 Right welcome back Let's pick up from where we stopped so any questions from Chapter three and four any questions No questions Okay, so chapter five six and seven are relatively Smaller chapters and there's quite a few repetitions. So we'll try and See if we can finish these three chapters in this one session Yes, Christopher you have a question Yes, I wonder if I need to find out whether There's I mean the learnings that we get from chapter three to regards the old covenant How would we apply those would we be in a position to apply those earnings in our lives or is it Just all about the new covenant that we should we should use Yeah, so Christopher, it's very important to understand that see the old covenant is very very important So even now as new covenant believers We can't do away with the old covenant Right, it is important now picture this we are reading, you know the book of reading about David, right? You learn so many practical things from him reading about You know Daniel and and the life that he led Joseph There's so much that we can learn from them principles their lives how they were, you know fog and how God And when we also look at how God was, you know, you know, the ministry of the old covenant was glorious Right Paul is not saying it wasn't glorious. It's just that the ministry of the new covenant is even more glorious, right? So in the old covenant, yes There's there's a lot of you know, a lot of people a lot of prophets that God used and a lot of miracles that we see in the old covenant Now why is Paul saying it's not You know why the new covenant is more glorious is Basically because the old common we know the ministry of the Holy Spirit would come and that would go back, right? And it there was still no forgiveness of sins. There was no remission of sins Right, but here are the new covenant. We have the ministry of the Holy Spirit always with us We have the assurance of forgiveness of sins. This is not a ministry of condemnation. So when you wait both together What Jesus did Was he fulfilled the law, but he also gives extra You know like a bumper gift, right? It's not she gave this, you know, you got the old covenant you got okay Jesus died on the cross, but he resurrected and he poured out the Abrahamic blessings the blessings of the cross Everything is ours So Christopher to answer your question. We need the old covenant. We can use there are a lot of Principles lot of lot of lessons that we can learn from the old covenant But we must understand that we are You know, we must not go. Hey, the Holy Spirit came and went to the old covenant. So even right now he's doing that No, the most common is great He's here Like the Holy Spirit is with us Unlike in the old cover. So there are certain things certain areas that we must understand But it's but you know, the old covenant is beautiful. It's very important. So as believers, we must read it We must be You know, if we are doing Christology if you're doing a study on Christology, we have to know the old testament Jesus said I've come full So we must know about that. So we can't do away with the old covenant so Differing more towards the you know, the laws and Possibly, I'm not sure if the 10 commandments is included in that old government the covenant Um, not not not really about the the old testament versus new testament more about the laws and you know How they were You know, how they interpreted and how how people live their lives Based on how we need to live our lives, you know, based on the new covenant Yeah, so in terms of the law christopher, we know that god Gave Moses the law the 10 commandments and then followed up with you know, many many rules and regulations that were involved now We know that we cannot do away with the 10 commandments right lord The jesus say if you love the lord your god love your neighbor you fulfill all of those commandments now We don't follow the religious laws that were there in the old covenant. They're all done away with Right, so we we don't have to get circumcised. We don't have to go Work-built offering sin offering pain offering all of those offerings are not required at all Because the lord jesus has fulfilled all of those offerings now Why would those offerings even come into place and why were those religious systems there? It was you know, the whole offerings levitical offerings pointed to jesus Right, so we don't have to do all of that If we don't have to follow the religious systems that were that happened during that time You know in the old covenant But what we have to do what we do is we we do follow the Principles love the lord your god. It's a law of the old covenant But the principle is still there in the new covenant Right, uh, but the religious systems if you're talking about, you know those offering The way we have to you know dress up the way we have to You know, uh, you know, we see the old covenant The high priest would go once in a year and there was this sense of awe and reverence and and you know, you have to take off your footwear You know do these kind of things and uh, so these are all religious systems That were set in place, but now in the new covenant And It is those who worship the father or worship the lord worship him in spirit and truth so So all of those systems religious systems are gone away, but the principles of the law but the the principles of Love the lord your god honor your father and mother are still there even paul talks about You know parents children and parents. I think it's I think it's in this chapter itself or It's in this book but He talks about right. He talks about uh, children and parents obey Children obey your parents now That is given many years back, but the principle still stays Just because the whole spirit comes doesn't mean that changes Right, so we must be in understand that there are some things The law in in in terms we are we don't have to follow the circumcision and all those things But the principles of those of those law of the lord which god had given us still stay Right, but paul again says the law is power powerless. Now. What is he saying? Why is he saying that the law is powerless because The jews were putting all their attention on the law rather than putting the attention on jesus Right, so that's why he's saying the law is powerless. Why is he saying selling the glations? Why is he so upset? He's saying Why are you going to get circumcised doing these religious things? When you have when the lord jesus has done away with it Right, he says we need to circumcise our heart not our physical body Right, so so you see the principles are still there But you don't have to but there's but you don't follow the laws in the natural And uh, this I hope that makes a little you know brings a little clarity to your question all right, so Let's do this. Let's get into chapter five, right Let's try and complete chapter five six and if we can let's do even seven All right chapter five Okay, so now in chapter five paul is assuring the believers talking about death and resurrection and why as we and what Should we as believers have these two perspectives? In terms of resurrection, so let's look at that verse one to four For we know that if our earthly house this tent is destroyed We have a building from god A house not made of with the hands Eternal in the heavens For in this we we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven If indeed having been clothed We shall not be found naked For we who are in this tent grown Being burdened not because we want to be unclothed but further Clothed that mortality may be swallowed up by life So paul here is referring to our physical body and he's saying this tent A tent is temporary but we can take off the tent If you know, you know, I just been in Rajasthan and I saw these people who would make tents quickly make a tent and they would You know remove it off the ground Uh, and they would they can just move on in their journey and build another tent So it's a temporary dwelling but We have on this earth We have a temporary dwelling but in heaven We have a building from god An eternal house No, a building is not easily broken down. You can't it's it's not temporary. It's It lasts for a long time years You know, uh, the spiritual body is for all believers who will be raised up Right. So paul is saying this tent is going to be destroyed But we have a building in heaven Right, uh first quarantines 15 again here paul is saying Remember, we talked about it. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised up in glory It is sown in weakness raised up in power. It is sown a natural body raised up in a spiritual body That is a natural body and then there is a spiritual body. We talked about this, right? We spent a lot of time talking about this um, right, uh, how the natural body is sown in You know in uh, dishonor, but it's raised up in glory It is a weak body But when it is given a glorified body, it has power It is natural right now. We feel hungry. We feel thirsty. We feel tired But now it'll be raised up as a spiritual body Right Now verse five through eight Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is god Who has also given us a spirit as a guarantee So we're always confident that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the law For we walk by faith by sight. We are confident Well, please rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the lord So paul is bringing out this beautiful, uh, you know this comparison here First he says we have this indwelling presence of the holy spirit, which is a guarantee to our You know full redemption meaning our glorified form Right, it's a guarantee Now people may ask you Or they may ask us all as christians, how do you know there's a heaven and there's a hell Or how do you know you're going to go to heaven? Hey, we have a guarantee Who's that guarantee the indwelling presence of the holy spirit? And what is his promise his promise sells Now they may say, you know, I remember some of them asking me, where's the holy spirit? Hey, the holy spirit is a spirit You can't see it But he uses our senses and that's our guarantee Right, so as believers when we die We have a guarantee That we will be in the presence of god because to be absent in the body Is to be present with the lord There is no in between place There is no place where the souls will go and sit and wait and uh, you know Pave repentance and all of those things. Those are all Wrong understandings To be absent in the body is to be present with the lord To be present in the body is to know that yes, we are absent with the lord But the deposit of the holy spirit is in us So we have this faith in us Right, we have this faith that there will come a time When we die to be absent in the body We will be present with the lord Faith You know, faith is something that we can't see But the moment we are absent in the body Faith will see Right, can you picture that the moment we are absent in the body the moment we See What we've been having faith on Right, oh jesus, you know, holy spirit is our inheritance. One thing we will see you face to face that faith Will become sight What a joy that is Like paul is saying here in verse nine onwards. He's talking about the judgment seat of christ, which All believers will have to stand front of Therefore, we make it our aim Whether present or absent to be well pleasing to him For we must all appear before the judgment seat of christ That each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done whether good or bad Knowing therefore the terror of the lord we persuade men But we are well known to god and I also trust we're well known in our conscience Right, it's wonderful here paul is saying Whether present or absent to be well pleasing with him because we will all appear before the judgment seat of christ and I'm sure we've learned this in eschatology the end times as well where we The judgment seat of christ is a judge is a is a place called the bima seat where we'll All believers will stand and we will receive. It's also called as the Judgment of rewards Right, so we will all only the believers will stand in this judgment seat Now, why why do we have to stand? We will be rewarded Rewarded for the works that we have done Later on paul says the works that will be tested by fire and that which remains will only be rewarded That which is burned away will not be rewarded But we all will stand in the judgment seat of christ Right, uh, let's go down The phrase judgment seat is a single word in the ancient greek language of the new testament Dima literally means step as an erased platform or seat And usually this is where the roman magistrate sat and acted as a judge now This is not as I said, this is not the judgment of condemnation the great white throne judgment Is for those who have not accepted the lord Right, so that is the judgment if you read revelations the uh, you know the the earth scrolled up the mountains Melted like wax and those people said hide us from the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb That is the judgment seat of the great white throne judgment Where the unbelievers will stand there Giving giving an account of their lives That is a terrible place to be in The judgment seat of christ is a judgment of rewards for believers how we lived our life And how we did with the call of god on our life with the gifting with the anointing that god has placed Were we faithful? And god will reward us right now paul here Having seen and known the fear of the lord and the severity of the judgment of noticing salvation He's pleading with the believers saying To make things right Because we will stand before the judgment seat of christ Right worse dwell onwards For we do not commend ourselves again to you But give you opportunity to boast on our behalf That you may have an answer for those who boast in the appearance not in heart For if we are beside ourselves it is for god or if we are of sound mind it is for you For the love of christ compels us because we judge this That if one died for all and all died And he died for all that those who live should live no longer for themselves But for him who died for them and rose again now paul Again, he's not commending himself or his team to the Corinthians but What does he do he asked them to consider and boast about paul and his team Who are You know going through difficult challenges going through difficult times Right now the Corinthians seem to have You know it says that seem to have been in the habit of superficial And being being of superficial and being swayed in their judgment and mannerisms Right now Why do we say this? You remember in the first Corinthians? They were very superficial Oh, you know One is they were saying okay, I will follow paul while follow seafiz the other is They are taking the lord's table Without even understanding very superficially. Okay. This is the lord's table. Let's just eat of it right, so So the mannerisms were all swayed Very superficial. So now it's not all of them This is the general feel of the church at that time right now paul is saying You know let the love of christ compel you in what you're doing Right, he goes on words 13 to 14 for if we are besides ourselves it is for god Right, uh, if me and apostle paul is saying if me and my team did anything Radical and seemed to be foolish. It was for the sake of god and think of this Paul, why do you want to go to judaea and Jerusalem when you know that they are searching for you and they want to kill you? Because the holy spirit is leading them It is for the sake of god. It is for the sake of the kingdom paul, why do you want to go into macedonia when? Macedonia again, there is a lot of persecution. It's not good ground. Why do you want to go there? Why don't you go to places like, you know, filipai or teslonica where things are easy There's not much of persecution. You're a roman citizen. Why don't you go to Rome? No, why why are you going through all of this? Because of the sake of the gospel Right everything paul said and did in the ministry was motivated by the love of christ When he exemplified it while he was writing 1st Corinthians You know 1st Corinthians 13. He says now listen I'm bringing all this correction to you. But why am I doing it because I love you I love each one of you just like how christ loved the church. I love the church. I love you all So I have to bring this correction everything that paul was motivated by the love of christ whether it was correction whether it was You know bringing the proof whether it was exhortation whether it was Just encouraging whether it was raising up leaders Whatever it was it was because of the love of christ It was motivated for that No, where does paul say, okay, I'm raising up many leaders So one day I will be known as an apostle. No, or I am raising up many churches planting many churches one day You know, my name will go into history No All he did Was motivated because of the love of christ. He says the love of christ compels me Right Since the lord jesus died for all those who this who have received him as lord And risen saviour should no longer live on their own selfish agendas For the sake of jesus and his kingdom You know, this is so much for us during the time that we are in as believers sometimes we You know, we put god second And we be careful that we don't That yes, there is work that is you know, all of us work or we got things to do monday to friday Working professionals got our own business, you know, homemakers got a lot of things to do Looking after family looking after children all of that is there But Our priority must be the lord jesus and his kingdom God i'm going to work Monday to friday this week Even as i work let my work glorify you. Let me be a testimony Let people see my life and say, hey, there's something different about him And let me be able to be a testimony of witness of the gospel in the workplace There's a difference, but if you go to work thinking I need to earn so much more, uh, you know, I need to do this I need to uh, you know Build another house by another car now all of that is important but paul is saying here as Believers, we must not live on our own selfish agenda Right when we put jesus first Seek first the kingdom of god and his righteousness and all the other things will be added So that's what paul is basically saying You look at god look at things for the kingdom And all the other things will be added in the right time in the right way God will add it Right Now verse 16 onwards New creations and ambassadors therefore From now on we regard No one according to the flesh even though we have known christ according to the flesh Yet now we know him thus no longer Therefore if anyone is in christ, he's a new creation All things have passed away all things become new There's a powerful verse Now all things are of god Who has reconciled us to himself through christ jesus and has given us the ministry of reconciliation That is that god was in christ Reconciling the world to himself Not imputing their trespass to them and has committed to us the word of reconciliation Now them We are ambassadors of christ as a god were pleading through us. We implore you on christ behalf Be reconciled to god For he made him who knew no sin to be sinned for us That we might become the righteousness of god in him Right So paul states that because of the death burial of the resurrection and resurrection of our lord jesus There is change in how we see and relate to people And how we see and relate to the lord How we see and relate to people We look at people and we say god you died on the cross for them They can become believers. They can accept you And live a righteous holy life And how we relate to them Lord this person my boss is causing so much trouble. He's just you know unfair and I'm just so upset but lord your word says Love one another Help me to love so the way I relate to people And how I see the lord No, we look at these challenges. We look at these seasons that we say god You know, I know that you are above all things. I know that you are powerful. I know that you're almighty You are a miracle working god And so i'm gonna relate to you this way. I I know that you can get me out of this situation. Everything changes Because we are new creations. So that's why paul says Therefore if anyone is in christ, he is a new creation The old ways the old thinking the old life has passed away Right His spirit becomes alive The born again person becomes a new creation in the spirit Right Now here's the important thing romans to our paul says Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind Our spirit one second conscience 517 happens our spirit is renewed But our thinking Is still sometimes carnal Look at this church in corum. They were all believers. They accepted the lord jesus The spirit was renewed Right, but the thinking was still carnal. Why? I believe in paul. I believe in syphus. I believe in paul's division Thinking was carnal So that's what paul says. The spirit is renewed. We must renew our mind. How do we renew our mind? We put to that the sinful nature. We renew our mind through the word of god We read the word of god. We meditate on the word of god We overcome temptations. We We spend time in worship and all the things that we can do to change our thinking Right verse 20 now then we are ambassadors of christ As though god were pleading through us. We implore you on christ's behalf to be reconciled to god As new creations as new people in christ We have been entrusted with this message Now paul is not saying as ambassadors of christ become pastors teachers evangelists and then go minister to people No, no, no, no He's saying as new creations you have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation, which means what go preach the gospel as New creations we are christ representatives. That means we are his ambassadors We represent jesus wherever we go Look at this ambassador of our nation Right, I don't know who he is his name, but but if you look at the ambassador for nation this one person Goes to the forum. You say the united nations And this one person is representing the entire nation of india billions of people. This one person is representing So the way he speaks the way he thinks the way he talks everything will reflect on the nation Picture this if you've got a ambassador who stands up in front of all the other countries and starts using curse words and talking arrogantly and rudely and What's going to happen? They say hey Why are indians like this now indians are not like that that ambassador his character is like that Now paul is saying you are ambassadors of christ wherever you go People will see who you are see christ through you We are his spokesperson And we invite And exhort everyone to be a reconciled to god Come back to god That that separation of sin is removed. They can be reconciled back to god Through who through the son jesus christ For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of god in him The lord jesus was sinless He carried our sins isaias says he bore our griefs. He bore our sicknesses. He carried our sins on the cross. He became sin He did that So that you and i may be made righteous and we believe we are made righteous that means We have a right standing before god the father and god sees us through the eyes of jesus And he accepts us as his children Isn't that wonderful as remarkable it's really Picture this separation from god The lord jesus steps in Man who was sinless died on the cross rose again from the dead Now when we believe in jesus this separation is removed cod The father sees us through the eyes of the lord jesus We become reconciled to god Made righteous god says You are righteous Not because of what you have done But because of my son jesus christ who died on the cross What a powerful powerful Expression of love He made one who knew no sin to taste sin so that we Can taste righteousness We as sinners can taste righteousness right And this is so powerful all of us And you know walk in this assurance that we have a right standing before god Now what will the enemy do he'll come and say oh you've done this wrong you've done this wrong you've done this wrong Our response should not bring condemnation because by the scriptures teaches therefore now There is no condemnation in christ jesus So many a time as believers the enemy comes he He brings things in our mind and you feel that hey i've not reached the mark and i'm and we feel condemned no The holy spirit convicts us we can we have to run to jesus And say god forgive me for my sins And make us a right standing don't run away from god But run to him Right, so this is what paul is saying in chapter five the ministry Of reconciliation Right, shall we go to the next chapter chapter six? any questions Any questions anyone Okay, shall we go on chapter six? Again chapter six is a very small chapter And paul defends himself Now this is the second time paul is defending his ministry In in the first letter he defended his ministry in a very stern way He says i know what i am i know that i have You people are the you know the the fruit of my ministry and i have the right But i didn't ask you for any money i didn't ask you for any Material help i could have asked you but i didn't As a right of an apostle i could have done all this but here In the second time in chapter six paul is defending his Apostleship or his ministry and his team in a very He's being open-hearted right he's telling them this is what it is No, he's not being stern But he's just putting the truth out right paul is reiterating the whole thing Uh in this Entire passage here. Let's look at that by the worse Okay, let's okay. Let's go one to ten itself We then our workers together with him Also plead with you not to receive the grace of god in vain for he says In an acceptable time i've heard you and in the day of salvation i have helped you Behold Now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation We give no offense in anything that our ministry may not be blamed But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of god in much patience and tribulations in needs In distress now look at that list in stripes In imprisonments in tumults in labours in sleeplessness in fasting All of this How by purity by knowledge by long suffering by kindness by this holy spirit By sincere love by the word of truth by the power of god by the armor of righteousness on the right hand And on the left by honor and dishonor by evil report and good report as deceivers And yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying And behold we live as chastened Yet not killed as sorrowful We're always rejoicing as poor yet making rich making many rich as having nothing Yet possessing all things this is like an oxymoron right for the same now, you know By honor and by dishonor by evil report and by good report for the unknown as unknown yet known Dying yet. We live chastened yet not killed sorrowful yet. We are rejoicing poor yet. We are making many rich Have we don't have anything yet. We act as if we're possessing all things Such such a wonderful way to live right that's a Wonderful assurance that paul has here and he's talking about his entire team here uh One of the common ways in which we might waste The face of god is when we don't work hard To accomplish what god has called and gifted us to do Many of us Must remember this we must understand this god has gifted us we all have Many gifts and talents placed in us the thing is as believers We must get excited about what god's call is for our life Right. We we you know people prophesy over us. We have dreams visions We get excited But it's at times that excitement just goes away And when the excitement dies down the effort also goes down And it becomes complacent and sometimes we give up But paul is saying Don't let this be just a moment Right With a sense of urgency carry on the work of the gospel Use the gifts use the talents that god has given you Don't waste it away Be sensitive enough to Not to hinder the work of the ministry in any way Right Uh and and so it's very important for us each one of us Maybe some of us have certain gifts and talents. We know of it. We're not using it reason Maybe we are shy. Maybe we feel we're not Good enough. Here's the thing God has given us that don't waste those gifts don't waste the thing Gifts and the calling that god has given you Hold fast Don't give up On what god has for you may see you may have a vision But that vision over the years has just faded away and we feel I don't think I can even accomplish what I Don't give up Right, uh continue Continue to work hard continue to stand whole fast on the prophecies Whole fast on the dreams that god and the visions that god has spoken to you whole fast on the word of god That has ministered to you Right be encouraged Right. I know waiting and waiting sometimes Endless waiting. We don't know what to do. We may end up giving up but don't waste the grace of god in our lives It's okay to wait But wait in expectancy Right in our ministering We need to reflect and check our words our actions and our lifestyles Uh if we cause other whether we are causing others to stumble or whether we are stumbling Right speaking the truth of the gospel causes people to be offended And sometimes they bring up false accusations They blame the good work. They ridicule they persecuted the church Uh But we should be careful not to bring dishonor to god And not to disrepute the ministry By our loose words or by our Irresponsible actions Many many ministries That we read of Have started well You know just doing the go teaching and preaching and doing the work of the ministry very well but because of you know, maybe ridicule or people making fun of or persecution from other people other religions They have made wrong decisions And it has you know, just broken down the entire church structure Right, so we must be careful As ministers have got be careful Be wise Wisdom is something that we all need during this time because you know, sometimes we have great revelations and great visions and dreams and prophecies, but no wisdom The bible says people Perish because of lack of wisdom. It doesn't say people perish because of lack of spiritual gifts Or anything Is lack of wisdom So in ministry, especially Be wise be wise in the decisions you make Rarely make decisions have a team Talk to them, you know, even at the church that at apc east the location that we are in and all locations right at apc itself And as a pastoral team whenever we plan things we sit together we pray and we Put our thoughts together and you know, we carefully make our decisions It's not just random decisions because we are you know Talking about lies being touched lies being transformed right, so Especially those in ministry be wise right Verse 11 O Corinthians we have spoken openly to you a heart is wide open You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections Now in return for the same You also be open Paul spoke the truth and love to the Corinthians that was disciplining and correcting them But because of this first letter which was turned Paul probably sensed this, you know Of the the believers to be withdrawn Right, he says they had they are probably not that's why I believe that he did not come back On the way back he did not visit them because they were They probably distanced themselves from him And And probably they felt hey why should we you know get such a harsh treatment? What is it that we have done such a big wrong such a big mistake that this Apostle Paul is getting so angry. So they just withdraw themselves And it's most probably after seeing that Paul was hurt and he himself was sad So he said no, I'm not going to go visit them. Let me write to them But in this letter he's encouraging them Right, he's encouraging them to to talk to be open And to continue the work of the ministry Right, but you don't see any You don't see Paul being sorrowful for what he said. Oh, I should not have said that no He said what he said because it was needed right very important principle to Stand for by as leaders He said it said Right, especially if it's in God's word And it's something correction Right don't go back on the correction, but again, there's a way to correct people also Oh, I think Apostle Paul is way too stern. So we can correct in love and correct the right way But also bring correction very important right Then he goes on he just moves a little bit to a different section here from verse 14 He says do not be equally yoked Unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship has a righteousness With lawlessness And what communion has light with darkness What a chord has Christ with Belial Belial is an idol That was there during that time Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? What agreement has a temple of God with idols? You are the temple of the living God as God said I was 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 But Paul is saying Don't be unequally yoked Right, uh, how are the ways that uh, a believer can become unequally yoked One a marriage covenant How can Light and darkness mix together So it's very important Paul is saying be equally yoked to The an environment where one lets the world influence the thinking and therefore becomes conformed to the world Hey, everyone even believers are drinking and smoking and uh, they are involved in homosexuality. So it's okay They are doing it, but I still love Jesus It's not like I've pushed away Jesus. I love Jesus, but I just do this also Now what's happening? How can Light and darkness mix together How can the you know, you know the temples of idols and the temple of God mix together? It can't happen But it does happen because the enemy is doing this A business partnership where the worldly values And ideals influence the decisions directly conflicting to the principles of the word I imagine you've got a business or Or even you may be in the workplace And there are certain things that we know is wrong is against The principles of God if so for example, uh, you can cheat in your You know your final results in your project You're doing a project. You can cheat in the numbers They can do that But that's a worldly influence And it's conflicting The principles of the word of God What's happening? Light and darkness mixing together Right. So Paul is saying don't be unequally yoked with an unbeliever right don't Fellowship don't commune you see those five different words You just quickly look at that fellowship Communion accord part and agreement don't have anything of this Right, uh, the answer to all these questions is it is sounding no meaning? We must not have fellowship We must not have communion No accord Meaning an agreement Right, no part Uh, which means a portion or a share with the unbelievers And no agreement Which is uh, you know, uh approval or a dissent or company with All of this is of no use He ends this By quoting from Jeremiah 31 It says 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. Look at this that this uh Prophecy was both during the time for the Israelites and it's applicable even now Follow Jeremiah is writing to the you know the time when The fall of Jerusalem was going to happen at any time right and God is using Jeremiah and he's saying you come out from among them Don't follow the gods of the Babylonians Don't follow their ideals. Don't follow their practices Don't just because you're in captivity in Babylon. You don't have to be like them The reason you're in captivity is because of your wrongdoings Now all that you're in captivity, don't be like them separate from them Do not eat the foods that they are sacrificing to idols. Don't go enter into their temples. Don't Follow their practices and customs. Don't do that But come out from among them And I will be your father a father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters. There's got a prophetic I think the word is preach pre-shortening Forget that word. So a prophecy which is for now and for later So Jeremiah is writing it for them during that time But you can apply it even now says so so he's saying the Lord promises to continue our relationship A relationship of intimacy With each of us as our children as we sanctify as we come out from the things of the world As we come out of the flesh come out of the things that influence us and we say god I want to live a holy life and then The father will say you are my sons and daughters right, so We'll stop here We could not go to chapter seven but next week what we can do is we will Quickly go to seven eight. We should finish seven eight nine ten So maybe another two weeks And then we should be done. All right Thank you so much for joining the class. Have a great week ahead. I'll see you next week. God bless you all