 Okay, the recording has started. Good morning once again. Welcome to BC 110 to the course on identity, identity in Christ. So, I requested you all to study on Section 9. Those of you who have studied, what was your understanding on Section 9? Anyone from the class, from the online? What was your understanding on Section 9? Which talks about the children and the joint hairs with Christ. What's your understanding? You would like to speak into the mic. Where's the mic, Christ? In being called the Daughters and Sons of God, we have the access to the inheritance that he has given to us. We have the access to the inheritance of what God is wanting to give to us. Okay, what God has given to us. Okay. Anyone else would like to share? Anyone from online would like to share? What is your understanding on Section 9 on the children and joint hairs with Christ? So, let's move on to Galatians chapter 3. Let's turn to Galatians chapter 3 verse 26. Even before we could start, let's pray. Father, we come into your presence with thanks and praise. Lord, we pray that we submit ourselves, each and every student, myself into your hand. We pray that you will increase us in your wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Lord, everything that you're teaching us today in this session. Lord, I pray that you will help us to understand the revelation of your word and apply it into our life, Lord. Thank you, Father, for doing it so. Lord, I pray that you will speak in and through me. Name of Jesus. Amen. So, let's turn to Galatians chapter 3 verse 26. Galatians chapter 3 verse 26. It says, you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. So, Paul is writing to Galatians and he's saying, you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. So, what is Paul trying to say? So, we have Prince here. Prince is saying, because you have put your trust, put your faith on Jesus Christ, now you have become the sons of God. So, this is what Paul is saying compared to what been taught among the Galatians. So, this was a very revolutionary statement that has been made by Apostle Paul. He's saying in the traditional Jewish thinking is related to the traditional Jewish thinking that our standing before God is measured by our obedience to the law. That our standing before God was measured by our obedience to the law. So, truly for us to be close to God and for us to be considered as the sons of God, we had to be extremely observant to the law. So, what Paul is saying here? This is what the scribes and the Pharisees were saying in the Gospel of Matthew. Like, you need to observe the law. You need to follow the Sabbath. You need to keep certain things, rituals. But your Paul is making a statement for us to be considered as the son of God is in a completely different way. Not by observing the law, not by strictly following by the rituals that has been set, but putting your faith in Jesus Christ. So, there is an action and the action is very different. It's getting your personal self connected to God through Jesus Christ by having faith on Him. So, the method is very impressive how to become a son of God through faith in Jesus Christ. It means it is much more and believing, much more. It's not just faith or belief, it's much more. You need to understand that's real. That's real. That is a real relationship that we have in God. When we believe Jesus Christ as a Lord and Savior, when we put up belief and trust, now you have become the sons of God. You have become the child of God. The sonship which was lost at the very beginning due to sin, due to the fall of man, has now been restored back through Jesus Christ and this is real. And we need to believe that. How? By renewing our mind. Not by any ritualistic act. Not by following something, not by a hard work. This is not something that we deserve. But this is something that has been freely given to us by God Himself. So, we need to know what happens when we put our faith in Jesus Christ. We become the son of God. So, it is for us to put our trust in Jesus for now and for eternity you have this relationship. What is it? The sonship. The sonship what you have, what has been restored through Jesus Christ is your new identity. And this is real. This is real identity because that which was lost has been now restored and this restoration is for eternal. This can only happen when we believe. Paul is saying it is much more than belief, much more than having a faith. It is much more. Why? Because it is your eternal. It is the eternal identity. So, you need to think, I am into God's kingdom. This is my new birth and I have my new identity and this is real and forever. Now, if somebody tells you, you don't belong to this family. This is not your mom and dad. You know this is your mom and dad. If somebody says you don't belong, it is very difficult for you to accept it. Isn't it? Because you know that you have been birthed into this family. These are your parents. You have the medical records. You know everything. So, it is something like that. You have been born into this family. You have been birthed into the kingdom of God. And this is your family. This is your relationship that you have with the father is your father. You have that sense within your wife. The spirit of the Lord who is living inside you gives you that sense of relationship, gives you the sense of the sonship that you are the son and you are the daughter of the most high God. You get the sense within you because you have put your faith on Jesus Christ. This is what John also says. Can we turn to the Gospel of John chapter 1? Gospel of John chapter 1 verse 12 and 13. Can I request one of y'all to please read? But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Thank you. So, what does John chapter 1 verse 12 and 13 says? It says, as many as received him, as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become the children of God. So what is it? What's the idea of receiving Jesus? What the scripture says is valid. The scripture says as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become the children of God. You are the child of God when you receive Jesus. This is what the scripture says. So if the scripture says, the scripture is saying that it is right. When we receive Jesus as a Lord and Saviour, we have now become the child of God. So we need to embrace this truth. We need to receive Jesus as a Lord and Saviour and believe in this truth because this is what it says. As many as received, it's just another saying, those who believe in the name of Jesus. Those who believe, those who put their trust in the name of Jesus have a new relationship in the kingdom of God. So what is needed here? Faith. The word receive is nothing but we putting a faith in the name of Jesus. So it is something like this. We are not toiled for it. We have not worked hard to earn this relationship. But it is a free gift given to us. What is the free gift given to us? Eternal relationship, eternal sonship. You become the child of God, child of the most high God. Now we have given the highest position that has been seated the right hand of God through Jesus Christ. That position which was not available to us through Adam but now it is available to us through Jesus Christ. How did we get this position? A sonship position. That place, the right hand of God, the place at the right hand of God is given to his beloved son. It's been reserved for his beloved son. Now you and I through Jesus Christ have become the child of God not only just the child of God like one among the others, no. We have been given the same position what has been given to Jesus Christ in him. Now when we believe Jesus as a Lord and Saviour receive him into us now we have been restored back to that relationship with the child of God, the children of God and where we are seated we are seated in the right hand of God in Jesus Christ. So we have become one with Jesus. This is what it says in John 15 isn't it? When you abide in me, I abide in you. We have become one. You know many people witness when we study the history when he say Paul, Apostle Paul has never seen Jesus. Apostle Paul has never seen Jesus. Yes, we had 12 disciples who were with Jesus. They saw Jesus. But those who were with Jesus who walked with him that is the disciples started to look like him. That's why when the Roman soldiers came to address Jesus they could not identify him. They asked who is Jesus here? Jesus was moving among them. Isn't it? He was preaching, teaching. He was one among the public. But what happened? When you relate yourself with Jesus you become like him. Though Apostle Paul did not see Jesus though maybe others did not see Jesus but the relationship what Apostle Paul had with Jesus you know people witness him like he looks like Jesus and he talks like Jesus. Now it was not only back then even now the people, the servant of God when you read in God's general those who walked in love with God who started sharing the gospel and ministering to people about Jesus. People have witnessed them though we have not seen Jesus the person, in person but now we could see Jesus or we could hear Jesus through this person. Many people witness like that. One such that has been recorded in the God's general in the church history is Sadhu Sundar Singh from India who lived in Punjab. He's a man from a different faith who received Jesus as a Lord and Saviour. He transformed his life and he lived like how Jesus lived and when he went different places to share the word. When people looked at him people stated that he looked like Jesus and he spoke like Jesus and he lived like him. So what happens to us when we put our faith, when we put our trust, when we believe in Jesus we reflect him in and through us. So what is the spirit of the Lord who's living in us is doing? He's working in us we are working in progress. How? For us to become more like Jesus. The spirit of the Lord who's living in us is leading us to be more like Jesus. That's when we start responding, when we start seeking God and trying to do things that pleases him. You see you are becoming more like Jesus. People around you will start witnessing that you look like Jesus, you talk like Jesus, you witness more of him. Why? Because we have the Christ, we have the spirit of the Lord who's living inside us. So this is what we get to know from this scripture. The word children means born one who are born new into the family of God. So believers who are born new, these are the little ones, these are the children who have been born into God's family. Who have been birthed into God's family. And your John reminds us of the nature of the birth. What is the nature of the birth that John reminds us? Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. So what is he saying here? Those who receive Jesus as a Lord and saviour are born of God. So we are born of God. Not with the human effort, or the achievements. It is a spiritual birth. As you have been born real into this world as a human it's so real that you have been born in God. It's so real that you have been born of God into the spiritual kingdom. The relationship what you have with God is so real. That you are the child of God. God is abiding in you and you in him. Your way of life, the thought of life is now different. This new birth is something that actually brings a change into your life. You are a new person. You are a new being. Maybe outwardly your skin color height weight may not have changed but the inside person, the spirit man, has been born new. He is new in the Lord. Now his thoughts, his way of life is new. He is not the same as you were before. You are not the same. Now you try to live according to God. Now you see the fruit of the spirit has become your identity. Now what is the fruit of the spirit? Love, peace, patience, joy, self control endurance, long suffering. Then gentleness. These are your fruits. Now your life will try to live according to that pleases God in the fruit of the spirit. That's what the scripture says. You will know the tree by its fruit. Now what fruit are we bearing? We believe in Jesus. We have received him as a Lord and Saviour. So if you are into God's kingdom, if you are a child of God, now how our life should be? Shouldn't it reflect the fruit of the spirit? Yes or no? Our way of life should reflect the fruit of the spirit. We should be in the reflection of Christ. Because we are the child of God. We are in the sonship with Christ, with God. So when John chapter 15 says, when you abide in me and I abide in you, we have become one. Now we need to allow the nature of Christ to grow into this person, into this new child. So how do we grow? It is a process. Intentionally, you will see to it that you do not do the things that you were doing before. You will start doing the right things that pleases God. So there is an effort. There is a decision that we need to make. What is the decision? The decision that we need to make that pleases God. Now if you decide, I have a new identity. I have this new relationship with God. I am a child of God. So as a child of God, there are certain things that displeases God which I need to put away. I need to put away. And now there are certain things that I need to hold on to. I need to embrace this. So that is a decision that you need to make. The decision that you make is what will bear a good fruit in each of us. So the tree is known by its fruit. The nature what has been displayed in and through us in our daily life. Different instances with all people around us has been displayed. So what is the nature that we carry is something that we need to ponder and think of because you do not have the relationship what you used to have before. Now you are a child of God. Your identity is in Christ. So with this new identity what fruit are we bearing is something that we need to think and ponder. Am I doing the right things in my life? Am I bearing the right fruit? Am I showing? Am I reflecting Christ likeness in my life with everyone around me? In my ministry, in my workplace, in my family with my friends. For those who are married with our kids, with our spouse, with our in-laws are we showcasing Christ likeness in us. This is something that we need to ponder and think of. Why? Because if just an illustration. If you take a watch to the mechanic, the watch has some kind of problem. The watch to a mechanic. Now the mechanic has not done anything. Your watch looks the same. The dial, the hand, everything looks the same. But what did the mechanic do? The mechanic worked with the machine that is inside. Inside. He has fixed certain parts that was not working well before. He has fixed it He has worked inside. The inward part of the watch. He has fixed it and he has given that watch to you. Now the watch is set right and it is working perfectly fine. Now what is the change in the watch? It looks the same. The change, the dial, the hand, everything is the same. And now it's working fine. The way the watch need to be working. It's showing the right time. It's moving the second hand is ticking correctly. The short hand and the long hand is moving perfectly fine with the rhythm. How a clock needs to function. So what was the change? The change was inward. The change was inward. The same way. When we see this as a Lord and Saviour, the spirit of the Lord we have invited him inside. Now he is setting things right inwardly. In our mind, in our heart, in our inward spirit. Setting things right. That which was not functioning or working well before but now it has been set right. It has been set right to perform well. Now our life which has been set right by the spirit of the Lord who is working in us, it should only bring glory to God. So we need to check our life. Every action, every word and deed of us isn't bringing glory to God. We need to check that. We need to ponder on us. Why? Because we are not the same person who we were before. We have a new identity. Now this identity does not depend on the opposite person. How well they behave. This does not depend on others or on your circumstance for your behaviour. We need to set things right. Now the climate is hot outside, humid. Can your clock work differently? Now due to the weather, the climate has changed. The clouds have become dark. It looks like night. It is day. What is the time now? In India it is 11.30 am. Because of the weather change, we have a thick dark cloud covering. It looks like evening maybe 6.37. Just because it is looking that way, does the clock change the timing? Did it change? It looks that way. You also feel it is like evening. Did the watch timing change? Did the clock timing change? No. The clock works exactly in the way it is programmed. So if a clock can work how much more you and I can work? Greater is he who is in us. The Lord is in us. He is strengthening us through his grace and through his strength. Can we not react to the opposite person's behaviour in a very pleasant way? Can we not react to the situation that is around us? Can we show Christ's likeness in that area to that person to that circumstances? Human nature is designed to rebel. But we are not in that nature now, isn't it? The Christ in us, we have a new identity. This is what Jesus thought us, isn't it? If one slaps a cheek he is saying us to show another cheek. Which is not human. Human nature is for one eye given, take off another eye, isn't it? Evil for evil. But here the scripture is teaching us to good. Don't repay evil with evil, but repay it with good. So this is the new nature that Christ is asking us to apply it in us. Sean has a question. You want to say something? I just wanted to add to the eye to an eye, a tooth for a tooth. I think may be wrong, but I think that's how we used to be in the Old Testament. But then when he came to the New Testament he said, the Lord said that it shouldn't be no longer for an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth, but it should be a good thing for a good thing. If someone pays it, he will pay it back with good. Thanks Sean. Yes. That's how in the Old Testament people used to live. In the New Testament, what does our father say? Forgive others as I have been forgiven. Then God forgive us. Though we were not perfect, God has forgiven us. His grace is so much that he has forgiven us. So now God is asking as I forgive you, you forgive others. And also he says, love your neighbour as you love yourself. That neighbour can be anybody, maybe your enemy, maybe your friend, but in any day is your neighbour. So you should love him. Yes. Thanks Sean. Yes. That is one of the commandments, right? Jesus gave the two commandments. One was love your neighbour as yourself. As Sean said, the neighbour can be anyone. The neighbour can be anyone. So we need to love. Why? Because God and this love of God is within us. Romans 8 28 says, can we turn to Romans 8 28 to 30? Can I have you all read slowly? You can turn to Romans 8 28 to 30 and I want one person to read it slowly. Sean, are you reading? Romans 8 chapter verse 28. We know that in all things, God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose. Those whom God had already chosen, he also set apart to become like his son. So that the son would be the first among many believers. And so those whom God set apart, he called and those he called, he put right with himself. He shares glory with them. Thank you. So we see that in Romans 8 28 it starts by saying, we know that all things work together for good. We see that God's sovereignty and his ability to manage every aspect of our life. We see that and it has been also demonstrated in the very fact of his work. By saying, together for good to those who love God. There is a condition there, to those who love God. Though we must face a suffering times, the present time, but God is affirming us that he is able to make even those suffering work together for our good work. So God is more than able to change our situation and circumstances for our good. We may get ourselves deviated and move away sometimes or go astray from God's plan. But your God is saying, when you look at me when you call upon my name, when you love me, because you love God is when you look at him and you will call him. No matter how far that circumstance or that situation would have taken each of us far from God. But God is saying just like the prodigal son, just like the parable of the lost sheep. The minute the sheep calls the shepherd hears the sheep's voice and he runs. So all that the sheep did was one step, one step what the shepherd did. It took that 99 step to reach that sheep. The same way, no matter how far we would have gone in our life, in our journey away from God's plan, but God has designed for you and me. But your God is saying, the minute you call upon my name I will answer you. And everything that you suffered, everything that you went through I am more than able to make that turn it to your good. I have a plan. What is the plan in Jeremiah 2019-11? Plan to prosper you to give you success. From the very beginning God works for his children to prosper them, to multiply them, to make them fruitful in every area. This is God's plan and this is God's design for you and me. This is what again in Romans 828 it's been confirmed to us saying that we know that in all things it works together for our good, for those who love God. So God is able to work out all things. It's not just some area. Every area of our life we can make it a blessing when we surrender to God. Are we keeping any area hidden from God? We need to check. If there is a certain area you don't see the hand of God in your life, we need to recheck. Have I submitted that area to God? Have I asked God to help me in that weakness? Have I invited God to help me overcome in that area? If that was your prayer, you see that area change and transform to God's glory. You see how God can change and he can make that work for your good. The very area that you struggle the very area that you will look down, when you surrender that area to God and ask him to help you in that area he will not only help you to overcome but he will raise you as a witness in that area where you can help others. He will raise you to be a blessing in that area to others. You see how God can turn that to your good and make you a blessing to others? So this is what the scripture says. The scripture says when you love God, when you love God, you see the hand of God move on your behalf. You see the hand of God help you overcome everything and he will change it for his glory. The scripture also says to be conformed to the image of his son Jesus Christ. So it is our participation is required in the eternal plan of God. It is very important and it is very essential for us to take part into this God's plan. How do we take part by inviting God, by asking his help by doing the right things and asking God, you help me so that we can fulfill God's purpose into our life so that we might be conformed into the image of his son Jesus Christ. So is this one day process? It is a lifelong process. Every time you fall you say, Lord help me. Don't give up, that's not our nature that's not in our DNA. The DNA of God is never to give up because God is not giving up. When God is not giving up we should not. The scripture says when you are weak then you are strong. In our weakest moment is where you can experience the greater power of God. Your weakest moment. Many instances in the scripture we see when we read from the Old Testament and also the disciples in the New Testament in the weakest moment they sought the Lord and the Lord strengthened them. When Jesus was on this earth, he found himself very weak and vulnerable he went to the Garden of Gethsemane and he prayed God, if it is your will, move this cup. So what did Jesus do in his weakest moment? He prayed he knelt down, he asked God for help what did God do? Did he abandon him there? No God comforted Jesus by sending his angel check out his disciples. In the weakest moment they cried out to God. After the death of Jesus they always scattered into different place. They were filled with fear. Fear is not from God. They were so scared of their life. What did they do? They all came together one day. In the upper room they gathered together. And what did they do? They prayed, Lord lead us, guide us, how are we going to take this great commission that you have given to us? We are so scared we are so fearful. You help us. When they cried out with one cord and one mind, what happened? God sent his Comforter. The Holy Spirit was poured out on them. The same people few seconds before, few minutes before were so fearful. They were hiding for their life. Now when they receive the Comforter when they receive the Holy Spirit are filled with courage and boldness. The same Peter who betrayed Jesus three times saying that I do not know him. Now he is standing front of the 3,000 people and addressing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now where did this boldness come from? A fisherman who do not know how to speak. A fisherman may not carry the wisdom that he is speaking with that now. How did he get this wisdom? From where? He do not have any knowledge like the Pharisees and the Sadducees. But from where did he get this, what he is sharing with the 3,000 people? The courage, the boldness, the word, the wisdom, the understanding that he has, that he is sharing the word comes from God. The weakest moment when we see God, he becomes our strength. He becomes our strength. That is what happens when we have the sonship relationship with God. We become more like Jesus. Every area, every act of our life will reflect the Son. Can we today ask God God, we are the child of God. We have been adopted into your kingdom as sons and daughters. This adoption is not like the adoption like you were, not born of the family we are taking you known. This adoption is being born into the family of God. You have been birthed into the family of God. You have the birthright. You have the inheritance of God. You have been seated in the highest position through Jesus Christ at the right hand of the Father. With this we can ask God, God change me from within so that I may reflect you. I may reflect your son Jesus Christ in every area. Lord, I invite you into the weakest point, the weakest area in my life. Here I am. Submit to God every area of your life to God and invite God. When you invite, the spirit of the Lord who is in you will enable you to overcome. Can we do that today please? Let's pray. We thank you. We thank you for your son Jesus Christ for the work that he did on the cross, for the restoration of a relationship with you. Thank you Lord. Thank you for the great plan that you had from the very beginning towards restoring each of us Lord. We are destined to be your child. We are destined to be your son, your daughter. Thank you for the great plan that you have in store for us. You are a God who is mindful of good things for us Lord. Thank you for revealing it to us in time. Thank you that you have chosen us from the very beginning Lord. Thank you that you knit us together in our mother's womb. That we are wonderfully and fearfully made. Thank you that your eye is always upon us. That you are leading us and guiding us. That you never forsake us Lord. Even in our weakest moment when we look up to you and call our father you are there to strengthen us. You are there to lead us. You are there to lift us up. You are there to forgive us. You are there to strengthen us. You are there to restore us. Restored back to the same position that we had before. Thank you Lord. Father I surrender each and every student and to those who watch later. Lord I pray that you will minister to each one of us. That you will strengthen us. Help us to be mindful of you Lord as you are mindful of us. That we will be able to do what pleases you. Thank you for the deep love that you have over us Lord. No matter what that you will never give up on us. Thank you for that strength. Thank you for that relationship. Thank you for this new identity Lord. That you are enabling us to be more like Jesus. Thank you that you will strengthen us so that we can reflect Christ in every area of our life Lord. Jesus for who you are in us is who we really are. Thank you Lord. In Jesus name we pray Amen. Thank you each one for joining in today's session. God bless. I hope it was a blessing and I pray that we will apply everything that we study everything that we study in our life. Thank you. God bless.