 Good morning everyone. Welcome to our session on BC 110, our Identity in Christ. So today we are going to look at the chapter 8, the section 8, Free in Christ. So even before we could start, let's begin the session with a word of breath. The second mic is connected. Okay. Okay. So anyone from the class on campus or online can pick in the class with a word of breath. Yeah. Good, Sean. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you very much for gathering us all here today, Heavenly Father. Please write us any further. I wish to maintain the word, Heavenly Father. Understand the word, Heavenly Father. And please help Diana and I to explain what we need to explain today, Heavenly Father. And please, you give us, you give us any further. Explain what needs to be said today, Heavenly Father. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Sean. Okay. Let's turn page from note page 74. Let's turn to page 74 from our notes, section 8, Free in Christ. So the first point says free from bondage to the law, free from bondage to the law. Let's turn to Galatians chapter 2, verse 3, 4 and 16. Can I request one of us to please turn to Galatians chapter 2, verse 3, 4 and 16. Yes. Anyone who has the mic can read. Companion Titus, even though he is Greek, was not forced to be circumcised, although some wanted done. Pretending to be for fellow believers, these men slipped into our groups as spies. In order to find out about the freedom we have through our union with Christ, Christ Jesus. They wanted to make slaves of us. But in order to keep the truth of the gospel safe for you, we did not give in to them for a minute. But for those who seem... Thanks Sean. We'll stop there. So what does it say? It says, yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. So what is that Paul trying to say? We see that Paul is making a point here is that the leadership in Jerusalem that there was a conference on which conducted due to the major conflict on circumcision. So under the leadership of James, there was a council set up in Jerusalem. So here we see that the leadership accepted Titus who was a gentile convert even as though he was not circumcised according to the mosaic law. But then this shows that the Jerusalem leadership accepted the gospel of grace that Paul understood it. But what happened later? Paul did not commend. So he's making a point here that he's not commending the circumcision as if it were a sin to receive it. But he is insisted and the conference appealed him. But he's insisting that that should not become an obstacle for a gentile to receive salvation. For a gentile to become a Christian. And this occurred because of the false brethren. The scripture says, why? We see the lack of circumcision in Titus became a big issue because of the false brethren who didn't have an understanding of the right teaching of being in Christ. So Paul had to attempt to bring a correction among them. That's why he addresses them as false brethren. It is very clear that Paul says that these men might bring us into the bondage back to the law. Christ says, I'm setting you free. And here these men are saying, according to the law, you need to be circumcised. If these men have insisted on circumcision is based on the law, maybe Paul would have agreed. But then these men were basing the salvation in Christ based on the circumcision. Which Paul had to stand for it because he wanted not just the believers there but even for those who believe in Jesus later to get into the bondage, something like this. So he makes it very clear that the salvation is through accepting Jesus as a Lord and Savior and does not come under any ritualistic act or under circumcision. So we see that he did not heal the submission even for an hour. Even for an hour, he never accepted it. That shows the leadership in him that he was stern and what he believed. In Philippians 3, he says, it is we not they who have received the true circumcision. For we worship God by means of His Spirit and rejoice in our life in union with Christ Jesus. We are not put trust in external ceremonies. Yes. So he says that it is we who received, go ahead with that scripture. We not they who have received the true circumcision. It is we not they who received the true circumcision. Which verse is that? Philippians 3rd chapter verse 3, ma'am. Can I get that please? Philippians. Okay. So in the letter to Philippians, he says that it is we not they who have received the true circumcision for we worship God by means of His Spirit and rejoice in our life in union with Christ Jesus. So we do not put any trust in external ceremonies. So he clearly says the circumcision is a ritual. So our salvation should not be based on the ritualistic act. But we are circumcised in Christ when we accept Jesus as a Lord and Saviour. We are now in him. Okay. So there is no obstacle for us to come to Christ, for us to receive the salvation. Salvation is a free gift given to everyone who believes Jesus Christ is the Lord and Saviour. So what is our understanding? Paul is trying to make a point that we do not earn a salvation by our work, but it is the grace of God. It is the work that Jesus did on the cross is what brings us this free gift of salvation. It is not through any ritualistic act. Okay. So that's what he says that we are free from the bondage of the law. We also see in Galatians chapter 5, 1 to 6, but we will just read verse 1. It says, stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. What is Paul trying to say here? Paul is explaining to us. Just give me a minute please. Paul is saying that stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has set us free. We have been set free in Christ. So we need to stand on this word. We need to stand on this promise so that we will not be entangled with any kind of yoke or bondage. With any kind of yoke or bondage. So we need to be very clear on the ground that we stand. We also see that come back to verse 15 and 16. We are back to Galatians chapter 2 verse 15 and 16. Here we see Paul reminds Peter that they are justified before God by the work of Jesus. Not by the keeping of the law. So Paul had to remind Peter because Peter depending on the people surrounding him is trying to keep the law because he may be rejected by Jews. So when Paul sees the difference in the very act or the attitude of Peter, Paul had to remind Peter about what God is saying. So we see in verse 15 and 16 we were Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. So even we have believed in Christ Jesus. We see that in the next verse that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. So what is Paul saying here? Paul is making a point here. Peter, we all grew up as a observant Jews who followed the rituals of Jews. Yet we know very well that we are not considered right before God. Whatever we followed, we know the story of Peter, isn't it? We know the story of Paul that he followed the Jewish custom very well. And here Paul is bringing that to Peter's realization. He is saying we both followed the culture, the custom of Jews very well. But you and I know that is not considered right before God for us to receive the salvation. So what happened? We have been justified not by the works of the law that we did. He is bringing a clarity to Peter to understand. So we know that even though we grew up as a follower or the observer of the Jewish law, we are not considered right. But then we are considered right in and through Jesus Christ. Paul goes ahead and he says not justified by the works of the law. So we say that Paul's first use of the ancient Greek word daikano. It is called as dekayo. Dekayo means being justified or declared righteous. Being justified or declared righteous in his letter to Galatians. Why? Because Galatians were very legalistic. So he had to write to them in that way. And he also says that for we have believed in Christ Jesus. For we have believed in Christ Jesus. How is he making the statement? How is Paul making the statement? We see that Paul knew that even a strict observant Jew such as he himself could never be considered right before God. Could not be considered right before God. Even though he followed the law of Moses very strictly. Nor Peter, nor any single person, a single Christian who follows any such rituals. But here he is bringing a point that those who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved. This is what John 3.16 says, everyone in the world have the access to be saved through Jesus Christ. Because Jesus Christ died for everyone in the world. It is not for any kind of set of a people or a religious group. No. He died for each of us, for everyone in the world. So he makes it very clear. He emphasizes Peter again and again that we are not justified by the work of the law. By refusing fellowship with the Gentile Christians. So Peter said in his action that we are in part considered right before God by the works of the law. So Paul could not stand the statement what Peter made. He gets into an argument with Peter saying that for by the works of the law, no flesh shall be justified. Here we see Paul emphasized the point in the, in a very strongest way possible. That's why he says no flesh. He says no flesh, not a Gentile, not a Jewish or not anyone, not anyone will be considered right before God by the works of the law. We also see in Galatians 6.15 says, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision avails anything but a new creation. But a new creation. So we see that the perfect law of liberty that is in Christ Jesus only. Not through any law, not through any other ritualistic but only through Jesus we have the freedom. So that we can turn to James chapter 1 verse 25. James chapter 1 verse 25. Can I ask somebody from the online class to read James chapter 1 verse 25. Anyone, Karen, Nina, Prabhu, anyone who was available please unmute. Your mic can read. Can you hear me? Chapter 1 verse 25. Can you hear me? Okay, I'm just reading anyway. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law. Is everyone audible? I mean is Nina audible to everyone online? Okay, great. Okay, then I'll continue reading then. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law. James chapter 1 verse 25 says, But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work. This one will be blessed in what he does. So what we see here. James is encouraging us that we must receive God's word as doers and not as hearers only. So to take comfort in the fact that we have heard God's word when we haven't done it, it is that we are deceiving ourselves. So it was common in the ancient days for people to hear a teacher and to follow the teacher and try to live in a way how he or she taught them. And those were the people, those who followed the teacher were called as disciples of that teacher. So we may say that Jesus is looking for the disciples. Those who can hear his word be a doer who can live out the word. Who can live out the teaching that he taught us so that we may not just be the hearer but be the doer in our life as well so that we may be a true disciple. This is what Jesus is teaching you and me today that be a follower of Christ. Just don't be a hearer but we need to live out the teaching that Jesus has taught us. Let's turn to Matthew chapter 7 verse 24 to 27. Matthew chapter 7 verse 24 to 27. We see that in this passage Jesus used the same point to conclude his great sermon on the Mount. We see that he said that one who heard the word without doing it was like a man who built his house on the sand. Whereas the man who heard God's word and did it was like the one who built his house on a rock. So the one who does both who hears the word and he does exactly what the word asked him to do is like the one who withstands the evitable storms of life and the judgment of eternity. So here we see that Jesus is encouraging you and me just not be the hearer what do we want. We need to hear and we need to do. We need to hear the word of God and we need to apply it in our life and be the one that God is asking us to be so that we will be the true disciple that Jesus is looking at each of us. Let's turn to James chapter 2 verse 12. James chapter 2 verse 12. James chapter 2 verse 12. We see that for whoever shall keep the whole law and yet stumble in one point. What does it say? He is guilty of all. So in sin there is nothing called small sin, big sin. Sin is a sin. And James says, for he who said do not commit adultery also said do not murder. Now if you do not commit adultery what if you murder? You have become a transgressor of the law. So he is saying if there are set of people who follow the rituals who follow the law so strictly this is what the word of God says. If you keep up one and fail to keep another you are still guilty. But in the New Testament we see what does it say. We live by the highest standard of the perfect law of liberty. This is the perfect law of freedom whereas in New Testament we see that the standards are much higher than the Old Testament. Somebody is saying, hey we don't follow the law we don't keep it. But then Jesus is teaching us that actually we are following a higher standard than the Old Testament law. Now what does that Old Testament law teach us? The law thought is do not commit adultery. But what does the New Testament instruct each of us? New Testament says that it is instructing us not even to look lustfully at a woman even the very look a wrong look toward a woman you are committing adultery. Isn't that a better standard than the Old Testament? In the Old Testament it teaches us do not commit adultery. Do not commit adultery. Now what does the New Testament teach us? It teaches us not to hate one another not to hate your brother. If you hate your brother because you hate him you are committing murder. New Testament calls that person as a murderer. You don't have to actually take a knife and stab a person and kill him. The very hate that we have in our heart that is not visible to any man the scripture says our God is a God who looks at the attitude of our heart. Can we hide any thought any kind of action from God? No. He looks at the heart and he judges. So from this we see that the New Testament standards are much much higher than the Old Testament law. The New Testament scripture also says that if your left eye is disturbing if it's leading you to commit sin it is good for you to pluck it out. You see the standards are high what does it mean? It's better to leave that place it's better to avoid that side it's not literally take out your eyes or cut out your hand. No. Leave that place so that you don't have to watch. By mistake if you watch something for the first time it was okay. The sin is when you give in to a temptation when you take that second look third look that is when you are actually giving heed to that temptation which will lead you to sin. What I mean to say here is the Old the New Testament standards are much better than the Old Testament law and we have greater things to do to follow this newness in our life. Yes you may think it is very hard but then the Spirit of the Lord saying you are not alone the Holy Spirit who is in you will strengthen you. The Holy Spirit is in you will give you the grace to overcome that temptation. He will strengthen you to love your neighbor as yourself. He will strengthen you not to hate one another but to love. He will strengthen you not to commit adultery even by looking at someone or something with a wrong intention. He will strengthen you. Anything from God. No. If you face such temptation the best thing to do is raise a prayer to God. A God is a God of understanding. A God is a God of understanding and he will strengthen us to overcome that. He will strengthen us to overcome every area of temptation and he is a true God who abides in us. Let's go on to Galatians chapter 5 verse 18 which talks about walk in the Spirit and walk in love. The Lord who is in you strengthening you will enable us to walk with him so that we can walk like him in love. Let's read Galatians chapter 5 verse 18 Galatians chapter 5 verse 18 If the Spirit leads you then you are not subject to the law. If you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law but if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. So we can tell if someone walks in the Spirit because they will look a lot like Jesus. So Jesus told us that the mission of the Holy Spirit would be to prom and speak of Jesus. So that's why when we do something wrong you see the inner conscious is disturbed. There is no peace within us it's disturbed because we have done something wrong not something right before God. The act is not pleasing God. Sometimes you may feel like fish out of water so that's the time you need to look into that. You need to pay attention to what the Lord is teaching you because the Spirit of the Lord who is in you will make you to be like Jesus. The Spirit of the Lord who is in you will help you to walk more than Him. So when you have this dis-peace discomfort disrupt within you you need to check yourself what's going on. The minute you act you try to correct you see there's a surpassing peace within yourself. The peace of the Lord will surpass everything this calmness because you have corrected your mistake it may have to step up apologize to a person or you need to set things right in your act, in your work but when you do things that would please God you see you have pleased God. The Spirit of the Lord who is in you is not going to judge you that are you perfect or imperfect? No, only Jesus is perfect but here the Spirit of the Lord who is in you is leading us to the perfectness of Jesus. He's not going to condemn you for the mistake that you did but the purpose of the Lord leading us and correcting us for us to be more like Christ. That's the very purpose that we are walking in Spirit. That's the very purpose that the Spirit of the Lord is in dwelling within us. So when someone walks in the Spirit they listen to what the Holy Spirit says because the Spirit of the Lord not only teaches us but He guides us in the path and the nature of Jesus. The nature of Jesus which is the fruit of love we are not born with it but when we are in Christ these gifts are been birthed into us where we can walk in the fruit of the Spirit and the Spirit of the Lord who is within us He will help us walk in the way of Jesus God. Let's turn to Romans chapter 13 verse 8 and 10. Romans chapter 13 verse 8 and 10. It says of no one anything except to love one another for He who loves another has fulfilled the law love does no harm to a neighbour therefore love in the fulfillment love is the fulfillment of the law so what does Paul say here it is on a very personal note he is saying the only death that we are supposed to carry is the death to love one another the only death that we can carry is to love one another so this is a perpetual obligation that we carry both before God and before each other before God I understand why is it important to carry it before each other why do you think it is important to carry before each other online class y'all can comment or you can unmute and answer or anyone from the class it is important for each of us to walk in love before God and before each other why do you think it is important anyone from the class and it is not easy it is not easy why do you think it is important because it is a command princess because it is a command anyone else let's check online yes Shiv Kumar says God is love so we should we also see Surya say online it's God's commandment because God loves and we see Jachin Joyal say Jesus loved me while I was a sinner so yes Paul makes a point here in the letter to Romans that it is an obligation it is for us to walk before God and before each other because we are reflecting God's nature so God is love and God's nature is love so that's why we need to follow this command walk in love even if your neighbor does evil what does it say pray for those who persecute you love your neighbor as yourself even if he wrongs you do not pay for evil but pay repay evil for good how can you be good to somebody who hates you who somebody wrongs you somebody misunderstands you every time but this is what God is expecting us be more like me be more like me so that we can reflect Jesus in our life why because we are walking in the spirit so when we walk in spirit we need to walk in the nature of the spirit that is the nature of God what is the nature of God love so walk in the spirit we must walk in love yes another reason why we should love one another as to why we should love one another sorry another reason why we think why I think that we should love one another and no matter even if there are enemies is because we see Christ as a big example of how he allowed others no matter their Pharisees or the Pharisees whoever they are you can see he loves them by correcting them you can see he loves them by showing his affection by shedding his tears so we should as the Bible say we should try to be like Christ we should try to have the nature of Christ so big part of Christ nature is love yes thanks Sean for sharing that understanding yes we need to be more like Jesus so as Sean shared Jesus when he lived in the earthly life he demonstrated the nature of God the very nature of God what is that nature love no matter who came against him like the Pharisees or the Sadducees he corrected them but he corrected them with love you also see Jesus on the cross the love of God was demonstrated through Jesus Christ on the cross Jesus embraced the cross because he loved each of us he died on the cross he gave himself out fully and also he said Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing so Jesus was able to say that even at that moment on the cross he loved each of us even at that very moment on the cross you and I were in his mind that he loved us the very purpose that I came here is to die for each one this is God's plan this is God's love and he just demonstrated that you see the followers of Christ the first martyr who was the first martyr Stephen the scripture says he was chosen by the disciple because they found them full of spirit Stephen was found he was identified by the other leaders in the church or the other disciples in the church that he was filled with full of spirit now he was a man who had spirit of the Lord and you see they saw him walk in spirit and also walk in love how when he was stoned to death what did Stephen say did he curse people Lord justify this people for the very act that they are doing to your son no he just said just like Jesus he reflected Jesus he said father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing so this is what Jesus said he lived and he thought each of us just like Stephen who followed Christ we also follow Christ so when we follow Christ we have the spirit of the Lord who is in us when we have the spirit of the Lord in us so we are enabled to walk in spirit and at the same time walk in love so I am not saying that we are going to be very perfect that we are going to walk in love because we have the spirit of the Lord in us yes at times we fall in fact we may fall every time every day but the beauty of having the spirit of the Lord in us is he convicts us he convicts us he speaks to us he cracks us he gives us the strength to overcome our temptation he gives us the strength to overcome our mistake he removes the guilty nature but he helps us to walk in liberty to walk in that freedom that Christ intended to give each of us so our love is a true measure of our obedience to God let me repeat that our love measure of our obedience to God so our love does not depend on the very act of a people but our love depends on the obedience God you told me that I need to walk in love Lord you have told me to love my neighbour as myself though that person may be rude enough but Lord I choose to love why because you have asked me Lord I am going to humble myself Lord it is very difficult at this time, at this point of time Lord I need your strength so that I can walk with humility to love that person you may be sounding very vulnerable to that person that person say hi is coming into tune with me now let me teach you my lesson again no matter what the other person is planning against you you choose love the scripture says do not go weary by doing what is good because in due time God is watching you will reward you it may be hurting it may be painful to handle such people in our life or to come across such situation it is not easy but then the word of God encourages us look at God look at Jesus you never paid attention to the people who came to trouble him but then he did what the God had called him set your focus set your focus on your purpose what God has called you do not pay attention to the things that has come to be an obstacle or to disturb you from what the God has called you to do in your life so when we align ourselves be focused on Jesus these things will not matter to each of us so that we can be free we can walk with freedom with that I know the time is less but then let me see if I can cover this point Galatians chapter 4 verse 6 to 11 Galatians chapter 4 verse 6 to 11 so it says and because you are sons God has sent forth the spirit of a son into your hearts crying out Abba father verse 7 says therefore you are no longer a slave but a son as if a son then and hear of God through Christ verse 8 says but then indeed when you did not know God you serve those which by the nature are not God's so what is Paul trying to say in this letter to Galatians at chapter 4 you see that we know that we are the sons and daughters of God how by the witness of the Holy Spirit who is within us the spirit of the Lord whose indwelling within us is prompting us with the relationship that has been restored back with God so he is confirming within you is affirming that you are the son and daughter of God is affirming within us the inner conscious sensing that you have the sons ship the sonship relationship is now been restored back with God so Paul writes in the Romans chapter 8 the letter to Romans chapter 8 verse 18 he says the spirit himself bears witness with our spirit saying what we are the children of God again I repeat the spirit himself bears witness with our spirit saying that we are the children of God the child of God so what is happening thus God's purpose was not only to secure our sonship through Jesus Christ but then to assure us that it is by his Holy Spirit so he sent a son that we might have the status of the sonship and he sent a spirit that we might experience the tangible presence of God so this is what the spirit of the Lord does every time when we pray every time we pray the presence of God becomes so evident with us so evident and the times when it is not a tangible presence but still the scripture says believe that when you call upon the name of the Lord that he is there what we need to do we need to believe what the scripture says believe when the word of God says when you call on the name of the Lord I am there the spirit of the Lord is there so in this verse we say that the spirit of his son who is the spirit of his son who is the spirit of his son anyone from the class the Holy Spirit is called the spirit of God the spirit of Christ it is also linked with the spirit of God the Father so this is because the nature of God is consistent among the Trinity Father Sam and the Holy Spirit is one so the Holy Spirit is called the spirit of his son in this verse we also see that because of the idea of our sonship is based on Jesus Christ and later in the verse he also says that therefore you are no longer a slave but a son so what is the difference between a son and a slave what is the difference between a son and slave with loud son has an inheritance son has an inheritance but the slave do not have can a son become a slave can a son become a slave no so sons are never slaves and slaves are never a son in the father's house so this is what you know Jesus illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son where we see that the son realizes from his mistake and he returns back to his father and he returns back to his father with the determination of becoming a slave in his father's house you know he gets a realization saying that the slave in my father's house I have a better food to eat so instead of me being a slave here without a good food let me go back to my father's house and become a slave at least I have a I would have a proper meal but then when he returned with the determination to become a slave in the father's house what did the father do the father embraced him the father do not embrace a slave but here we see father embraced his son put him a good clothing put a ring over him put a new sandal over him robe and he restored the sonship with him he said my son is a son you have a inheritance does not depend on your act that you left me and went you took away the portion of the property but then the relationship that we have is forever you are my inheritance so the father refused and would only receive him as a son and a son of a inheritance you see what happened with Jesus the plan of God is so beautiful in progression we see that first we were set free from slavery and then we are declared as son and then now we are adopted into God's family where each of us can call God as Abba father the sonship is been restored in each of us where we have now become the heirs of God so we have an inherent inheritance in Christ so Paul is making it very clear that we have an inheritance and that inheritance is in Christ himself so through Christ we are released from our slavery but we have got into the sonship with God now we inherit the inheritance through Jesus Christ where we can enjoy our everyday life with God with this sonship glory so in Philippians 3.3 I just close with this where it says for we are the circumcision we worship God in spirit and rejoice in Jesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh so we do not place a confidence on a flesh because the flesh may fail the flesh may give in to various kind of temptation in this world but we place our trust on Jesus Christ because he occurred every temptation he overcame every temptation and he overcame death and he is seated at the right hand of God so here the true freedom Paul is making a clear note to you and me saying that a true freedom is in Christ so when we believe in Jesus Christ as a Lord and saviour we identify ourselves in Christ where we can walk in the true freedom in Christ's likeness in Christ's nature we are no more slaves but we have the sonship with God ok this should be our identity this is something that we need to believe in and this needs to sink into our spirit that we are the child of God our identity is in Christ and we have the freedom and we walk in that freedom which Christ has given to each of us ok with that we will end the session with a word of prayer dear God we thank you that we inherit the freedom the liberty that we have in Christ Jesus Lord we pray as the scripture says that each of us are rooted and grounded in Christ we are in Christ Lord as we are planted in Christ as we are rooted in Christ Lord we pray that each of us will have this revelation of walking in liberty in Christ our Father thank you Lord Jesus the spirit of the Lord who is in dwelling in each of us will enable us to understand and walk with this revelation of being free in Christ Jesus thank you Lord that you are freeing each of us from every sin nature from every guilt from every unforgiveness but Lord the spirit of the Lord who is in us will strengthen us to walk in a manner walk in freedom walk in the love of Christ so that each of us can walk in spirit and walk in his love thank you Lord in Jesus name we pray amen thank you each one for joining into today's class thank you I hope it was a blessing God bless see y'all next week thank you