talking to everyone.

He will isolate and say, children, I'm talking

to you. Married people, I'm talking to you. So

that means if talking to single people, you say

single people, I'm really talking to you. So

you cannot go inward and then carry things that

is for married people. and those paste it for

everybody or carry things that is for children

or carry something that is talking to some certain

people and then paste it or when Jesus is talking

to Pharisee and then when he said go and chill

then you two you say you two go and you want

to sometimes say no because sometimes the Pharisee

come with foolish questions and then you address

their foolishness in the sun So you have to understand

to who was he speaking to? To who was he speaking

to? When he said, when he was talking about divorce

and all that which we have seen in the son, Jesus

was addressing that. When he was even addressing

that, I say to you, who is to you? Are we together?

I say to you, who is you? You see, he is talking

people. They asked him a question. They are conversed.

They said but Moses said the letter is I say

to you That means he's not speaking to a general

people. He was conversing to this people that

were asking him question He said and he told

him and Jesus was saying anything because the

question they asked him is that can they divorce

for any other reason? That's what Moses law said

Moses law said if you see an uncleanness That's

what Jesus interpreted. I said to you, except

for the sin of immorality. That's the uncleanness.

Jesus was not inventing anything. He was just

interpreting because he wanted to make the law

blanket. You understand? He said, no, no, no,

no, no, no, no. I said to you. So that means

that even thing that he was speaking, he was

not to the church. He was speaking to the Pharisee.

I'm trying to reinterpret Moses' law. And interpreted

correctly, but the church carry it today what

Jesus clearly said That is what the church should

be concerned. Is that it was not so in the beginning

That is the will of God So don't say go and say

Jesus has a law for divorce and marriage. No,

that's the Moses law He was trying to clarify

to these people What is our own is that? In was

no soul in the beginning Are we together? So

that's what thing I want us to do as we continue

so that you will not move around and say ah Jesus

said we can divorce You know, so you say we can

divorce he gave us a condition Are we together?

Hey man Amen Divorce will happen. You know, so

we are believers. We are washed We are forgiving,

you understand? He asked us, man of God, read

the scripture yesterday, that this is the will

of God, even your sanctification, that you live

free of immorality, you know the will of God.

But sometimes, Christian, don't go and do so

fornication. You don't understand what I'm trying

to say? So what will you do to these people that

do fornication? You should throw them away because

they sin? No! We know the will of God, but sometimes

people will fall out of it. Then we bring them

back. But we cannot we cannot hold them captive

by that team. Did you understand brandy? So people

will do divorce whether you like it or not because

this is the reality of it and There are system

to bring these people in but not to use divorce

to disqualify a spiritual man. You are a liar

You can use that In the sun you can't neither

can you use fornication you understand or anything

is bad you bring the person to the admonition

of the lord but not to disqualify the person

because of that attitude never because what qualifies

us is not the attitude what qualifies us is christ

himself are we together he is a one that qualifies

us you can't buy that qualification he has to

be the one amen Amen. Now look at it. This letter,

first Timothy and second Timothy, it was written

to Timothy as a pastor in Ephesus. Please follow

me gradually because this is sensitive, so I

want to clarify this very, as much as I can.

And why did Paul send Timothy to Ephesus? Look

at 1 Timothy chapter 1. Look at verse 3. He said,

1 Timothy 1 · chapter mention

I urge you, when I went to, I went into Macedonia,

remain in Ephesus. And what are you to do in

Ephesus? that you may charge some that they teach

no other doctrine. Please, I want you to know

that. That means there are some doctrines that

have been flying around that is not according

to Christ. So he sent Timothy, I say, you must

talk these people. He said, verse four, no give

heed to feebles. So that means there are fibus.

What are fibus? Myth. Myth. You understand? Note

that one also. We are coming to it. Myth. That

means some mythical things as used as doctrine.

And endless genealogies which cause this. Now

listen, these myths are not just things that

are cooked up somewhere. There are spiritual

stories turn into something things you understand

project. Please. I want you to know this. It's

not really like We are teaching new age or something.

I know is the Bible itself That are being used

in a son, but not a sound doctrine endless genealogies

in a son Meaning that all know me. I think my

root is the house of Judah You understand? So

they will start following all kinds of lines.

Now, how does that profit your spiritual life?

Did you understand what I'm trying to say? So

there are all kinds of genealogy. Me, I'm connected

to this. Me, I'm connected to my father. All

those, even though today we do those kind of

things in some ways anyway. You understand? They

call it tribe. Right? Am I correct? We have something

that they say, this is of my tribe. I mean, in

the household of faith, we're saying, not literal

tribe. That is, we have a string that we follow.

You understand? I don't know what tribe are we

in. Are we together? So they say endless genealogies.

And these endless genealogies are myths, or fubos.

Look at what they do. He said they cause what?

dispute. Please notice the crossword dispute

rather than godly edification which is in faith.

So they don't benefit the believer. They don't

edify the believer. They don't grow the believer.

They only cause confusion and disputes and acrimony

and bitterness and envy and confusion and strife.

and division in the church. That is what. So

this Ephesus again. So now we understand now

there is a problem of doctrine in Ephesus. So

Paul sent Timothy. Okay. Hallelujah. Before we

go, let's read this church. Let's connect Act

19. Go to Act 19. Because this is when the church

was birthed. Are we together? Paul established

this church in Act 19. And I want to just read

24, because I don't want to go to read the beginning

of the church. Pastor Fred did that for us the

day before yesterday or yesterday. So I just

want to read from verse 24. For a certain man

named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver

shrines of Deanna, brought no small profit. That

word Deanna is the same in some texts, you see,

Artemis, A -R -T -E. MIS, Artemis. So, Diana

brought no profit, no small profit. That means

they are making a lot of money. They are craftsmen.

He called them together with the workers of similar

occupation and said, man, you know that we have

our prosperity by district. Moreover, you see,

And hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout

almost all Asia, this power has persuaded and

turned away many people, saying that there are

not gods which are made with hands. That there

are not gods, sorry, there are not gods which

are made with hands. Verse 27. So not only is

this threat of ours in danger of falling into

dispute, but also the temple of the great goddess

Diana. Note that goddess Diana, Artemis Diana,

Artemis or Diana, may be despised and her magnificent

destroy whom all Asia and the world Worship.

Now, when they heard this, they were full of

wrath and cried out, saying, great is the honor

of Ephesians. So the whole city was filled with

confusion and rushed into the theater with one

accord, having ceased games and aristocrats,

Macedonians, Paul's travel companions, Tati.

And when Paul wanted to go into the people, the

disciples would not allow him. Then some of the

officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent

to him, pleading that he would not venture into

the theater. Some therefore cried one thing and

the other, for the assembly was confused, and

most of them did not know. why they had come

together, verse 33. And they drew Alexander out

of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward,

and Alexander motioned with his hand and wanted

to make his defense to the people. But when they

found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice

cried out for about two hours. Great is the honor

of efficiency. So I want to tell you how they

honor this. You can imagine people, great is

the honor of you. You know, just like Asna used

to do. You know, when they are shouting, they

are trying to warm. Anyway, don't go for the

Lord, he has helped them. You know what I'm saying?

But then when they are, I, I, I, I, the Lord

is, you know what I'm saying? One thing I like

about them, they have a spirit of endurance.

For a long time, they can endure hardship. But

they will be shouting, remember in the stadium,

they will shout one thing and be dancing for

hours. Are we together? That's how they have

been shouting for two hours. Great is Diana of

visions. Great is Diana of visions. Are we together?

Please, hold this in your mind as we come. Diana

is a goddess. their whole heart. She has a temple.

So what I'm trying to let you to know that Ephesians

has a problem of female spiritual supremacy.

Just hold that as we come. Amen? Can we just

pray? We appreciate you being here today. We

hope you carry this word with you throughout

your week. Don't forget to check the show notes

for additional insights. Stay connected with

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stay blessed.