 Welcome back after the break. Just before we went for a break, we read through chapter 2 of 1st Timothy and just shared our insights and we had Christopher, you know, ask a question. He says that, you know, if the church or Christians are being persecuted, should we stay silent? Just endure the persecution? What should we do? No, we shouldn't be silent and just endure the persecution, but we can use the law of the land that is in our favor, you know, and we can speak but do it peacefully in the right way. You know, we can also fight our case in the court like we are doing here in Bangalore city with the with the anti-conversion bill and has been done in various other cities as well. So if, you know, pastors have been taken illegally, you know, not following the procedure, they've just been arrested, then there are certain groups that have come up, Christian groups that basically have a knowledge or educated regarding the law of the land, what we are entitled to as Christians as believers, and then, you know, they use that to help, you know, release people from prison from jail. So yes, there are various organizations and churches support them, meet up, they discuss things, how they can go about it, how they can help pastors and, you know, various other churches who are being persecuted just stand by them and, you know, what they can do and things like that. Also educate the pastors and leaders on the law of the land what they should do, what they shouldn't be doing, what the new bills that are being passed, what it entails, you know, how they need to be careful and all of those things. So just educate the people as well. Yes, we need to take the necessary precautions, be wise, as serpents, you know, send us doubts and do what we're supposed to do and, you know, do our best and just pray for the leadership so that we can live peaceful lives and also continue doing our ministry and doing what God has called us to do. Regarding his question on Israel, yes, whatever is happening, you know, Israel is going to be the center stage of world history, you know, it's going to happen so it's happening and also the prophecies, the Old Testament prophecies, the end time prophecies are coming through, so it's all basically pointing out to how scripture is authoritative, is inherent, you know, is infallible, is the truth and how what is mentioned in scripture is, you know, is happening in history and how our God is, a God of history is concerned with what is happening now and also the end time events. So it just helps us to know and also the quickening of time, the end time events, what we as a church need to do in these end time events is prepare ourselves and how we need to spread the gospel throughout the whole world, the nations, the people of this world. Does that help, Christopher? That's very brief and short. Oh, yes, thank you. Just on Israel, I mean, I'm just to comment over there is that you know, I would think that there's an expectation that, you know, as they are, as Israel defends its position, but eventually they will also be able to, you know, take back, you know, certain things that that will be that they they've wanted for a long time, like, for example, the Temple Mount. So there's, I would think there was an expectation that that peaceful means may not be the, may not be the way going forward. It will be, I mean, there will be a lot of, there will be wars that will actually take place. And the situation there is, is not peaceful at all right now, or it hasn't been peaceful for a long time. And, you know, that is, I think that is sort of, you know, in some ways contrary to what, you know, what this Bible scripture talks about, where there is, you know, in Israel, there's an expectation that, you know, there has to be a sure strength. And that sure strength is shown through, you know, the way they can defend their position as well as, you know, be offensive when required. Thank you, Christopher. I would use the word contrary to what scripture says, but, you know, we need to, there are different scripture passages that talk about various instances, various situations. So we need to interpret those scripture passages in that context in the light of what is mentioned in that specific context. Yes, scripture also speaks about, there is going to be wars, the end time battles, wars against nations, one world rule, and all of those things, terrible things that are going to happen. So yes, it talks about a lot of war, bloodshed, persecutions, difficulties, and all of those things. It's not going to be peaceful. But, you know, so these are two different contexts, what I mentioned first about our city, what people are doing in our city, in the context, in India as well. But yes, in Israel, the context is very different. It also, scripture prophecies talk about war and how there's going to be terrible warfare and killing and murder and all of those things which is happening in Israel. So we need to look at prophecies in the light of the prophecies, in the fulfillment of their prophecies, and also see, you know, other scripture passages we're talking about, submission to leadership, authority in the light of, in the context of what it is written, and in the context of where we are living in, in which geographical area and what kind of, you know, scripture that we want to interpret in our context, we need to be very careful and mindful. Yes. Okay. Thank you, Christopher. If we'll move on, we look at study 1st Timothy chapter 2. Verse 1 says, therefore, Paul writes, therefore, I could exhort first of all that supplication, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. Now, when we are reading the letters that Paul is writing, whether it's 1st Timothy, 2nd Timothy, Titus, or, you know, or Romans, we need to remember that it's a letter that is continuity. We have, for our own convenience, put chapter in verse, but it's a continued letter, so there is continuity. So, always look at, you know, when you're studying these scriptures, you know, and you're studying these epistles, look at in the context that the previous was, okay, we left off at 1st Timothy chapter 1 was 19, I think that is, or 20, okay, so 19 and 20. We need to look at how Paul is continuing to write from in that context. So Paul is continuing basically what he mentioned about Hymenias and Alexander going away from their faith, shipwrecking their faith. So Paul is saying in the light of, you know, that people are going away from the faith, the first thing he wants the church to do is for them to pray, okay, because people are not maintaining a good conscience, and because they're not maintaining a good conscience, so he's indicating the importance of prayer. And then he's saying, you know, so in that ways, he's saying, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. So basically, supplications, prayers, intercessions all have to do with praying. And they are essentially different parts of our prayer. But we don't have to be too fixed or rigid on this, their differentiation. But just for, you know, for our understanding, for our purpose of our understanding, supplication basically means, you know, prayer, requests of petition, which is basically, you know, you're begging or you're pleading before God. So you're like a beggar, you know, just begging and pleading God with your prayer, request of petition, and it's, it's begging or pleading God for mercy and protection. That is supplication. Prayer is also, you know, you know, praying, requesting, making a petition known, but it's doing it for the needs, wants, and things that, you know, you lack or people who are close to or you're praying for lack. Intercession is to pray for someone else on their behalf. Primarily, it's basically for salvation. You're interceding on behalf of them for their salvation so that they can be saved, accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And the last thing in prayer, he's saying is giving thanks, which is giving thanks for all of them. Okay. And he's saying here that, you know, giving thanks to be made for all men. So you need to, you know, bring forth the supplication, prayers, intercession, giving of thanks for all men, which means it does not mean that we don't pray for women and children. The word men here in the Greek is anthropos, which is a gender neutral, which means people. So it's inclusive of men, women, and children, like you read in other versions. So we just don't say that we need to pray only for, the Bible asks us to pray only for men because, and quote 1st Timothy chapter 2, verse 1, but here men, the Greek word is anthropos, which is a gender neutral, and it's inclusive of everyone. It means people. Christopher, just a request, please, if you can mute your mic. Thank you. And so Paul is saying, you know, you know, pray for people. And he's saying one way you can practice this is pray for people everywhere, whenever you can, you know, and wherever you can. So whether you're, you know, driving in your car or driving your bike or walking on the street or going to the market or in the mall shopping or the grocery or the vegetable market, you're shopping, you just see something or you hear an ambulance whiz past, you know, you just pray, you pray for the salvation of the person, pray for healing, you know, see something on the street, you know, or, you know, the condition of the infrastructure of your city is not good. You're just praying, you're driving to work or, you know, you're going to school, call it, I mean, sorry, you're going to your workplace, wherever, you know, just send out those prayers to God, just let prayer arise in your heart for people, for the government, for the infrastructure, for situations that you see in your city, just intercede and pray for people. So he's saying, you know, let your supplications, prayers, intercession and giving of thanks be made for all men. And then he specifically says for kings and all who are an authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. So he's basically saying, you know, he's specifying kings and all those in authority because Christians had such aversion to kings and those in authority because of the scenario they were living in, the persecution that they were going through, basically here, you know, in Ephesus and the Roman, the whole thing was a Roman world, you know, Nero, who was a Caesar, the ruler at that time, the emperor of Rome, you know, he was a very evil man, a very wicked man. He came to position by killing two people. And, you know, history tells us that he destroyed, burned down 70% of Rome because he wanted to extend his palace, he wanted to make his palace bigger. And it was not well accepted by the people. So he turned it all, you know, the blame on the Christians. And hence, Christians were severely persecuted throughout the Roman Empire, throughout the Roman world. And, you know, Nero was also known for his amusing people, Christians basically, you know, making a sport of them and entertainment out of them, you know, by having these arenas where, you know, they, he would just have these Christians out there in the open ground or the field and send wild animals or these really huge trained, well trained soldiers with their, you know, like gladiators, you know, just coming to fight these poor Christians and, you know, these Christians would, you know, run to save their lives. And it would just be like a sport and people would sit and watch like, you know, they would watch Olympics or any other sport where they're entertained, where they're enjoying it. And out of all of this, eventually, you know, came out, you know, somebody spoke against it and then it said instead of doing this, why not have a sport? So the whole concept of Olympics came about, you know, after seeing how Christians were being persecuted, thrown to animals. He also burned Christians as torches. And, you know, he was known for his life of extravagance and indulgence. So a very wicked ruler. And in those days, kings, you know, would act like gods. And so people would worship them as gods. And Christians were known to live peaceful lives and also were known to follow the law of the land, to do good works, but were also known as people who would not consider king as lord, because they had a god above who they would consider him as god, as lord, as not and not as a king, as lord, and they would pray to God and not pray to the king. So this was held against them and they were very, very angry with the Christians. And also we see that, you know, Nero was instrumental in releasing of when Paul was imprisoned for the first time. The first time he was imprisoned in Caesarea of Philippi and then he appealed to Caesar. And then he was sent to home where he was under house arrest for two years. And then, you know, Nero finally heard his case. And, you know, he was set free. But then during his second imprisonment, he see that was condemned by Nero and Nero had Paul beheaded and Peter crucified. So extremely wicked man and Christians were, you know, would never have that heart to just pray for those in authority, those in leadership, because of the torment, the difficulties, the persecutions they went through. But Paul is reminding them that you need to pray for all those in authority, especially for those in leadership position. And why should you do that? So that, you know, he gives them two reasons. He says, you know, do your supplications, prayers, intercession, giving of thanks for people in leadership in authority so that, you know, we as Christians, we as believers of Jesus Christ can live quite and peaceful lives and live in godliness and reverence towards God. So he's saying, you know, do this, pray for them so that we will be able to, you know, he's bringing about the whole aspect of prayer for authority in terms of an, he's reminding them of an evangelical purpose. He's saying our real goal is so that, you know, you know, they would come under the authority of Jesus, they would know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They would make their decisions, you know, favoring, you know, the Christians, allowing the gospel to be propagated, to be preached, to be taught to all people and so that we can worship God in our own churches, in our own churches, in a peaceful way. And we are able to live in all godliness and reverence towards God. And then he goes on in verses three and four, he says, but this is good and acceptable in the sight of God as Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Yes, say, Colossum, thank you. So it's, he says, it's good and pleasing in God's sight that we pray for all people, especially for those in leadership, civil authorities, so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives, live in godliness and reverence to God. And he's saying this prayer is going to lead into fulfilling God's desire. So what is God's desire? God's desire is that everyone be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. So here in verse four, we see the desire of God's heart that Paul is mentioning. He's saying it's God's desire for everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth or to know the truth. But having said this, we need to understand that when we say that God desires all men to be saved, it does not mean that all of them would be automatically saved. If we say that everyone would be automatically saved, it implies that God would not have any element of human response in the Gospel. But when we're saying that God desires for all men to be saved, we say that there is a condition of God's desire or what is his desire of his heart, is that the condition is that there is a genuine response from the person. There's a genuine response from human beings. Yes, it's God's desire that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, but this desire of God is conditioned by a genuine response of human beings. God won't fulfill his desire to save all men at the expense of making us as robots who know who just worship him automatically. We're just programmed to do so. We're not just puppets on that string just held in God's hand, but he's given us a gift of volition. That means we make the choice. Yes, it is his desire that all men be saved, but there is a condition that there should be a response, a genuine response from the person, from human beings that yes, I want to be saved. I'm a sinner and I need God's salvation. I need his grace. So all men to be saved is a desire of God, but has a condition where there's looks for a genuine response from human beings, which means that we don't just say, okay, God wants its desire for all men to be saved, so everybody will be saved and I don't have to preach and teach the gospel or share my testimony or share God's goodness or what he's done. Yes, it makes us all the more go out and share and preach and teach the word of God because there is a condition. The need is there is to be a genuine response from the person, back from the person, that he is a sinner, that he needs God's grace, he needs God's salvation because God is not just programmed as robots or puppets on a string that do things automatically, but we have been given the free will to choose and we choose and our choice is destined where we go. So he says that, you know, all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, which means that salvation is clearly associated with coming to the knowledge of the truth. So a person cannot be saved apart from or at least understanding of who Jesus is and what he has done to save us and that is why, you know, we need to share the gospel of who Jesus is, why he came down to the earth, what did he do for us, how a man fell into sin, how Jesus saved us, how he reconciled us back to God. So only can people be saved, only can they respond in a favorable way when they come to the knowledge of the truth and we need to give them the entire truth of the gospel of sin and how Jesus came, and how he, what he did to save us and, you know, purchase our salvation. So all that we do, you know, our praying, our working, you know, our ministry, everything that we do, the sharing of the gospel, apologetics or evangelism, whatever, you know, it is directed towards fulfilling this desire of God, you know, that it is his good will that all men be saved, and we do it under his guidance, knowing that it is his, it will be pleasing towards God. Okay. Any questions so far versus one to five? Yes, Divya, you can't hear you, Divya. Am I audible now? Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Pastor. So in John chapter 6, I'll just put the verses here. Jesus is talking, I believe to his disciples, when he says, Father, for I come down from heaven not to do my will, but to do the will of him who sent me, this is verse 38 to 40, and this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise him up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. Afterwards, from verse 43 to 45, it says here again, he continues, stop grumbling among yourselves, Jesus answered, no one can come to me unless the Father who sends me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, they will all be taught by God, everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to him. So in these verses, it always gets me, I get confused with, is it about, like God has already, you know, a set of a group of people whom he has chosen, and so there is, like, only those whom he has chosen will come to know him. Is it something like that, or does it mean something more, something else? Because if I think that way, then there is no hope, right? If I'm just going to a person and sharing the gospel, but in one part of my heart, this is there, right? Okay. Oh, I don't know whether this person, God has drawn to himself. So it kind of gives me, makes me a bit confused, what exactly Jesus means when he says that. Yeah, yeah. The desire is, of course, we see here, when the desire is for all men to be saved, and I believe in 1 Peter, or 2 Peter, also it says that God is long-suffering with enduring, and he wants the gospel to be, to reach every person, to the rest of the earth, to every person. So yeah, so that is one question that I have, Pastor. So this, I think it may demand a lot of time, and, you know, but yeah, yeah. Yeah, good question. Thank you, Divya. I think if you had attended the Romans class in the last semester, then this question, you know, you wouldn't have this question, and this question would be answered. You know, basically we need to interpret scripture always in the light of other scripture. So we also know that God is not a partial God. He does not show favoritism, does not show partiality. You know, so that is God's nature. And also we see here that, you know, in 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 4 that it's God's desire, God's will, that all men be saved. So the all is inclusive of everybody. So, you know, we interpret the rest of the scripture in the light of what we have from the other scripture pastors. So when what we read in John chapter 6, you know, that where it says, you know, no one can come to me, John chapter 6 verse 44, no one can come to me unless the Father sent me, draws them, and I will raise them up. So the whole thing about predestination, which is a big theological argument where some people say, you know, some people are predestined beforehand, you know, and be chosen by God, you know, to receive the gospel and some are destined to go to heaven, some are destined to go to hell. And so there's code scripture passages, you know, pertaining to that. But, you know, predestination does not mean that in the light of the whole of scripture, the entirety of scripture, when we see, you know, it's not that God chooses some for damnation, some for eternal death, and for some for eternal life. We studied this in Romans chapter 9, where he says, you know, when we looked at Esau, I have loved Jacob, I have sorry Jacob, I have loved Esau, I have hated, you know, we also see about Pharaoh, how God uses Pharaoh. But if we look at scripture, it's basically, you know, you know, it's not that God chooses some for some noble purposes, and some, you know, to be destined for hell, some for heaven, for salvation, some for wickedness. But the whole concept, the biblical truth is that, you know, God wants everyone to be saved, but it's, it's what the choice that you make. So, you know, how this, then why does scripture say, you know, why does God say, Jacob, I have loved, but he saw, I have hated, you know, how basically scripture says God cannot hate anyone, then he can't, he seizes to be God, because he's not holy. God is love, one John. Okay, we read that. So, how do we interpret this is, you know, even before time began, God already knew the choices that we are going to make, who's going to choose what choice Esau is going to make, what choice Jacob is going to make. He already knows, even before time began, even before any one of us even came in the face of this earth, who is going to choose salvation, who is going to choose him, and who is not going to choose him. So, you know, that is what scripture teaches us. So, when we look at these scriptures, and we need to interpret that in the light of the rest of scripture, knowing that God already has, has full knowledge, he does not predestine, you know, who's going to do what, because it's our own choice, but he has a full knowledge of who is going to choose what, and hence he reveals at certain points, you know, what the choices that they're going to make, because he already knows beforehand, the choices that he makes, people are going to make, but it is God's desire that all men be saved, you know, and come to the knowledge of the truth. So, then we can say, then why should we preach to all men, but you know, the word of God says, you know, here in verse, it says, you know, they would come to the knowledge of the truth, or, you know, other scripture passes this, how could they know the truth unless anyone, someone preaches to them, you know, or someone shares the truth to them. So, that is, it's important that we share the truth, because the truth will set them free. Okay, John chapter 17, the truth, Father let them know the truth, then the truth will set them free. So, we share the truth, so that, you know, people would choose, and yes, God knows, has four knowledge, but he does not plead to stand or does not say, okay, some are for eternal hell and some for eternal heaven. Does that help? Yes, yes, yes, yes, Pastor Serena. Yeah, I must, I think I need to also attend the Romans, because I still have doubts in the verses 14, where he 14 and 15, the rest of the chapter in Romans nine, like he says to Moses, I'll have mercy on whomever I'll have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I'll have compassion. So then it is not of him who will snore of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. So it just goes on. So I think I need to get a better understanding of the chapter and the context. Yeah, and even that verse needs to be seen in the light of, you know, what God is saying that, you know, why is he saying it here, because he'll have mercy on those who, you know, those who prove themselves to be, make choices that are worthy of God's mercy. God's mercy will be extended to him. God's compassion will be extended to them. But, you know, those who make choices, you know, like Esau, who was just sold his birthright, who never even valued his spiritual birthright, just sold it, considered it as an unworthy thing, just sold it for a bowl of soup, you know, they will, they would reap the consequences of their choices. So that is what, you know, so doesn't mean that, you know, God will have mercy on some and show compassion on some. He would love some, hate the other. He cannot because that is not God's nature. Again, has to be, see, anything that you read in scripture always has to be interpreted in the, in the light of God's nature, who God is and what he does. So we can't just take these things literally as it's written, but we need to interpret it in the light of God's nature. Now, God's nature is, you know, he has, so God was gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and it does not qualify whom, right? So that is God. That's what makes him God. That is his nature. So we interpret this here in the light and the preceding verses that he showed mercy to Jacob and not to Esau because of the choice that he made. He showed mercy to the Israelites and not to the Egyptians and not to Pharaoh because of the choices that they made, they hardened their hearts. Yes. So basically, if you study Romans and go through Romans and the other scriptures, it will just help you to understand, but just to know that, you know, God has a full knowledge of our choices. And yes, we face the consequences of the choices that we make, but irrespective of that, you know, God still has chose his grace and his favor and his mercy to all of us. Does that help? Sure, sure, Pastor. Thank you so much. Because we read that, you know, the goodness of the Lord leads to repentance. Okay, I think this is in 1st Timothy itself, the goodness of God leads to repentance, right? So God's goodness, even if for a sinner, he still shows his goodness so that it will bring them to repentance. Okay, okay, thank you. Thank you, Pastor. Yeah. Okay, we'll continue. So any other questions from verses 1 to verse 4? Okay, verses 5 to 7 here in verse 5, you know, this is one place in the Bible where it's mentioned that it's one God, okay, and one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ. So the Bible is very clear that there is one God and their salvation only through Jesus Christ. He's the only one who gave himself as a ransom for all. So, you know, many of the people from different faiths, you know, ask us this question, why do you all stick to this point that there is salvation only through Jesus Christ? Well, you know, it's because Scripture tells us, the Bible tells us the inspired word of God, you know, tells us that there is salvation only through the man Jesus Christ. He's the only one who gave himself up as a ransom for all. So what is the meaning of this word ransom? The Greek word is anti-luteron, which means we studied this, I think in somewhere in, when I taught you all systematic theology, you know, anti-luteron, it just means paying a redemption price. So Christ paid the price for our redemption by giving his life, laying down his life, you know. So who did he pay the redemption price to? He did not pay the redemption price to Satan. That's wrong because Satan, he did not offend Satan in any way. He did not do anything against Satan, but the redemption price was paid to God the Father. Why? Because we were held captives once we became sinners, you know, we became prisoners, we became slaves of Satan and, you know, a ransom and God required that, you know, a ransom price be paid so that people can be redeemed and delivered from their sins, from their captivity. So Jesus gave his life for the redemption of everyone. So who did Jesus redeem us from? He redeemed us from Satan, but the redemption price was not paid to Satan, but to God the Father. And so he says here that, you know, you know, so that we can, all of us, he paid the ransom price for everyone. So Jesus laid down his life, he paid the ransom price for every person. So all of us can live in freedom, walk in freedom, because the price has been paid, which means devil has no longer a hold on us, a claim on us. You know, Jesus has offered the ransom price to the Father. So Satan has no longer legal claims over any of us, his legal claims over us has been canceled. It has been terminated and, you know, has been nullified. And Satan has no more claims over us because the full sufficient and the perfect sacrifice was being paid. And the redemption price for our salvation, for our freedom was paid by Christ who laid down his life for us. So Paul is saying, you know, we are here now, you know, to pray this into effect, not just pray this into effect, but also to preach, to announce, to teach this good news that people will come to know this truth and embrace Jesus Christ, receive salvation and be saved. So Elisha says knowledge of the truth, is it head knowledge of Jesus or an experiencing knowledge of Jesus? It is this truth that, you know, who we are, what is our position, where we lie, you know, that we could not buy ourselves out of the slave market, because the price is too high, we cannot purchase ourselves out. And so God became man. And the truth is that Jesus came was the perfect human being and who made the perfect sacrifice for our sins and paid the redemption price that was required by God the Father and purchased us out of slavery, out of the legal claim of that Satan had on us human beings and has terminated that and, you know, has nullified it. And this is the truth that we need to preach and teach. So it's just not head knowledge, it's the truth of the gospel, it's the truth of salvation, the core truth of salvation and gospel. And it's something that a person will, you know, experience once they have, you know, accepted, you know, they have fulfilled, you know, the, you know, the condition that is required, they fulfill that condition of receiving, of accepting it, and they begin to live that life of freedom out of slavery because they can experience that in its fullness once they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Does that help, Elisha? Yes, Madam. Thank you very much. Okay. So Paul is saying, you know, pray this into effect, pray, preach, teach so that people will come to know the truth, embrace Jesus and be saved. And then Paul says, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle, I'm speaking the truth in trice and not lying, a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. So Paul was a preacher, he was an apostle, he was a teacher. We also know that he walked as a prophet. Much of the prophetic New Testament scriptures was written by apostle Paul. He also served as a pastor, you know, he, you know, for churches that he planted, he, you know, plays the role of a pastor. He oversaw churches, gave spiritual insight. So, you know, this shows us that a person can, you know, flow in more than one ministry office gift, just as the Lord Jesus determined. So, you know, the gifts of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, the nine gifts is given to everyone. But the ministry office gifts is, you know, which we read in Ephesians is, you know, something that the Lord Jesus Christ, you know, determines for each one. So here we see that a person can flow in the office of a prophet, an apostle, a preacher, and a teacher, okay. So, and also we know that, you know, Paul's ministry was primarily to the Gentiles, and God can call us, likewise God can call us to specific geographical locations, communities, race, tribes of people or to specific people or to smaller or larger communities where we can minister, okay. So, Paul was a preacher, a apostle, teacher, a pastor, and also a prophet, and much of the Old Testament prophetic New Testament scriptures was written by apostle Paul. Any questions on verses 5 to 7? Okay, we'll move on then if there's no questions verses 8 to 10. I desire therefore that, okay, can somebody read verses 8 to 10 please? Anyone? Yes, Avani, can go ahead. I desire then that in every place the men should pray lifting holy hands without anger or calling. Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness with good works. Amen. Thanks, Avani. So, in the light of all that has been said, Paul gets back to the main point. He says that men everywhere should pray and here the Greek word for men is not like what he mentioned in verse 1. There the Greek word was Anthropos, which means all people. It just means men, women, and children, people, but here the Greek word is anode, which means male, specifically talking about the male gender, specifically instructing men. So, he says men everywhere should pray and how should they pray? They pray by lifting up hands, which means when you lift up hands, you're basically saying I surrender, I give up. So, in surrender to God, holy hands, lifting up holy hands means praying in holiness, in reverence, and he says pray without wrath or doubting, which means pray without arguing or doubting, without anger, without quarreling. There should be no strife among you. Pray in such a way. So, men, the call is out for you all. Get men together and pray and when you pray, pray with surrendered wills and lives, pray in holiness, pray without anger, quarreling, and there should be no strife among you. And it's not just for men that he says that Paul says they should pray, but he says in like manner, that means similarly women also should join in prayer. So, women, we have no excuse. We do have to pray just like men, in lifting up holy hands, surrender in holiness, without quarreling, strife, anger, there should be no quarreling strife or anger amongst us within us. And then he also says that women need to dress modestly and engage in good work so that they can demonstrate godliness. So, he says two important things here is the importance is good works and godliness. So, she pray focusing on godliness and good works. And he says that women adorn themselves in modest apparel. He says this is how women are supposed to dress or believers or Christian women are supposed to dress specially when they come to Christian meetings Paul is saying how they need to dress and he uses the words propriety and moderation which helps us to explain what he means by modest apparel. So, what is propriety? It means what is appropriate for the occasion. Just answer these questions, are you overdressed or you underdressed? If you want to be dressed properly for the occasion, you need to ask yourself, am I overdressed for this occasion or am I underdressed for this occasion? So, it is going to and also ask this question to yourself, the way that I'm dressed, is it going to call inappropriate attention to myself? Is it provocative? That means, is my dressing going to provocate men, going to disturb them from focusing on worshiping god? We need to be sensitive to men, the challenges, the temptations they face. And so, on our part as women, we need to dress appropriately for the occasion. We're not overdressed, not underdressed. Dressing is not provocative, not provocating men and also that's not called for inappropriate attention to ourselves, not just drawing all the attention of people around us to ourselves. So, that is the meaning of propriety. And then moderation, just asking the question, is it moderate? Is it just too much or far too little? Basically, moderation looks for middle ground. So, we're not just overdressed or we're not dressed too little, just wearing the right appropriate coats for the occasion. Basically, when we are going for Christian meetings here, he's talking about when you go to church. And why is he talking about this? He's talking to the church at Ephesus, where people are coming from pagan cultures, pagan backgrounds into the church at accepting Christ. And we need to know that, like I said in the introduction, Ephesus, the city was famous for this temple of Dina. So, I'll just talk about that in a little bit. But here Paul says, the braided head, or he says, in life, man or women themselves should dress in modest apparel with propriety, moderation, not with braided head or cold or pearls or costly clothing. I'll just close with this. We just run out of time. Sorry, I didn't look at the time. So, Paul here mentions all of these things. He's saying that if it is not against the principles of propriety and moderation in that culture, now don't wear it. So, Paul is mentioning all of these because they went against the principles of propriety and moderation. In that culture, women were overdoing things, overdressing. It was not appropriate for their culture in the context of the church. And so, he's addressing that. But then he's saying women should focus on godliness and good works and not on other things. So, we look at why Paul mentions this, why he writes about this in the next class. We'll try to interpret it in the rest of other scripture and try to understand what he's basically saying here. Sorry, just way past two minutes of our class time. Anyone has any questions before we end class? Any questions? Okay, if there's no questions, then we'll end class. But you know, when we began class, Asha had a question here. She says, where do we all submit the independent research so if somebody can help her, it'll be great. Okay, thank you all for joining class. Have a blessed day and a week ahead. God bless. Thank you. Thank you.