 So let's start. So Paul, he says, you know, don't receive the grace of God in pain. Okay, so the grace of God is, and we saw, you know, even in the previous episode, he says, you know, I, this is what I do. Like, I don't, I don't want to, just one second, and I'm just getting, sharing the tab. Okay, just coming up. So he says, you know, the Lord's grace towards me was not in vain. Okay, was not futile, was not wasted, in other words. So similarly, he says, to the current believers and to all the, all those who are eating, especially for us, don't, you know, let the grace of God towards you not be in vain. Or in here, particularly he says, don't receive the grace of God in vain. I plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. When you look at verse two, you know, we looked at, you know, how can it be in vain? You know, how can the grace of God be received in vain? We get excited, we don't put in effort, we don't work when we have to. And therefore it, in a way, it's wasted in the sense, you know, the grace of God has actually drawn us. We are saved by His grace. But when you actually look at this, you know, the gifts that He's given, the power that He's clothed us with, everything is not used, right? It's not put to good use or put to the use that we could, right, really. Because He considers us ambassadors, He considers us as His representative, the representative of His kingdom. So in that sense, it is not really put to full use. We enjoy the grace. We are born again, but it's not put to the full use for which it is meant. We are new creations. If you see, you know, verse 17, anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. He has passed away, all things have become new. And then he goes on to say, in the very next verse itself, he has given us the ministry of reconciliation. You know, you are a new creation. You have a wonderful, you know, renewal and reviving that has happened. But now you have a responsibility, which is the ministry of reconciliation. The very next verse, verse 18. So this is the thing. So let it not be wasted. Verse two, he says, for he says, in an acceptable time, I have heard you. And then the day of salvation, I've helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. So say, do not waste any time. Do not delay. Do not put off what you need to be doing because today is the day of salvation. And today is the day of salvation. Now is the acceptable time. Today is the day of salvation. Okay. Then verse three, we give no offense in anything that our ministry. Sorry. Let me just put that. Yeah. We give no offense in anything that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things, we commend ourselves as ministers of God. Okay. The section after that, we look at it a little later. So what is he saying? You know, we give no offense in anything. You know, the word offense used there in Greek, meaning proscope. It carries this meaning that we are not putting a stumbling block. You know, we're not creating an opportunity for someone to trip over or stumble because of our ministry. You know, we're not giving them an opportunity to fall. So he's saying we give no offense in anything so that our ministry may not be blamed. So we don't want to do anything. We don't want to behave in a way so that people will fall or people will stumble and then our ministry is blamed because of that. So we give no offense in anything. So it means that in the words that we speak, in how we live our life, in the things that we do, right, are we causing others to stumble? Okay. Sometimes, you know, we know, okay, you know, hey, if I do this, maybe it will cause a person to stumble. You know, it could be that you have a right to do it in a sense. It's not that it's not something, anything sinful. It's not something that is, you know, questionable. But maybe, you know, it's like, you know, in one Corinthians, we said, we looked at that Paul behaving in a certain way because of the weaker brother or the weaker sister because of their conscience because they're not because they're not strong in the faith. They're saying, I will not do certain things to make them stumble. In fact, he says, you know, I will not eat meat again if that is what will cause them to stumble. I will not do that. So we see that in our words, in our actions, in our, the way we live our life, you know, is there anything that will cause the other person to stumble? Okay. So now we don't have to always, you know, be, oh, am I saying the right thing? It's not like that. When God tells you, when the word of God convicts you, convicts you, then we don't have to rebel against it or we should not rebel. If God says, okay, don't do this, because if someone, you know, through someone, God points out that, okay, maybe in this culture, maybe you can, you know, you can be like this. And I know, you know, some people who because they were reaching out to people of certain other faith, they give up a lot of things, you know, in the sense, this person stopped, you know, he became a vegetarian because he was actually reaching out someone in up north in Lucknow and, you know, Varanasi kind of area. And he was actually reaching out to, you know, a community which was not, which was a vegetarian in nature, which, so he said, you know, I'll give up. Okay. And in fact, he went on to the extent of even changing the way he, you know, he used the clothes that he used to wear. It was typically like a very, very, very Indian kind of a thing, you know, wearing dothies and tying it in a certain way, because he, he didn't want to make put a stumbling block. You know, maybe there, the mindset is, okay, you know, this guy is speaking, not speaking in Hindi, you know, he's so western, you know, he's not singing these, he's, you know, he's singing these kind of songs or this kind of music. He's western, you know, and though this region is a western religion, white man's religion, you know, all that he did not want to give a cause for offense. So he was very careful. And also he made certain sacrifices. So Paul is saying, you know, we don't give any offense in anything. We don't give an opportunity for people to stumble and fall because of the way we live, okay, the way we live and by which the ministry itself is blamed. We don't want to do that. Okay. See, the thing is the message itself is offensive. Right. In the sense, why is it offensive? It causes, you know, people to, it causes, you know, like the message, the truth itself, you know, the truth itself of the gospel, that he is the only way that is offensive for people. Okay. When we declare the truth, that is offensive for people. Now that is fine. Okay. In the sense, people will be get offended. They might bring false accusations. They might make fun of the ministry, make fun of the work that is being done, you know, which is okay. Right. That is because of the truth, because of the message itself. Right. But we need to be careful not to add to that or not to bring dishonor to God by, you know, by the words we speak, by our responsible behavior and action. Okay. So we need to live above reproach lives, lives that are, you know, that cannot be blamed, ministry that cannot be blamed. And that we need to be careful. We need to be culturally sensitive. We need to be sensitive to the leading of the spirit of God and in all that. Right. So that's the thing. So then he says in, okay, in verse four, now in all things we commend ourselves. Okay. Now in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God. So we are in chapter six and verse four. Okay. We commend ourselves or we, we approve, you know, if you want to say, you know, it's like an approval that we bring. We can say this is why we are approved. We commend ourselves as ministers of God. Okay. So in what way? He lists down a lot of things. Right. We, we commend, we approve ourselves or we introduce ourselves as ministers of God in his ways. He goes on to say what those are, you know, he says, in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, you know, you see the kind of things that he lists are not. Hey, we saved so many lives. You know, we did so many things. We did some wonderful things. Well, which is all that they did. But he's talking about the life and character. He's talking about the hardships. He's talking about the reality of ministry work. And he's saying, you know, this is what actually recommends us or we commend ourselves with this. You know, we all, we went through this and then he gives that list in much patience. So we were patient in tribulations, you know, in a lot of difficulties in needs. Like there were needs, shortcomings, limitations in, in distresses, in stripes, meaning physical punishment, right? In Philippi, they, they, you know, they actually whipped them on the back. It says they laid many stripes on their back. So which means that they, they hit them or whipped them or came them that, that actually put a stripe, you know, the, which the blood came out. Right. So it says through in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumours, right? In a lot of, there was a lot of churning emotionally, you know, there's upheaval. So in, in tumours, and, and it says, you know, there was a lot of confusion in tumours, meaning there's a lot of confusion, a lot of disorder, a lot of this, you know, instability, disturbance. We didn't know what to do. That kind of a, that kind of a scenario, right? So it says in, in tumours, and then in labours, so because it worked hard, like you, you know, that he, he worked with his hands, Paul says he worked with his hands, he laboured his hands in order to provide for himself and for his team. There were others who were supporting the ministry. Yes. There were many who were not and he would provide for those needs, especially with his hands, like the work he did, especially the current, current, this particular church, he didn't take any money. We didn't receive any support from them. He writes about that a little later, right? He, in fact, he said, I robbed other churches in order to serve you, you know, in the sense that other churches gave in order to, for me to minister and serve you, right? I took care of my own needs, like because he knew that there were these kind of, you know, dissensions and strife and so on. So he took care of his own needs, right? So says in labours, in sleeplessness, in fastings, by purity, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, okay? So he's drawing with the fruit of the spirit, the character and nature of God, you know, purity, long suffering, kindness, sincere love, goes on to say, word of truth by the power of God, by armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, meaning, well, there are certain places where they honoured us, there are certain places where they dishonoured us, by evil report, they said good things about us, they said bad things about the evil report and good report as deceivers, you know, they said we were deceivers and yet true, they called us deceivers but then we were actually speaking the truth and yet true, as unknown, many places we were not known to the people and yet well known, well known to God, right? I'm just assuming that, right? That it could mean that and yet well known, as dying and behold we live and we carried, he says, we carried about us in our bodies, a death sentence, right? A sentence of death. So as dying and behold we live, as people who were chasened and yet not killed, as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things. So in all these ways, Paul says, we commend ourselves as ministers of God, we commend ourselves as ministers of Christ, right? So he gives this entire list there saying, you know, we, yes, as new creations, we are ambassadors, as ambassadors we try and not give any offence to anyone so that the ministry is not blamed but this is how we live, this is how we minister, okay? It's not the outward things, it's not like, you know, outward appearance or speech or, you know, excellent speech or eloquence and all those other talents and abilities but in these ways, he says, you know, this would commend us, this would approve us as ministers of God to you, come to serve you, okay? Okay, so let's look at verse 11. Verse 11, O Corinthians, we have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same, I speak as to children, you also be open. So he's saying, you know, we have spoken openly to you, we have not held back anything from you, we have not hidden anything from you, we have spoken the truth and we have spoken openly. Our heart is wide open, there's nothing hidden in our hearts and we have also received you openly, right? So probably Paul sends that they were distancing themselves from him, right? They were, all the time they were inviting the others but they were, for some reason, you know, maybe he sends that they were distancing, saying, you know, our heart is wide open, you are restricted by your own affections, your own emotions and your own likes and dislikes because of which you are restricted, you are held back. It's not because of us, right? We have spoken openly, our heart is wide open and the restriction that you feel, you feel that you are, you cannot approach us or you are distancing yourself from us, it's because of your own thoughts, emotions, your own likes, your own dislikes, it's because of you, right? Now he's saying, we have been wide open. I'm saying, you know, as children, you also be open, right? You also be open because as of, you know, he goes on to say, as a father in the gospel, I have begotten you as dear children and so on, right? Saying, you know, as I speak as to children, I'm speaking as a father to the child, you also be open, there's no need for you to be closed to what I'm saying, to what I'm ministering, you also be open. And then verse 14, do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Here he is addressing a thing that he has noticed or something that he has seen. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers for what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness and what communion has light with darkness and what accord has Christ with Belial, what part has a believer with an unbeliever and what agreement has the temple of God with idols. For you are the temple of the living God as God has said and so on. Let's look at those. He asks several questions for which the answer is obviously no, there is no connection. That is the response. You know, just like how in 1 Corinthians 12 towards the end he asks, do all speak with tongues or all apostles or all workers and miracles, right? So the answer is no. The same way here he's asking those questions and he makes that statement. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. So the picture there is yok, what he uses, the word use there, don't be unequally yoked is that when there are farm animals, animals working on a farm in agriculture or a field, there cannot be an unequal yok. Two different animals, one, let's say like a how-horse, which is fast and you can't put a donkey, which is very rebellious and slow. You can't put both together, right? And I think it's Deutronomy 10, which talks about that. Let's read that verse. Okay, Deutronomy 22 and verse 10. The very practical verse, you shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. Okay, so the donkey might be rebellious, might not really plow, but the ox is strong and it's plowing and it will in fact pull the donkey and it will not be effective. Okay, so the work done will not be effective. The life lived will not be effective. It will be full of struggle. It will be pulling in different directions. There will not be oneness. There will not be agreement. So he goes on to say, don't be unequally yoked. Okay, so what is an unequal yok? It's an unequal yok similar to this. But when you say in human terms, it means that you cannot have a deep fellowship with an unbeliever. Well, we always, we need to have love, we need to have friendships, but an unequal yok goes beyond that. It's not about not having friendships. It's not associating with people. It's not that, because we know that the Lord Jesus did that. Lord Jesus came and he mingled with people. The Bible says that he was with sinners. So much so, the Pharisees actually saw, why is he always spending this time? So the thing is, it goes beyond that. It's not the intent of influencing or changing. So it's talking about something else. It talks about a yok. It talks about maybe something like a covenant or an agreement. He's saying they cannot be, for example, a marriage relationship, a marriage covenant. Now that's, if there is a believer and an unbeliever, then it will be an unequal yok. Unequal yok, just like how you're putting an ox and a donkey together. It's an unequal yok. They cannot accomplish what purposes God has for them. They cannot accomplish in their lives. It's going to be a struggle. They are not going to agree to do the same thing. There's going to be a lot of difficulties. Maybe in a typical marriage, there'll be arguments and there'll be difficulties because of their faith. One person is born again. There's something very different, very deep that has happened in the spirit. He's a born again person. The spirit is born again. Now for the other person, the spirit is not born again. It cannot relate to God. It cannot connect to God. It cannot hear from God. All these things are there. It does not have a love for the word. It does not have a love. Whatever that person does is something exterior and external. The person is pulling in the other direction. All wants and says, do not be unequally yoked. It could be a marriage covenant. Or it could be an environment. An unequally yok could be an environment. It could be a place or a thing where... See now, we are in the world. So we are in such worldly environments, especially if you're working somewhere, if you're working for a company. The environment is different. It's not quote-unquote Christian in that sense. So the environment is different. But when we let that environment influence our thinking, influence our thinking, influence our action because of that environment, and we become conformed to the worldly values, our worldly standards, then we are getting unequally yoked. Because you know that you're a believer. You know that you have a different set of values and standards. But now, because of the environment, you are changing that stand. You are getting yoked unequally. You're becoming conformed to the world. It could even be a business partnership or relationship where worldly values, ideals influence the decision, which are directly opposite of the principles which are there, the truth which is there in God's word. Well, when we talk about environments and business partnerships and all that, that's a slightly more difficult thing to control. But scriptures are very clear. Don't be unequally yoked. Because if there's an unequally yoked, there's going to be problems. There will be struggle. There will be problems. You, as a believer, might get pulled in, sucked in, and things would change. That's the reality. So Paul is saying, don't be unequally yoked. And then he goes on to ask those questions. And in each of those questions, he uses different words to describe the kind of yok that is. So he's saying, what fellowship does righteousness, has righteousness with lawlessness? What fellowship? The Greek word used there has this idea of sharing or participation. It's not Koinonia, but it's Mitoche. So he's saying, what kind of sharing or participation does? Righteousness have with lawlessness. Righteousness, there's nothing common. Exactly opposite. And lawlessness is about having no laws, doing the wrong thing to not, to making fun of the right things, totally violating it. That's lawlessness. So what connection does these two things have? It's totally opposite, righteousness, lawlessness. Then secondly, use the word Koinonia. What communion has light with darkness? So first word is used as a fellowship and that's another Greek word called Mitoche. Then he uses the word called Koinonia. Here he uses the word Koinonia to mean, there is again, it's much stronger word. Participation, sharing, closeness, intimacy. And it says, what Koinonia does light have with darkness? When you look at light in the natural, it's totally different. Figuratively when you see it, light refers to elimination. It refers to purity, it refers to truth. So what does, what connection does that have with ignorance or immorality or lies or inability to understand or perceive? What ability or what connection is there? Answer, no connection. Another question is, what accord or what agreement does Christ have with Belayal? So another stronger thing is saying, comparing Christ and Belayal, excuse me. So he's saying, what connection is there between Christ and Belayal? What connection is there between the Messiah, the Anointed One and Satan? So that Hebrew word literally means worthlessness. So the Anointed One Messiah, what connection is there? What fellowship is there? What agreement is there? Is there an agreement between Christ and Satan? He's using strong words. So he's saying, in other words, to say that it is like that. If you're unequally yoked, well, that is what it, it is as similar as that. It's like saying that there is a connection. It's a strong statement. When it comes to, it's not about hating the person. It's not about being associated with that person. It's not about even giving your life for the person. He's talking about a deep commitment like marriage, or maybe it's a business partnership or any other kind of a link. He's saying, it will not work. It will not work. Because many, you know, many kind of enter into a, especially marriage governance, like marriage governance. He's saying, okay, I'll do it. One day that person will come to the Lord. Or because of my life, because of my testimony, that person will come to the Lord. Or I will share Jesus, you know, and that person. The thing is before marriage, that person will say, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, I also believe in Jesus. Okay. Now why, just because you, you know, it's before the wedding, no, before the marriage. So the person will say, yeah, yeah, I also believe, I also know Jesus, even though, you know, that I have not yet accepted. I've not yet, you know, received him. But I believe I'm coming close to him. I'm getting to know him and etc. And then, you know, they have their wedding vows and get married. And then the whole thing continues the same way. You have no assurance that the person will actually accept the Lord. The person would have just said those things in order to get married, in order to not to lose, you know, the other person's relationship. The person might be good. The person might be noble. The person might be a good person. You know, we're not saying anything about the character. I'm saying that because some people say, you know, he's better than all the other Christians. True. We're not saying anything about the character, but the fact is the person is not born again. And so the values will be different. So they will not be drawn to the cross. They're not be drawn to the Lord. So that basic foundation itself is not there. It's broken. Right. You know, that basic agreement is not there. At least if that basic agreement is there, all other things, you know, if even if there are differences, they can fall in place where you can sit together and pray and say, okay, God, you know, we come before you. We submit ourselves to you, but that is not possible. Yeah. Right. So the other other thing is what part does the unbeliever have with the believer? What part has the believer have with an unbeliever? And the word used there. Sunkates means approval or ascent or in company with. So what approval or what ascent or what, you know, what do they have? Sorry. Sorry. That is the next word. So part means meris, which means merese. That word means a share or portion. I'm sorry. I actually explained the other word. So what part has believer with the unbeliever? So what portion or share does the believer have with the unbeliever? And then uses another, another question he asks is, you know, what agreement? So he uses that word. Sunkates is what agreement or approval or ascent does the temple of God have with idols? Okay. So again, the spiritual body of Christ, the temple of God, we are the people of God, we are the temple of God, you know, and we, we read that in 1 Corinthians 3, 1 Corinthians 6, he talks about 1 Corinthians 3, he talks about, you know, you are the temple of God and Spirit of God dwells in you. You are the temple. So he's saying what, what agreement, what approval, what agreement does these two things do these two things have? The thing is that, you know, there is no fellowship, there is no communion, there is no part, no accord, no agreement. So, so he's using, you know, it's a strong statement. These are strong questions and strong comparisons, you know, very, very strong comparisons. And he's using that to say, you know, it's going to be a futile exercise if you're unequally yoked. He's warning the believer not to be yoked unequally. Okay. And he also, yeah, so from verse, as part of the second part of verse 16, he says, for you are the temple of the living God, as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord, do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you. I will be a father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Now, this is from Jeremiah chapter 31, right? So, but we need to understand it in the context. Okay. God's promise is that he will dwell with us, he will walk among us, he'll be our God, and he's called as his people. And so, because he's among us, he's with us, he's called as his people, he says, you know, do not come out from among them, be separate from them, do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I'll be a father to you, you will be my sons and daughters. He's inviting us to the communion, you know, which is above all communions. He's inviting us to that fellowship and agreement which is, you know, which is above all the other things which we see listed there. So, he's inviting us to that. We have the promise of God, but we need to see it in the right context. It doesn't mean that I alienate myself from the world. I just get away from it all. Some people do that, right? I don't want anything to do with unbelievers. If there are believers, then that, you know, if I am looking for a house, I want to look for a house where there are only believers in the apartment, you know, only believers are there. And then I will, you know, all Christians are there. They say very proudly, you know, only Christians are living here. And, you know, things like that. So, the thing is, you know, the context is not that. The context is that you keep yourself from the ways of the world. You keep yourself from being contaminated by the world, right? From being polluted by the world. Don't be, he said, come out, don't touch what is unclean. Meaning, yes, in those days, what is ritually impure, you know, you do not touch it, of course, but here, as New Testament believers, it refers to us not being polluted by the ways of the world, by the way the world thinks, by some of the things that people indulge and don't get polluted. Let your life not be polluted by that. So, you stay clean. And he's saying, you know, he's inviting us to that intimate relationship as a family, saying, you know, I will be their father and they will be my sons and daughters. So, it's something beautiful, right? So, God is saying, you know, you, this is the reason. I want you to, I want to have this relationship. And this is the promise that he's giving, he said, I will be their God and they will be my people. And not just that, but I will be a father and they will be my sons and daughters. You know, like a father will, like a family and the Lord is saying, you know, so it's a family, it's a relationship of love, it's a relationship of where there's protection, the father protects, the father provides, the father is there in times of need, the father is there to help, the father is there to encourage, you know, even if an earthly father doesn't do all that, right, or has not done all that and we may not have perfect earthly fathers, but our heavenly father does that. So he says, I will be the father to them and they will be my sons and daughters. And so this wonderful promise we have from God. Okay. Okay. So any thoughts here? I think we have 10 more minutes. We can go on to the next chapter. You know, anything that you want to add to anything that maybe you have some questions about being unequally yoked or anything at all, you know, you can put it in the chat or you can ask. Okay. If there's nothing, we'll move on and we see that in chapter 7, the same thought flows, right. So he's talking about not being unequally yoked and he's talking and he's giving the reasons for that. Okay. And also he has also shared about the fact that this is what referring to, you know, Jeremiah 31 is referring to, you know, the kind of, what is that verse again? Sorry. Let me just, yeah. So he's referring to that verse. Yeah, here it is. Come out, be separate, et cetera. And he says, it is actually a, well, there is a command in verse 17. There is a command, you know, do not touch, et cetera. But it is a promise. If you say, if you see it is a command because of the promise, right. And so he's referring to that promise. God has actually promised, God has actually made himself available and he's given himself for this particular relationship, living among us, living with us, living in us. And this relationship of God and his people, this relationship of father and son and daughter. So he's, God is making himself available, inviting us. And he's saying, this can be a real reality. You know, you come out, be separate, et cetera. Now Paul is referring to that promise again. And he's saying verse one, let's read chapter seven verse one. He's saying, therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Okay. Perfecting holiness in the fear of God. So he's saying, you know, you take up, it's your responsibility. What is my responsibility? Now we have this promise. We have this invitation. We have this promise. We have this reality that God is, God is, you know, our father and we are sons and daughters and we can have this wonderful relationship. We can have walk in this closeness, but we have a responsibility. What is that responsibility? Let us cleanse ourselves. Okay. So I take responsibility for my life to cleanse my life from all filthiness of the flesh from all works of the flesh from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. So the way I conduct my life, the way I live my life is to, to look and see, you know, is there anything that I'm indulging in, which is not a work of the spirit, but as a work of the flesh, you know, which is, which can come under this whole category of works of the flesh, you know, like we see in Galatians, in Galatians 5, we see, you know, the works of the flesh are this and then goes on to list down. So I have nothing to do, cleanse ourselves. Now that responsibility is ours. As believers, that responsibility is ours. We can't blame it on God. We can't put it on God and say, okay, God, you do it. No, now I have all this. I have this promise. I have this invitation. So I need to take responsibility for my actions, right? And say, okay, I, and make some changes. Empowered by God, empowered by the spirit, led by the spirit. So that's, that's the thing, you know, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Okay, so I need to take action when I know something that, hey, this is the work of the flesh. I have nothing to do with it. Okay. Romans 8 and verse 13, the warning is this, that if we live according to the flesh, we will, sorry, if you live according to the flesh, but if by the spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Okay, so that's the, that's again, the warning. If you live according to the flesh, you will die. You know, the living according to the flesh brings about death, you know, brings about a separation from God, brings about a separation from the works of God. And it will result in, you know, physically also it'll affect you. It'll bring about death because that is what the works of the flesh does. So if you live according to the flesh, according to the pull of the flesh, according to the desire of the flesh, according to the, you know, the temptations of the flesh, if you live, if your lifestyle is going to be like that, you will die. There will be a separation from the righteousness of God. There will be a separation from the, from God himself, because that is the root, right? That is where it is leading. But if by the spirit, if by the Holy Spirit, you put to death, right? You bring an end. You bring a separation. Death is separation, right? Death is an end. Death is a separation. If you put to death, if you bring to an end, if you bring a separation to the deeds of the body, it says you will live. You will live. You will not die. You will live. Now, the thing is, first of all, how do we do that? We need to be aware. What is the thing of the flesh? What are the things that defile us in the flesh and spirit? So when it comes to things of the flesh, it uses two things. It says, from all filthiness of the flesh, cleanse yourself, all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. So that's interesting because filthiness of the flesh, I don't understand, but what is it of the spirit? What can contaminate the spirit? Because the spirit is, anyway, born again. It's new. It's kind of unused. Fresh. The thing is, when I move away from the truth of God and when I receive into my spirit deception and lies and sometimes it's deceiving, deceptive teaching, then that pollutes the spirit as well. That's the only inference. That's the conclusion that what actually goes into the spirit man is what you receive as truth and so what can contaminate is maybe there is false teaching or maybe sometimes even our motives and attitudes that can contaminate the spirit. But primarily wrong teaching or wrong beliefs contaminating the spirit. So think, you cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. Again, a warning here in Ephesians 5, fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you as it's fitting for the saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor co-gesting, which are not fitting but rather giving off. Thanks. So you're saying you live a life of consecration, you don't indulge in the things of the flesh. Then again, he repeats this. Interesting. He says, open your hearts to us. Chapter 7, verse 2. Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one. We have corrupted no one. We have cheated no one. Okay. Again, it's good to look at those three words that he's saying. He says, which means that these are not to be part of the life of a minister of God. He and his ministry team, they have not wronged anyone. They have not corrupted anyone. They have not cheated anyone. So wrong, the Greek word, use their means to be unjust, to do something wrong, morally, socially, physically. We have not wronged anything. We have wronged anyone. Second thing is, we have not corrupted, we have corrupted no one. To corrupt means to destroy, to lead away from the, from the way of holiness, to lead away from holiness, to destroy, to corrupt something, to bring in some kind of decay. So saying, we've corrupted no one. No one's lives have we corrupted. And third thing is, he says, we have cheated no one. Which means to defraud someone, to take advantage of someone, maybe someone's money, maybe someone's possessions. You know, you say something and you say, okay, I need this and you know, whatever, through your words or whatever. So he's saying, we have cheated no one. We have not taken advantage for our selfish gain. So a true minister of God, a true believer, true minister will never do these things. We should not do these things. Okay. Okay, so we'll stop here. So we have stopped here at verse two, right? Chapter seven verse two. We started with chapter five verse 12. And we've gone all the way to chapter seven and verse two. So next class will continue with the rest. Okay. Fine. Okay. We'll stop here. God bless. You guys have a great weekend. We'll catch up again next week. Bye-bye.