The Issues About Women's Liberty pt. 14

Welcome to NECF. We're thrilled you're here.

Make sure to stay with us till the end, where

we'll share some great resources to deepen your

faith. Now, let's dive into this week's sermon.

Matthew chapter 19. I will start reading from

Matthew 19 · chapter mention

verse 1. So, we will be continuing our study

on the issues. regarding or about women's liberty.

Let's read Matthew 19, verse 1 to 6. Now it came

Matthew 19:1–6

to pass, when Jesus had finished this saying,

that he departed from Galilee and came to the

region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. A great multitude

followed him, and he healed the Pharisees who

also came to him. testing him and saying to him,

Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for

just any reason? And he answered and said to

them, Have you not read that he who made them

at the beginning made them male and female? Verse

5. And he said, For this reason a man shall leave

his father and mother and be joined to his wife.

and the two shall become one flesh. Verse 6.

So then, they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Therefore, what God has joined together, let

not man separate. Let not man separate. So, in

responding to the Pharisees' question, Jesus

quoted from Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. Look at

verse 4. And he answered and said to them, Have

you not read that he who made them at the beginning

made them male and female? Male and female. This

quotation is from Genesis chapter 1, verse 27.

Genesis 1:27

Again, when you look at verse 5. And he said,

For this reason, a man shall leave his father

and mother and be joined to his wife. The two

shall be or shall become one flesh. This quotation

is from Genesis 2, verse 24. Now, in the past

Genesis 2:24

couple of teachings, what we tried to do or what

we have tried to do in this series is to look

at reference 5, what Jesus pointed them to. Meaning

that we already dealt with this, that there is

a faulty way the Pharisees had or faulty mindset

they had about the woman. And we noted that was

not what Jesus saw. So he was trying to correct

them. And obviously he showed them an error.

that they have not been paying attention to details.

Although they were teachers of the law, they

were not paying attention to details. That's

why he said, have you not read? We look at that

word read, it's not just a going over, but really

a keen and a deliberate effort to read diligently,

to read carefully, to read with attention to

detail. And we took time to look at Jesus' response

that took us to Genesis chapter 2. And we began

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

our study from verse 9 in Genesis chapter 2.

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

And we moved down to 24. Now we're still on it

before we move. Because I will still have to

look at the response he gave in verse 4. We are

coming to that. So as I said, we have some journey

to cover. But bear with me. So, I think there

are some important things today I want us to

look at again. In response, I mean, what Jesus

responds, particularly in verse 5. Particularly

in verse 5. Now, I want to just remind us our

last teaching or our last message. We noted that

in that verse 24. Maybe let's get back to, before

I come back again. Go back to Genesis. Let's

look at that scripture from Genesis chapter 2.

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

Let's go back there. Where Jesus quoted that.

That means just corresponding to verse 5 of Matthew

19. Genesis chapter 2. Look at verse 24. and

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

be joined to his wife, and they shall become

one flesh. And this word, therefore, was actually

from like a conclusion and that we took time

to study last time, especially Adam's response

in verse 23. This is now bones of my bones and

flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman

because she was taken. out of man she was taken

out of man and we said there must be we need

to be careful as we read scripture and pay attention

to what uh the bible is saying the bible is saying

and i want us to know something and you know

when most times when we just say that this is

talking about just straight away marriage between

Adam and Eve. You begin to wonder, did Adam have

a father and a mother that he had to move away

from? Have you ever thought about that? That

he had to live in the sand? So that means there

is something much more deeper that actually God

wants to communicate to us. And for that reason,

we saw last time. that bone of my bones is not

the woman. It's not just talking about the woman,

but it's talking about an identity. And we saw

that the word deep sleep talks about Adam's vision

in deep sleep, just like what happened to Abraham

also in Genesis 15. So we saw that after Adam

had that vision, Then he responded that this

is the bone of my bone, which means that he recognized

that this woman is the same with me. We have

the same identity. We have the same stock. And

we saw that after we have gone through Moses'

teaching notes. Now, there is something I want

to do also in regard to this scripture. with

Ephesians chapter 5. So I want to come back to

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

Ephesians chapter 5 because I touched it in the

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

last part of the message we had last time. And

it's neat also to carefully and deliberately

look at that scripture. Because most times we

use that scripture for marriage. And as we said,

there's no problem to use it in marriage if you

explain it well. Just the same way when you have

a bad deed, there's nothing wrong to quote a

scripture as long as you didn't quote it wrongly.

Or didn't explain it wrongly. Amen. Then you

look at Ephesians chapter 5. So just walk with

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

me gradually. I want to start reading from verse

1. So we're going to do maybe just a contextual

study. I want us to read from verse 1. Now look

at verse 1. Therefore, Be imitators of God as

dear children and walk in love as Christ also.

Wait a minute. By saying therefore, it means

that that was not where the discussion starts.

So it starts from chapter 4. So let's move back

a little bit to chapter 4 to see. I'm not going

to read the entire chapter 4, but let me just

pick some few verses from chapter 4. Look at

particularly verse 1. Chapter 4, verse 31. He

said, let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor,

and evil speaking be put away from you. Obviously,

he's talking to the church in Ephesus. So he

said, put it away from you. Put away from you.

He said, with all malice, verse 32, and be kind

to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one

another. Even as God in Christ forgives you.

So you can see verse 31 and 32 is like a comparison.

What you should not or what should not even be

mentioned among you as believers, as a church,

as a body of Christ. It's not your identity.

That shouldn't be heard among you. But then he

now told them what is. in consonant with who

they are. What's that one? And be kind. That

is the nature of who they are. Be kind to one

another. Tenderhearted. Forgiving one another.

Even as God in Christ forgives you. So God now

is the model of their walking in forgiveness,

of their walking in kindness in the Son. So look

at... Chapter 5. Therefore, be imitators of God

as dear children. Meaning that he's saying that

just reflect your nature. Because you are God's

children, so you have the ability, you understand,

to look at what daddy is doing or what he has

done in Christ. And then you do it. Meaning Christ

is the model. And in fact, verse 2 tells us that.

And walk in love. So he is trying to tell them

right from this context where we start to read.

In a nutshell, is to walk in love. Because that

is their nature. Because he said, as dearly beloved

children. We have talked about this text over

and over. When he was talking about love in the

sand. And as Christ also has loved us and given

himself for us. And offering a sacrifice to God.

for a sweet -smelling aroma. Which means that

Christ is a model of our walking in love. Are

we together? Of our walking in love. So Paul

was teaching about love here in the sand. That

that love must be modeled after our nature, must

be modeled after Christ, what he did in the sand

to us through his death and resurrection. That

is through his sacrifice. Now look at verse 3.

Move to verse 3. He said, but fornication and

all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even

be named among you as it is fitting for saint.

Now, if you look at also, it's like Paul was

just saying what you should not be behead among

you and what should be. Do you understand what

I'm saying? Just like we saw in chapter 4, verse

31 and then 32. He said, what should not, and

then what should. The same way here he is saying

verse, if you look at verse 1, you understand,

verse 2 of chapter 5, he said, what should. And

then by the time you move to verse 3, he said,

what should not, because it does not reflect

your nature. He said, but fornication and all

uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even

be named among you as is fitting. for saints.

Remember, they are saints. They are saints. Are

we together? In chapter 1, he has already, chapter

1, verse 1, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

by the will of God, to the saints, you understand,

who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus.

So already, they have been sanctified. They are

saints. They have a new name. They have a new

nature. And so he said, covetousness, fornication

is not part of your nature. Uncleanness is not

part of your nature. So it should not be named,

even be mentioned among you, because that is

what is fitting for the saints. Because those

things are not part of the nature of the saints.

He now moved to chapter 4, verse 4 of chapter

5. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor

coerced jesting, which are not fitting. He said,

those type of talk are not fitting. There are

some, there are some, this filthy talk should

not be heard among you. I mean, shouldn't come

out of your lips. He said, but rather giving

of thanks. I mean, it should come just naturally.

Anything that happens, oh, glory to Jesus. Oh,

thank you, Father. That is what is fitting for

the saint. You understand? Kowals joking, and

this is where you know, and you know that those

who invite comedian to come and to making jest

of the Holy Spirit, I mean, and be making jest

of sacred things, of course, cannot be true,

cannot be, cannot be what is fitting for the

saints. You understand? Comedy and comedians

have no place. You understand? In the agenda

of God. You understand? We don't need them. Generally,

human beings, we can crack jokes. But there are

jokes that should not be heard. Not those ones

that play with sacred things. Things of the spirit.

No, no. Not glorifying lies. On stage, he said,

when I was coming on that day, and I saw my mama

coming, You have not seen your mama. There's

no way there. So you cook up all kinds of things

and people are laughing. And we speak foolish

things. We speak things that are not fitting.

Making jest. No, that's not correct. Speaking

vulgar words. You understand? No, that's not

correct. That is not fitting for saints. He said,

but giving of thanks. He said, giving of thanks.

So Paul was teaching the church. How they should

live a life that is fitting for a saint, for

their nature. The life that reflects their identity,

fitting for saints. Look at verse 5. Look at

verse 5. For this you know. So pay attention

here. He said, for this you know. So he's telling

the saint, you know, that no fornicator, unclean

person, or covetous man who is an idolater. Has

any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and

God. Verse 6. Let no one deceive you with empty

words. For because of these things, the wrath

of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Comes

upon the sons of disobedience. You know, most

times. When we use this text, especially this

text, I will read another text that is in 1 Corinthians

also. You know, most times, many people have

preached and taught believers. Will you go into

make it? Don't you know that you can't? This

is some of the text they used to say you will

lose your salvation. That if you practice these

things, if you live in fornication, if you live

in these, you understand, you will lose your

salvation because... you will not inherit the

kingdom of God. But look at it. Remember, he

told them, don't you know, or this you know.

I want you each time you are reading scripture,

pay attention. I mean, Paul has been saying that

actually to the Corinthians, to the church in

Corinth. He will tell them, don't you know that

your body, do you understand what I'm trying

to say? Don't you know. Now here he's saying,

for this you know, which means that it is, He

is trying to tell them, remember what I said

earlier on, that there is a lifestyle he is telling

them not to do because it does not align with

their nature. So he's trying to point them that

that lifestyle he's telling them not to do is

actually coming from somewhere. It's a lifestyle

of other people who are not in Christ. Are we

together? So verse 5 and verse 6 is describing

people. Who are not in Christ. Because that is

their nature. That is how they live. So when

he said. For this you know. That no fornicator.

That one no fornicator. Unclean person. Is not

saying. That a fornicator here. In this context.

Does not mean the person. Who fornicates. No.

He means an unbeliever. Living in fornication.

That's what this one means. Are you with me?

That's why when you move to verse 6, he said,

let no one deceive you. Let no one deceive you

with empty words. For because these things, the

wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

No, saints are not sons of disobedience. Are

we together? Saints, because they are saints.

They are not sons of disobedience. So Paul was

not saying that. If a believer practices these

things, he will not inherit the kingdom of God

or he will have the wrath of God. No. And again,

we're going to, which we started, but we'll teach

on what is called the wrath of God. You understand?

Because it's a word that needs to be understood

in its own context. The wrath of God is not saying

God has a wrath. No. Because that's why, let

me leave that. We're coming back to it. You understand?

Now, but the point I'm trying to make is that

he said the light of God is upon the sons of

disobedient. Are we together? So when you look

at from verse 5 to 6, he's just showing the lifestyle

that are actually a nature of the unbelievers.

And he called them fornicators. He called them

unclean persons. He called them covetous. A covetous

man. Who is an idolater. He said these people

have no inheritance. In the kingdom of God. But

the saint have an inheritance. He said I commend

you to God. And to the word of his grace. Are

we together? Which is able to build you. You

understand? That word there is not. That's not

the correct way. He's not able to build you and

give you. No. Which has built you. and has given

you an inheritance among them that are sanctified.

Because it's not something that is continuous.

No. Are we together? Oh, glory to Jesus. There

are some certainties sometimes when we touch,

we have to just adjust them a little bit before

we continue. Please, go to that scripture quickly.

Let me just do something. In Acts 20, verse 32.

Acts 20:32

Acts 20, verse 32. You understand? 20, 32. Look

Acts 20:32

at it. He says, So now, brethren, I commend you

to God and to the word of his grace, which, here

he says, which is able to build you and to give

you an inheritance among them who are sanctified.

You know, it will look, when you read this scripture,

it will look as if you are to be committed to

the word of God. You understand? And then it

will give you your inheritance and it will build

you. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Now, before

I explain this, just move quickly, you understand,

to chapter 26, verse 18. Just move. It's the

same text also. I mean, the same way it was presented

in that place. 26, verse 18. 26, verse 18. You

understand? Now, maybe let me just read. A little

bit, but my focus is verse 18. Let me read verse

17. He said, I will deliver you from the Jewish

people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I

now send you. Of course, Paul was just narrating

that if you go back a little bit, you will understand

what he was trying to communicate in the psalm.

And then verse 18 says, to open their eyes in

order to turn. So how is a man sanctified? He

is by faith. How is a man received forgiveness?

By faith. How is a man received or how does a

man receive inheritance? Oh, talk to me now.

It's also by what? By faith. So, it's by faith

you receive inheritance. Are we together? Together

with the saints. With other saints. So, it's

not you do something. It's not that you commit

yourself to the world and then God delivers to

you your inheritance. No. Your inheritance comes

at salvation when you believe. Are we together?

So when you go back here, you will read it properly.

So now, brethren, I commend you to God, verse

20, I mean chapter 20, verse 32, and to the word

of his grace, which has bailed you. That's how

it's supposed to be. You understand? And giving

you an inheritance among them that are sanctified.

Glory to Jesus. Because he came by faith. It's

not an ongoing thing. It's what has happened.

It's a past tense. It came when you believed.

So when you go back to Ephesians chapter 5, where

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

we are looking at. So when he says that in verse

5, that these fornicators, the person who is

unclean, the one who is covetous, who is an idolater,

he said they have no inheritance. Definitely

you know he's talking about people who are not

born again. They have no inheritance. We have

an inheritance among them that are sanctified.

Together with believers, together with other

believers, together with brethren in the Son.

And so he also moved further to talk about these

unbelievers. He said they are sons of disobedience.

They are sons of disobedience. They are sons

of disobedience. Earlier, Paul pointed the church.

in Ephesus that this is who they were before.

He's trying to say this is not their current

position. This is who they were before. Look

at Ephesians chapter 2 from verse 1. This is

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

what he told them. He said, Who now walk in who?

The sons of disobedience. He said, this is who

you were before. You understand? He said, among

whom also we all once conducted ourselves in

the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires

of the flesh and of the mind. And we are by nature,

okay, by nature children of wrath. Did you see

that? The believer is not under the wrath. He's

only the children of disobedience. He said, just

as others. But look at verse 4. He said, but

God, but God, who is rich in mercy because of

his great love with which he loved us, even when

we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together.

Made us alive together with Christ. By grace,

you have been saved. He's talking to believers.

Though that was your lifestyle, but now you have

been saved. Verse 6, and raised up together and

made us three together in heavenly. That place

is not there in the sand. In the heavenly, in

Christ. Jesus. In Christ is only a place. Glory

to Jesus. Amen. Verse 7. He said that in the

ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches

of his grace in his kindness toward us in Christ.

Verse 8. For by grace you have been saved through

faith and are not of yourself. It is a gift of

God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Verse 10. For we are his workmanship, created

in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared

beforehand that we should work in them. Hallelujah.

Now go to verse 8 of chapter 5, Ephesians chapter

Ephesians 5:8

5 verse 8. He also noted the same thing. He said,

for you we are once in darkness, but now you

are light in the Lord. So walk as children of

light. Walk as children of light. So you can

see that verse 5 and 6 is not saying that believers

who practice those ungodly lifestyle would not

inherit the kingdom of God. No, that's not what

he's saying. But Paul was just admonishing them

to live the life fitting for the sin. and pointed

them that there's a lifestyle which they have

been practicing before they believed. Now that

they are believers, they cannot continue to practice

those lives because they knew, now they know

that those who are in that lifestyle, who are

unbelievers, whose lifestyle is the way they

live because they are unbelievers, that's how

they live. You understand? That's their lifestyle.

That is not the lifestyle of the believer. He

said those ones who did not believe and they

are living that lifestyle because that is the

way they live. He said that they have no place

in God's kingdom. They are sons of disobedience.

But because they are in God, that lifestyle is

a past life. And that is not fitting for the

saint. So you can see from the first part of

chapter 12. Chapter 5, what Paul is admonishing

them is to walk in love. Is to walk in love.

And walking in love, you now move on to begin

to talk and speak concerning other issues. I

said I want to read that verse also that looks

almost what Paul is saying here in 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6. It's

1 Corinthians 6 · chapter mention

the same thing he was teaching also here. 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6. There are any of you having a matter

against another? Look at verse 1. Go to law before

the unrighteous and not before the saint? Do

you not know that the saint will judge the world?

Now, each time you hear Paul is talking about

do you know, know, know, don't you know? That

is the only way a believer will live right, is

by how? By knowledge. Believers do not do what

is right by putting them under the law. Do this.

Don't do that. Touch not. Don't do this. No.

They live their life by knowledge. The more they

know God, the more they know their identity in

him, the more they practice and they live according

to who they are. So he told them here. He said,

do you not know? that the saint will judge the

world? And if the world will be judged by you,

are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Do you not know that we shall judge the angels?

How much more things that pertain to this life?

If then you have judgment concerning things pertaining

to this life, do you appoint those? who are least

esteemed by the church to judge. Verse 5, I say

this to your shame. Is it so that there is not

a wise man among you, not even one, who will

be able to judge between his brethren? But brother,

go to the law against brother, and that before

unbelievers. Now therefore, it is already an

utter failure for you. That you go to the law

against one another. Why do you not rather accept

wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be

cheated? No. You yourself do wrong and cheat.

And you do these things to your brethren. Verse

9. Do you not know that I am unrighteous? will

not inherit the kingdom of God. Now look at verse

9 again. Do not be deceived. The same thing he

told them. Do not be deceived in verse 6 of Ephesians

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5. Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators,

nor idolaters, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor

revelers, nor extortioners, will inherit the

kingdom of God. So verse 9 is not talking about

believers. Look at verse 11. He says, and such

were some of you. Oh, talk to me. He says, such

were, not now. He says, such were some of you.

But you were washed. But you were sanctified.

But you were justified in the name of the Lord

Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Glory to

Jesus. So he was pointing them to a lifestyle

that is not theirs. That lifestyle is a lifestyle

of those who did not believe. And those who did

not believe have no inheritance. In the kingdom

of God. Go back to verse 5. I mean Ephesians

5. Go back to Ephesians 5. So look at verse 8.

Or from verse 7. He said, therefore do not be

partakers with them. Because that's not your

nature. Verse 8. For you were once in darkness.

Now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children

of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all

godliness, righteousness and truth. Finding out

what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship

with unfruitful works of darkness. But rather

expose them. For it is shameful even to speak.

of those things which are done by them in secret.

For all things that are exposed are made manifest

by light. Whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore,

he says, awake you who sleep, arise from the

dead, and Christ will give you light. Pastor,

you want to talk to us in this text in the psalm.

Sometimes you go. He taught us some time ago.

In this part. He said that. He talked to us in

a number of things here. And I want you to see.

In this part. He's talking about walking in light.

Walking in light. Walking in light. Walking in

light. He further shows us. You understand. If

you continue from verse 15. So you can see from

verse 7. Or from verse 8. to verse 14, he talks

about walking in light. From when you read from

verse 15, he says, See then that you walk circumspectly,

not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time

because the days are evil. We talked about these

scriptures before, meaning that the days are

unreliable. Therefore, do not be unwise, but

understand what the will of the Lord is. what

the will of the Lord is. So he said, do not be

unwise. So he talks about working in wisdom also

here. When you move from verse 18, he talks about,

and do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation,

but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one

another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody in your heart to the

Lord. Did you see that? Verse 21. Submitting

to one another in the fear of the Lord. If you

look at this place, it's talking about also being

filled with the Spirit or living in the Spirit.

And by living in the Spirit means ministering

to one another. Now, in all of this, he's talking

about the same thing. Working in love, it means

working in light. Working in light means working

in wisdom. Working in wisdom means working in

the Spirit. Glory to Jesus. So, Paul was just

emphasizing, but he's talking about the same

thing. All the same thing. Now, look at verse

22. Wives, submit to your own husband as to the

Lord. For the husband is their head. of the wife.

As also Christ is the head of the church and

he is the savior of the body. He is the savior

of the body. Now, most times we use this text,

you understand, and thought it as marriage. But

no, it is not marriage. I don't want you to disconnect

this text from the others that we have read.

It's the context we are reading. Don't disconnect

it. No. What is the context saying? We have talked

about it. Walking in love. which means walking

in light, walking in wisdom, walking in the Spirit.

Are we together? That's the context of discussion.

You can say walking in love, it still means the

same thing. You are correct. When you say also

walking in the light, you are correct. When you

say walking in wisdom, you are correct. You understand?

When you say walking in the Spirit, you are correct.

Or being filled with the Spirit. Because it talks

about being filled with the Spirit. We have taught

it in this church. It's not something coming

on you. You understand? It's you. That's why

he said be filled with the Spirit. You understand?

He says speaking to one another. Talking about

ministering to one another. Just the same way

walking in love. You understand? Forgiving one

another. All those things we have talked about.

So that's the context. And I don't want you to

go away from the context. So he continues in

that perspective. Look at verse 22. You understand?

He says wives. So this verse 22 to that point

is actually talking about the application of

what Paul has already taught the entire church.

to wives. What he taught from verse 22 to 24,

it's just like, for example, what you just maybe

told a child and then an adult appeared, you

just informed or you just teach the same thing.

These are two different class of people, but

we are teaching the same thing. Remember, when

he said wives submit, that's exactly what he

taught to the child. In fact, in verse 21, he

said submitting to one another. So that is...

Living in the spirit. So when you read also,

you understand? So that is also means living

in love. That's what also means living in the

light. It also means living in wisdom. Are we

together? Or not living as unwise because submitting

means that you are not living as unwise. Hallelujah.

So being filled with the spirit ministry to one

another. So in fact, Paul told the wives to submit,

you understand? What he said to submit. was not

different from what he told the church. So to

submit, as I said, it means working love. To

submit means working light. To submit means working

wisdom. To submit means working the spirit. That's

what it means. Look at verse 25 quickly. He said,

Husband, love your wives just as Christ also

loved the church and gave himself for her that

he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing

of the water by the word that he might present

her. Again, here he's instructing the man to

walk in love. What is walking in love again?

It means walking in the light. What is walking

in the light? He said also walking in wisdom

or not walk as unwise. It also means walking

in the spirit. You understand? And in each case,

when you see what he told, he told the man when

you walk in love, he gave the man as Christ is

the model for him to walk in love. Just the same

way he taught the church. In verse 1, if you

look at it, he told them, he told the church,

he said be imitators of God as dearly beloved.

And then he pointed to Christ as their model.

The same thing is pointing to Christ as the model

of the man to live in love. So it's not a different

message. This is not a message exclusive to married

people. No. This is a message to the church.

The same message for children. The same message

for those who are married. The same message because

it's a church. All groups, the same message.

So don't say, no, it's only to the... I mean,

don't talk like that. So here is not just...

I want you to see something quickly. Look at

verse 28. So husbands ought to love their own

wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife

loves himself. For no one ever hates his own

flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as

the Lord does the church, for we are members

of his body. Of his flesh and of his bones. Of

his flesh and of his bones. Please, if you are

sleeping, wake up now. Because I'm getting to

where I'm going. Understand? I want you to note

this, please. I want you to note this. Now, look

at verse 28. I want you to note something there.

I want you to note that. He said, ought to love

their own wives as their own bodies. You know,

before, even me, when I used to read this place,

I used to think it's a physical body. That's

the direction that they are going. I used to

think that that's the scripture saying, husband,

you should love your wife as this your body.

That's what I used to think. You understand?

But I want you to take note there. He said, he

who loves his wife loves himself. So, That means

he's equating body as himself. Take note. Himself.

Take note of that also. Look at verse 29. You

see, for no one ever ate his own flesh. Yet again,

here in verse 29, not the word flesh. In verse

28, bodies. Himself. In verse 29, flesh. But

nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord

does the church. Now, not again church. The church.

Now look at verse 30. For we are members of his

body. That is talking about Christ. Not again

body. Of his flesh. I want you to not flesh again.

And of his bones. I want you to not bones again.

We are. That is where Paul was going. That was

where Paul was going. So don't forget. I don't

want to remind you again. What we did after a

Torah study. Looking at the discussion and the

teaching note of Moses. We noted that that word

bones, or the bones of my bones, it means the

same stock. It means the same kindred. It means

the same family. It means the same identity.

Are we together? So when he said we are members

of the same body, that word body is talking about

the same thing as flesh. He's talking about the

same thing as bones. So when he said we are members

of the same body, he's saying we are members

of the same family. When he said we are members

of the same flesh, that means he is saying also

we are members of the same family. When he said

we are members of his bones, it means we are

members of the same family. That's what he's

saying. So when he's talking to the man and said

that you ought to love your wives as your own

body. He's talking that you're supposed to love

her because she's from the same family. He said,

if you do so, you love yourself because you are

in that family. So it is part of your body. The

body of Christ is part of your body. So if you

love the body of Christ, you are actually loving

yourself. So that's what I want you to see there.

So the body, flesh. Bones refers to the same

thing. It's referring to the same stock, identity.

Are we together? That's what it's saying. So

it refers to Christ's union. Listen, when you

said Christ and the church, when you said the

body of Christ, you are talking about our union

with him. Do you understand what I'm saying?

So when you said body, you are talking about

union. That's another word. Because when you

say we are of the same family, what you are saying

is that we are of the same union. We are united

together. When you say the body of Christ, what

you are saying is that we are united with him.

So, he's referring to union. So, I want you to

connect with Pastor Bob. Pastor, you might talk

about, I mean, talk to us. Our union with Christ.

You understand? So, when you are marrying your

wife, don't be seeing her as a foreign body.

She is part of you. She's part of you. You are

united in Christ together. She's part of your

family. That's what this place is teaching. That's

what this place is teaching. Male and female,

we are part of the same family. We are part of

the same body. We are part of the same flesh.

Part of the same bones. Verse 28 is not referring

to physical body. That's not the direction. It's

also pointing us to physical body. No. It's pointing

us to union. Remember. Our union with Christ

makes us have our union with others. That's why

I pity people who think that my father, my father,

no. Or God is my father. They don't see that

their union with God automatically brings them

into a family. That means my union with God makes

me to be united with Pastor Chidi. That's the

same thing. So because we are the same family,

the same body, the same flesh, it also means

the same bone, you love your wife. You are actually

loving yourself. You are actually loving yourself.

So we are members of his body. We are members

of his flesh. We are members of his bones. This

means we are the image of God. As he is the image

of God, we are the image of God. It also means

as a woman is the image of God, we are also the

image of God. Or as we are the image of God,

she is also the image of God. That is the binocular

you have to see your wife. The same. You understand?

Equal. The grace that save you, the grace that

save her. The Holy Spirit in you is the Holy

Spirit in her. We are of the same family. So

Adam's response. The bones of my bones pointed

to God's plan. That is what Apostle Paul was

trying to explain. That what God showed to Adam,

that the bones of my bones is a plan God has

prepared. He planned it, that that would be in

Christ. He will bring a family. So when Adam

woke up from the vision, he saw it and he escaped.

This is the bone of my bone. What he's saying

is that she is of the same family. He pointed

us to the plan of God for humanity. So the bones

of my bones, the flesh of my flesh is not a wife.

It is a scriptural language to show equality

in Christ, to show our union in Christ. Oh, glory

to Jesus. We are the same. We are the same. We

are the same. We are the same. So in Genesis

Genesis 2:24

chapter 2, verse 24, which... Paul caught it

in verse 32, in verse 31. Look at verse 31. For

this reason, a man shall leave his father a mother

and join to his wife, and the two shall become

one flesh. Not that word flesh again. Are we

together? It's signifying union. That's Genesis

Genesis 2:24

chapter 2, verse 24. Union where? Union in Christ.

So you are united with her. So one flesh. is

in God's new creation. Don't be seeing it in

the physical. That one flesh is in God's new

creation. It speaks of our union. It speaks of

our union. So that thing we do, physical marriage,

is a parable, is a pointer to the new creation,

to our union together. So even if you are marrying

your wife, you must see her in Christ. You must

see her in her real identity, in her new nature.

Although a woman is different when it comes to

the issue of reproduction, is different from

the man. When you look at the physique, the physical,

but not in identity. Are we together? She's the

same in identification with the man. So when

you read Genesis chapter 2, verse 1 to 24, it

Genesis 2:1–24

means it is supposed to shape. our view of a

woman. That she's not second class. The same

grace in the man, the same grace in the woman.

That we are members of the same family. That

we have the same thing. We are equal in Christ.

We are equal in Christ. It is meant to change

our view, our thinking. That the identity of

the woman is not in gender, but in Christ. That

the identity of the woman is not in that her

body is different from the man. That's not where

you see her identity. Identity is in Christ,

in our union. So next time you are reading and

you are seeing when you read this chapter, you

understand, see that the communication, the context

is love. The context is living or walking in

life. The context is living in the spirit. And

that the context and the reason, the motivation,

you understand, is to see. That you can't do

that to your brother. That you have the same

thing. And that's why the way sometimes some

other men of God treat others, it looks as if

some other people are less in God than others.

You hear some statement, we are not grace mates.

You don't understand what I'm saying? Those kind

of statements, they are not supposed to be. We

are not grace mates. Okay, which verse is that?

So whether now as you fellowship in church, you

understand, you must see the woman. As God sees

her. Are we together? You must see the woman

as God sees her. And that's how we must see the

woman. As you are marrying her, remove your village

from your head. You understand? All those things

that have corrupted you. You understand? All

those matters. You already have caught the woman.

Remove it from your head. You are not marrying

a housemate. You are marrying somebody who is

equal with you. in Christ, who is equal with

you in Christ. Please, permit me to read one

verse in 1 Peter as we close. It just came to

my mind now. 1 Peter, chapter 3, verse 7. He

1 Peter 3:7

said, Husband, likewise, dwell with them with

the understanding. Are you here with me? With

the understanding, giving honor to the wife as

to the weaker vessel. and has been heard of the

grace of life. You know, so many people do you

understand this weaker vessel? Do you understand

what I'm trying to say? Has onto weaker vessel.

You think that the women are weak. Okay, go and

touch some people. When they beat the hell out

of you, you come and tell us the story. You understand?

But where I'm going, I'm not here to, because

we have dealt with this scripture when we are

dealing with marriage issues and seminars and

messages that we talk. But where I'm going is

being hares. Did you see that place? Hares together

of the what? Of the grace of life. No, brother,

you are no higher. Do you understand what I'm

saying? So you need to love her. You understand?

Because it's of the same body. You have the same

stock. You are equal. You have your hares of

the grace of life. You are heirs of the grace

of life. I pray that both the ladies and as well

as the men, that our idea, our focus would change

in the son. To see the woman as God sees her

in the son. The woman can become a pastor in

the son. That means because you are the same,

there is no several different, I will call it,

some for women, some for men. No, there is nothing

like that. There is nothing like that. You are

the same. The calling is one. Ephesians 4, it

talks about one calling, one God, one baptism,

one Father of all. It's one, not two. There is

no two calling. And I pray that the Lord will

keep helping us. When we come next, what we will

do is to look at the other response of Christ.

You understand what I'm saying? That will take

us to Genesis chapter 1, verse 27. And then we'll

Genesis 1:27

look at what exactly is the image of God. Understand?

He made them male and female in the image. In

his image. In his image. Hallelujah. We're thankful

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