[0:00] Welcome. Thank you for listening to this wholesome word by David Entry. The words you catch will change your world. May your story change from this message. Be blessed.
[0:13] Colossians chapter 2, reading from verse 1. For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts might be comforted, be knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom I hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.
[0:48] And this I say, lest any man beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit.
[1:00] Join and beholden your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
[1:23] Beware! Lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of man, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
[1:38] For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Here ends the reading of God's word. Father, teach us your word.
[1:49] Because we choose that hallelujah will be our song. Teach us your word. Feed us with Christ. And take us into dimensions in your word which no human being can take us.
[2:04] Oh, Holy Spirit, as your word is taught, let your grace be caught. Because it's your word of grace. Let sinners be convicted. Let the lost be saved.
[2:18] Let the sick be healed. Let the despondent receive encouragement. Let the weak be made strong. Let the blind see. Let those in darkness.
[2:28] Let great light do. And let the work of the enemy come under divine arrest and divine content. Thank you for your goodness.
[2:39] Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Wow. I've been talking about how the apostle has been striving. And his purpose for striving is that he will present us perfect in Christ.
[2:56] And his plan and the way he's going to do that is by striving that our hearts might be encouraged.
[3:07] And that we'll be knit together in love unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding. According to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, which is Christ, in whom I hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
[3:24] So he's striving that our hearts be encouraged. And that we'll be knit together in love. That we'll attain to the riches that comes through the full assurance of understanding.
[3:37] Which affords us the ability to comprehend or apprehend the mystery of God, which is Christ. And who is Christ? In Christ is it all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
[3:55] And then, so we say, look at the verse 4. I want to pick it from there. And this I say, I've been saying this thing. If I don't say it, somebody will beguile you. Somebody will beguile you.
[4:09] Someone will beguile you, deceive you, delude you, lead you astray.
[4:21] So, how would they do it? Not with empty words, but with persuasive arguments. Arguments that appeal to the intellect.
[4:35] Christianity does not start just from the mind. Christianity starts from the heart. It starts from your inner man. And then your mind catches up.
[4:47] So, people say, I run and read the Bible, I don't understand. Other people, the way they put it is, the Bible contradicts itself. That's their way of saying, this thing is higher than my mind.
[4:59] So, they say, when you hear someone say the Bible contradicts itself, they try to say that this is higher than my mind. It's like giving SOCATWA, algebra, or calculus, to a seven child.
[5:15] They will think this is all kind of rubbish. What is this? What's COSTITA? Oh, sorry. I think some of you, it's even... Course 90.
[5:38] Some of you have never heard anything like that in your life. So, you see, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It actually exists. It's some people's daily bread. But you, it's far from you.
[5:50] So, the other way you can, when you see it's written, you see a document with all that, you say, no, this is not correct. There's something wrong with the document. No, there's nothing wrong. It's the same way they handle the Bible. It says, the Bible is contradicting.
[6:00] How can I believe in it? Yeah, you can't believe it because it's too high for you. It's higher than your basic intellect. It's higher. Now, so then, it says, sometimes people will employ convincing words to distract from Christ.
[6:20] Convincing words to eclipse Christ. Convincing words to deny Christ. Convincing words to forsake Christ.
[6:33] Convincing words to reject Christ. So, it's either rejecting, forsaking, denying, obscuring, eclipsing, marginalizing, all.
[6:46] Whatever the state a person is, can be as a result of setting words. Words are stronger than feelings.
[6:57] If you build your Christian life on feelings, you are going to have a shock of your life later in life.
[7:08] There are all kinds of Christians. People who have become parts, who call themselves Christians, part of a church, which is almost a cult.
[7:20] So, there are cults that call themselves churches. And somebody leaves that church and says, no, you know what? I've been a Christian before. I'm no more a Christian.
[7:30] Actually, they were never a Christian. But they thought they were a Christian. They were part of a cult, but not Christianity. And then others, too, become part of a Christian organization.
[7:42] That is practically heretic. They are teaching what is not the Bible. They are teaching the tradition of men. What is trending as what is normal.
[7:56] So, there are different type of organizations. Some of them even can be actual church and they have Bible. You know, I used to be in a church where you don't need a Bible.
[8:07] You don't need a Bible. All you need is a hymn book. So, you don't need a Bible. You are a Christian. What are you doing with the Bible? You don't need a Bible. You need a hymn book. And the priest will read a Bible for you and read it to you.
[8:21] So, there are people listening to me. You've been deceived to think you are a Christian. Because you are part of an organization that is supposed to be Christian. And others, too, were in Christian institutions, educational institutions.
[8:36] And you used to sing the hymns. They used to teach you things. And so, you assumed that you were a Christian, but you never met Christ. And then, so you see, there are all kinds of categories of Christians. And there are others who actually are also tongue-talking.
[8:49] They joined charismatic churches. They are in the church, but the church never managed to get into them. So, after a long time, they said, I don't believe all this in church. Actually, you never were really deep into it.
[9:01] You were not a part of it. You were part of an organization. You were part of a community. But you were not part of this spiritual body called the body of Christ. You were not part.
[9:12] So, many people can't even be in church. But they tell you, but you don't need the Bible. That's why it's very easy for pastors to dismiss teaching.
[9:24] Teaching is not necessary. Teaching is not necessary. Teaching is not necessary. Teaching is not necessary. Because you don't understand this Christian thing. That's why you would disdain teaching. Teaching?
[9:36] Jesus was doing a lot of it. He saw a whole mass of people. He didn't start working miracles. He started teaching them. He touched them and it was late. They didn't have anywhere to go to or find food.
[9:48] So, he had to now do a miracle to feed them. And the feeding of them was not his message. It was his assignment. Don't make the feeding of the poor the core of Christianity.
[10:00] Don't make social justice the core of Christianity. Don't make showing love to people and being nice to people the core of Christianity. There are people who have come to Christianity.
[10:12] And they have made the main message of Christianity different, different things. So, some of us are sitting here and you are thinking, what is the point of church if no one loves me? You are holding the stick at the wrong end.
[10:24] What's the point of the church? It's I'm going to church and I'm seeing people by the roadside. They are sitting and begging. What would put them there? Does that mean you shouldn't help? You cannot be full of God and not be sensitive to the plight of men.
[10:38] The more godly you are, the more merciful you become. In spite of people who you don't like, who even hurts you, the more godly you become, the more forgiving you are. The more merciful you are.
[10:49] The more you are willing to do something about people's plight. The core message of Christianity, if you have been in church a while and you don't know it, it's a serious crisis.
[11:00] The core message of Christianity is not building houses for homeless people. It's not building schools for the uneducated. It's not feeding the hungry.
[11:11] But that's what Jesus was doing. Read the Bible. He didn't come to feed the hungry. He wouldn't have had to come all the way from heaven. There was enough food. People could do their job. He didn't have to come from heaven to come and feed the hungry.
[11:23] That is an aberration of his assignment and his purpose. He said to this end, who did I come from? I was born. He came into the world so sins can be forgiven.
[11:36] That is the core message of Christianity. The forgiveness of sins. God finding a way to forgive sins of human beings. If you are neutral and muted on that, you have missed the core message of Christianity.
[11:50] That is the core, the platform, and other things can come in. But that is the platform so that God can forgive sins. That's why Christ came. Why did Christ come?
[12:01] So God can forgive sins. It was unheard of in the Jewish tradition. According to Romans chapter 3, verse 25, 26, 27 can happen. I mean, God forgiving the ungodly.
[12:16] Verse 26. Yeah. To demonstrate this time. That he might be just and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. And then even chapter 4. It talks about that God can forgive the ungodly.
[12:30] You know, Jewish tradition. But on what grounds? Verse 5. Verse 5 says that, but to him who does no work but believes on God, him is God. Who justifies the ungodly?
[12:42] How can, what, on what grounds will a God of justice justify the guilty? It is a very foreign concept in Jewish tradition.
[12:54] Because God is a God of justice. And because he has taught them in the Old Testament that he will by no means spare the guilty. So God sent Jesus Christ.
[13:07] So Romans chapter 3, verse 5, as we read here alone. He sent Jesus Christ for the sole purpose that is putting a system in place to be able to forgive sins and still remain righteous.
[13:20] And still remain just. Because if God forgives sins arbitrarily, it's not just. You can't be a judge and look at a criminal and say, you are free. No, that's not justice. So then if you are free, there must be a basis.
[13:32] He's finished serving his term. So you are free. Or someone who is owing. And he says, no, your debt is, you are free. You don't have to pay. No, no. What are we doing? The peace don't go to. No, the uncle has paid for you.
[13:43] Oh, okay. Someone has paid for you. And that's justice. You understand that? So God has to forgive sin. He wants to forgive sin. It's a God who forgives sins. But on what grounds?
[13:53] One of the main reasons why Christ came is that sinners will be forgiven. So that means that you are not a Christian until you know your sins are forgiven. How can you be a Christian who doesn't know your sins are forgiven?
[14:08] But you have joined the church, you know, for blessings, blessings, blessings. Eventually, if the blessings delay, one blessing comes because needs never finish so long as you are a human being.
[14:19] So today, maybe you are looking for a blessing for marriage. Tomorrow will be a blessing for a child. Oh, some people have children. I don't need a blessing. You don't need a blessing for a child, but you need a blessing for your child to do well.
[14:34] You go to the hospital and come back and you need a blessing to survive beyond a year because of what the doctor just said. You need, I need this blessing. You never know what ugly head will show up and you need a blessing for.
[14:46] So there's always something we need. That's why it's good to be with God. But there are times where Stephen will die and he's still part of God's plan. So if your faith is only built around getting now, I'm sure you are going to get into crisis very soon.
[15:06] Because it's not always about what you think you need or what you think you deserve, but it's about the plan of God. Maybe the plan of God is that Stephen must be martyred.
[15:19] It is the plan of God. Stephen must be martyred. He must die. In Hebrews chapter 11, I think from verse 35, 36, it talks about some were cut into pieces by faith.
[15:35] I don't understand. You see, your faith is to get a husband. Your faith is to get a car. Your faith is to get a job. Your faith is to get a wife. But their faith is not what's to get.
[15:48] Look at the verse, verse 35. Women receive their debt, raise back to life. Is that not good news? By faith. 33 says that through faith. Do you see that? Say through faith.
[15:58] Through faith. Through faith, subdued kingdom with righteousness, obtained promise, stopped the mouth of life. I just don't know something you like. I want this one. Listen, I don't know about me.
[16:09] I want this one. Can you imagine? Subdue united kingdom. By faith. Subdue kingdom. Some of us, even your workplace, you can't subdue.
[16:22] But this one, God will help you. By faith. What righteousness. I know this sounds good for somebody. Obtain promises. That will be your testimony. I said, that will be your testimony.
[16:34] Amen. Obtain promises. Stop the mouth of lions. That one, I don't want to go to the zoo. So, you let's listen. Stop the mouth of lions. Quench the violence of fire.
[16:46] Escaved the edge of the soil. Out of weakness were made strong. Say amen. Amen. Became valiant in battle. Turned to fly the armies of the aliens. Look at what people were achieving by faith.
[16:58] They were achieving. Achieving. Look at the next verse. Achieving. Women receive their debt, raise back to life. Wow. Others. Oh. Oh. Oh. That's where the problem is rising.
[17:09] Others were tortured. Not accepting deliverance. That they might obtain a better. So, they willingly. You kill me. I will tear my grounds. Kill me.
[17:20] If you won't marry me because I said I'm a Christian. Go. I will follow you to the temple. Yes. So, they refused by faith. But look at the next verse. Still others had trials of mockings and scourgings.
[17:35] Yes. And of chains and imprisonment. These things is like by faith they were dying. So, it looks okay. But the next one. The next verse. They were stoned.
[17:45] They were sown in two. They were tempted. They were slain with a... Ah. Didn't others escape the edge of the sword? Why were others too slain by faith?
[17:57] The sword was... So, then if you build your Christian life purely around experience. You come into a time where your experience is not compatible with what you have been expecting from God.
[18:13] But if you build your Christian life around genuine dedication to God and knowing more of Him. And following His will. Then you know you can't be a victim under any circumstance.
[18:24] So, even when it looks bad. God is in the picture. So, there are different reasons why people think I am a Christian.
[18:35] But the core Christian message. If you miss that. You have actually missed. You might be. There are others who are Christians and are in good Bible teaching churches. But you know what?
[18:48] That's... Their interest is not the Christ that is being taught. Their interest is... My friends are here. It's next to my house. It's very convenient for me.
[18:59] I just like the music there. I just like... And others are also in church. It's for entertainment. Others are also in church. It's for status. So, then later on...
[19:11] So, what... Listen. What am I driving at? When you hear someone who says that I used to be in church. But now I don't go. Don't be threatening them. So worried. People are not leaving church.
[19:24] Don't be threatened by deconstructionism. Don't let it threaten you. Because the first place... John says they left. Because they were actually not of us.
[19:35] Because if they were of us, they would have stayed. First John chapter 2. Verse 18 and 19. Said they left because they were not with us.
[19:46] But if they were... They might have... They would have stayed. They would have continued with us. If they were really in us. So, in John chapter 6. Jesus asked them.
[19:57] Are you also going to go from that time? Many of the... People defected. They left. People... Many left Jesus. Because of their teachings. Because of their teachings.
[20:09] That is meant to be feeding them. Strengthening them. Opening their eyes. They left. Because they said, you know what? You have multiplied bread for us. That's why we followed you. So, in John chapter 6.
[20:21] He told them. You are following me. Because of bread. Your fathers... Verse 30. 31 down. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness. And are dead. And they said...
[20:33] He told them that you need the bread that God gives from above. Verse 33. He said, the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven to give his life to the world.
[20:45] Then they said, ah. Give us this bread. It's all about your own. And not once. He said, always. Give us this bread always. Then Jesus said, I am the bread of life.
[20:57] Wow. Then he began to expand it to them. Into the 40s and the 50s. And explaining to them that he is not just the bread of life.
[21:08] But he is the living bread as well. He is one, bread of life. And two, he is a living bread. There are two different things. Bread of life is the bread that when you eat, you have life.
[21:20] The living bread is the bread that can work. The bread itself has life. The bread itself has life. Tell me about the condition of the bread.
[21:33] He said, I am not just the bread of life, but I am the living bread. And he began to tell them that you have to eat me. Then suddenly, the Bible says that many of his disciples heard this.
[21:44] They said, this is a hard saying. Oh, take it. And from that moment forward, many of his disciples left him. When you hear people say, I don't do Christianity again.
[21:56] Don't be worried about those kind of things. Don't never. Never be worried about. Because that's why it's important that churches and church leaders make sure we don't deviate from the core message of Christianity.
[22:09] From the core message. So people know what this thing is about. You might be here. You might be listening to me. And you actually don't have a clue what this thing is about. These are religious guys I've gathered to meet.
[22:20] So let me also go. I like their music. No, no. There's something deeper in this. There's something bigger in this. So he says that I do not want you. I have to say these things.
[22:31] Lest any man beguile you. Deceive you. Delude you. Delude you. Delude you with very nice, cogent, reasonable.
[22:44] Because for you to be persuasive, it must be reasonable. It makes so much. It makes so much sense. It makes so much sense. Someone say, oh yeah.
[22:55] Oh yeah, I've never been taught about it like this. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Before you could say, because of your gullibility. Because if you notice, because you don't know. You've been swayed.
[23:06] So Paul said, I have said these things. Because if I don't say it, someone will delude you. Deceive you with persuasive arguments. Verse 5 and verse 6 and verse 7.
[23:19] Verse 5. For though I be absent in the flesh, I am with you. Beholding you in the spirit. Join and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
[23:30] I'm observing it. Now look at this. Steadfastness of your faith in Christ. Verse 6. As you have therefore received Christ.
[23:42] That's Christianity now. Oh, this is loaded. As you have received Christ, so walk in him. Huh? What did you say as you walk in Christ?
[23:55] Walk in Christ? Where? We should walk in Christ? Where is he?
[24:05] So, ah, we should walk inside him? Like, is Christ a building? Is Christ a place? Walk in Christ? He said that you have to. Because if you don't do that, you are going to be disadvantaged.
[24:22] Can I say something, brothers and sisters? The central point of the New Testament Christianity is about walking in Christ.
[24:35] The central point of this church thing is really not sitting down and listening to music. Which is all good. But how long will you sit down and listen to music?
[24:48] After that, what next? So, the central aspect of Christianity, the New Testament Christianity, is walking in Christ. So, it is necessary we explore what it entails to walk in Christ.
[25:05] Because if you don't walk in Christ, somebody will spoil you. Somebody will deceive you. And one of the ways to avoid being deceived, in fact, in Colossians, there are four major things.
[25:19] Because he wrote to the Colossians because he could tell there was an influx of deceptive teachings, deceptive suggestions, deceptive ideologies coming alongside the Christ they have in the church.
[25:34] Christ was in the church, but they were adding something else. As also very essential. So, it's not just that the Bible. You also have to read other religious.
[25:45] They would tell you, why are you reading only the Bible? You have to read other religious books. So, he said, I have to tell you this, lest anyone delude you with enticing ways.
[25:58] Then he says that walk in Christ. So, as I was saying, Paul addressed certain things we have to do, even in Colossians, to help us not be deluded.
[26:08] Four points he mentioned. Not right in this text, but I think I want to draw it to your attention. Number one, according to chapter 3, verse 4. I like chapter 3, verse 4, if you don't mind.
[26:21] Would you be kind enough for us to read it out from the screen? Is that okay? All right. Let's all read it, please. One more time.
[26:35] Let's go. Let's go. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory. What is Christ? Our life.
[26:46] Now, first of all, this Christian journey, you have to take Christ as your life. So that if a boyfriend works out of your life, your life has not gone.
[26:59] Even if your health is under attack, your life is not under attack. Because Christ is my life. That's Christianity there for you.
[27:11] That's the starting point of Christianity. Can I ask you, is Christ actually your life? You are in church, but Christ is not your life. You are not a Christian. You are allowed to feel the form as a Christian.
[27:22] But really, in reality, you are not. But I don't do anything wrong. Oh, please, you are getting it wrong. It's not about what you do wrong or what you do right. No, no, it's not about that at all.
[27:34] It's are you in Christ? So Christ must be your life. And then that's Colossians chapter 3, verse 4. And then number 2, he must be the head of the church.
[27:46] Colossians 2, verse 19. Christ must be the head of the church. And not holding the head from which all the body is joined. Now, this is very important.
[27:58] When we talk about Christ being the head of the body, the head of the church, its implication is your attitude towards the church.
[28:08] Your attitude, your service, your relationship with the church is necessary. If Christ is the head, then even if you as a pastor offense me, that doesn't make me say, I won't do anything in church again.
[28:27] Because you are not the head. You might be a head pastor. You might be a daddy G.O., but you are not the head of the church.
[28:40] Our king, may the Lord bless him. And what's our national attempt? God save the king. May the Lord bless our king Charles and save him.
[28:52] Our king is not the head of the church. He might be the head of the church of England. And the organizational head is different from the actual head of the church.
[29:09] Anything you do about the church, remember, is in direct proportion or relation to Christ. That is why your Christian life starts from Christ being your life.
[29:21] But that is the other way it ends. It cannot end there. Christ becoming your life translates into you being aware of the fact that Christ is the head of the church.
[29:36] For I am part of the church and I must do what Christ will do concerning the church. Now, these things help you not be deluded. They may sound very simple, but there's their pathway of escape from delusion.
[29:53] Because if you meet someone who says that, I've been a Christian all my life, in fact, I've finished theological, whatever, and I am a theological authority.
[30:05] All that. You see, the ascites is how they see the church. How you see the church tells me how light you are in the spirit. There are some people, they actually create problems in church.
[30:20] And they like, they enjoy, they scatter the brethren. There's nothing close to lack of spirituality than that. Nothing close to lack of spirituality than being a scatterer and a Confucianist.
[30:34] A trouble closer within the church. Not that you are giving usher's problems. Not that you are giving pastors problems. But you are separating, breaking church.
[30:44] Breaking people. Brethren are now at loggerheads. You're almost like a wolf. People all relate with you, and in the spirit, their leg has been eating out.
[30:57] So, two, to help us not be deluded, you have to see Christ.
[31:09] He actually is. Acknowledge that Christ is the head of the church. Shall we all say that together? Christ is the head. Please say it again. Christ is the head of the church. Say it louder for the last time.
[31:20] Christ is the head of the church. And number three, according to Colossians chapter 1 verse 27, you have to experience Christ as the hope of glory.
[31:33] Experiencing Christ as the hope of glory. You see where experience comes in? Enjoying him. Enjoy. So, you can be going through some stuff.
[31:44] But the Christ in you is what gives you the meaning of life. The Christ in you is what makes you know that there are better days ahead. My end shall be that of peace.
[31:56] The Christ in you is what makes you know that I won't compromise on my godly stance because I know God is with me. It's the hope of glory. You are enjoying.
[32:07] And it's not just a mental thing, but something that has become your experience. You enjoy Christ. You enjoy. That is why Christianity without passion is really a border.
[32:19] If your passion for Christ is weighing in, I don't know how far you can keep going. How long can you keep living without eating?
[32:31] How long, how far can you go without food? How far can you go in Christ without passion? You end up becoming a criticizer.
[32:46] Bible says that love builds up. 1 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 1. Knowledge puffs up. That's what some people display on social media. I know this, I know this.
[32:58] Knowledge puffs up. All this shit, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know this. I know, I know, I know this. Knowledge puffs up. But love builds up. The edifice builds up.
[33:10] Love builds up. You can't build the body of Christ with just knowledge. So those who say, I want to be a pastor. So all your life, you are not even serving in any church. You are busy looking online, looking for theological seminaries to attend.
[33:25] So you can know a lot about the Bible. It doesn't work like that. You can go. You only know the letter. Bible says the letter kill it. I am not saying theological seminary is not necessary.
[33:36] I am not saying that. It has its place. It has its place. But if you just go dry like that, it doesn't guarantee because until your heart for God, your love for God and his people grows up, you can never serve God's people.
[33:53] Because you can't build a church outside of love for Christ and his people. So what you need more is your love, your affection for Christ because somebody will offend you.
[34:06] When you love, offense doesn't develop easily or offense doesn't go far. When you love. So it's important you enjoy Christ.
[34:20] Get this personal enjoyment experience with Christ. Say enjoy Christ. I'll come back to that in a minute. But the last point to stay safe outside of delusion is to walk in the spirit.
[34:35] Did you see that? Walk in him. Walk in the... Pastor, I have a question. Am I supposed to be walking in Christ or I should be walking in the spirit?
[34:47] Oh, I'm happy you asked that question. I'll answer it. The answer is very simple. Three letter word answer. Yes. Yes. Am I supposed to be walking in the spirit or rather I should be walking in Christ?
[35:02] Because Colossians chapter 2 verse 6, it says that we should walk in him. So am I supposed to be walking in him? Galatians chapter 5 verse 16 says that walk in the spirit.
[35:12] So are we to be walking in the spirit or to be walking in Christ? What's the answer? Yes. Are we supposed to be walking in the spirit or be walking in Christ?
[35:24] And the answer is yes. Hallelujah. So is there any difference between walking in Christ and walking in the spirit?
[35:36] Now when we talk about the Bible say walk. That's where I... What does it mean to walk? It means to behave. To act. To have your conduct.
[35:47] To have your being. In him we live and move and have our being. To have your being. A certain way. So walk means have your being.
[36:00] Act. Behave. Do things. Alright. So now when you say walk in Christ, that's behave in Christ. Act in Christ.
[36:12] Have your being in Christ. Now when you say walk, why do you say, why do you use the word walk? You should have used behave. Walk is connoting something stronger.
[36:26] Because you walk in a field. You walk within a territory. So when you are walking, that means that you are somewhere that at least is bigger than two steps. You understand?
[36:38] That you take a step one. But as soon as you add two and more, you are actually walking. So you are within a field. Now watch this. Why am I saying this? It's interesting. Let me take you back to Genesis a little bit.
[36:49] And rush through and come back to where we are. I think you will learn something. Now in Genesis chapter two, God created man. I've always been talking about this. And I mean, the Bible speaks with one voice.
[36:59] So God created man. And the first instruction he gave man, Genesis chapter two verse 16, that you shall eat every tree. That's the first commandment.
[37:10] Not that shall not. The first commandment is that shall eat. Wow. That's the first commandment God gave. And the first thing God did when he formed man, verse nine, he then formed a garden and made trees grow.
[37:22] And the trees were good for food. There are trees that was good for food, produces something edible. And then there was another tree there. Three types of tree. One good for food. There's another one which is a tree of life and a tree of knowledge of good and evil.
[37:35] And he said, after telling them to eat of every tree, he said, the knowledge of evil, don't eat. There's something about our existence and our relationship with God and eating. If I let me take you a little further off again.
[37:50] The New Testament church in the days of Peter, they didn't have puppets. One important furniture in the church was table. In their gathering.
[38:02] In their gathering, one major important furniture was a table. Because they gathered around feasts. Did you say Peter bread?
[38:16] Alright. So, what is it about eating? Eating. Eating. Is eating so important in life? That when a child is born, all they know to do is to eat, sleep, and cry.
[38:29] Most babies who cry, the mothers will tell you, my baby is good. He only cries when he wants food. Only cry. And some of them, they cry. Like you are tearing the house of animals.
[38:42] But it's just the one food. So, there's something fundamental about feeding. Whatever. Today we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. That does nature itself not teach you?
[38:55] Alright. So, then nature itself teaches you. So, when you look at nature, there's truth in nature. Which also has a corresponding truth in the spirit.
[39:06] That's what Jesus always used to say. The kingdom of heaven is like. It's like. Something is true in the physical. In the natural. You can take that and apply it to what is spiritual.
[39:20] Now, some things are so important and fundamental to our human existence. As long as God's program and agenda is concerned. Number one, feeding. Number two, building. And number three, marriage.
[39:35] Number one, feeding. Number two, building. Number three, marriage. If I can ask the most important one. One is life. He created us to have his life.
[39:46] He created us so we can feed. When we feed, we are supposed to be feeding not just on natural food. Man must not. Oh, Baba. Every word.
[39:57] So, bread is not. It's not only bread you eat. There's a corresponding meal in the spirit. Which is the word of God. You eat to live. Now, this is important. So, life.
[40:09] Feeding. Building. And marriage. Building. I don't want to go to spend too much time. Most of the people who met God, they are tempted to build something. In the Old Testament, it's always a tent.
[40:22] So, David who decided that I'm going to build a feminine structure. God said, how did you know this was a plan? David, you can't build. You let Sam LeMond build something temporal. But when the man fell in Genesis chapter 11, the first thing they tried to build was a tower.
[40:36] Build a tower. Why are you building for yourself? God said, you are supposed to build for me. I am a builder. He sought a city which has foundation whose builder and maker was God.
[40:48] Hebrews chapter 11, verse 10. So, building. I think I'm going too far in that. So, building. And then marriage. It's fundamental life. Now, why did I bring this in? Marriage.
[40:59] If you temper with marriage, you are trying to blare. So long as human beings are concerned, the major example of God for his eternal purpose. So, why would we be in Hebrews chapter 13, verse 4?
[41:11] He said, marriage is honorable in all. Amongst all. Marriage is an honorable thing. So, any society and community that begins to vandalize marriage, they get God's attention.
[41:21] It's like deciding that no human being in this community should eat. Because, now, why did I say this? Many things that are true in the physical have a corresponding truth in the spiritual.
[41:32] Or anything that is true in the spiritual have a physical reflection. So, that's why I'm talking about we are created to eat, to build, to have life. And you can have all natural versions of everything I've said.
[41:44] And live the spiritual version. But Jesus came so that the spiritual versions can be activated in our life. And so, when you look at the actual purpose of marriage, you can never define marriage properly until you look at Christ and the church.
[41:59] Define the maker's clearest definition of marriage is hidden in the relationship between Christ and the church. But because it hasn't unfolded fully, human beings might not know.
[42:14] So, God has put this temporal system in place from Adam that a man shall leave his father and mother and be clean, be joined, oneness. Be joined, oneness. Say oneness. Be joined to his wife or his wife.
[42:27] And the two shall become one flesh. And Sodom and Gomorrah try to undermine it. Draw judgment on them. Listen, the days of Noah, the Bible, Jesus said they were marrying and being given.
[42:38] There was something about marriage that made God's hand come upon them. Because the first thing God did amongst men is marriage. And the last thing that's going to happen amongst men is marriage.
[42:51] But that's going to be the marriage between the lamb and his bride. So, now, these things are spiritual truth. But sometimes, you need some natural realities like the tabernacle that God asked Moses to build.
[43:03] It was a natural reality which was pointing to a spiritual reality. That is why you can't find that tabernacle anywhere on earth. Because it's not necessary.
[43:14] The real tabernacle is now built by Christ, which is the church. The real temple, which no man can build. The real ones no man can do. The real life no man can give.
[43:25] The real building no one can build. The real marriage no one can give. It is God who does that. Am I explaining some things here? Are you sure you are getting it? So, now, coming back to the text we are talking about.
[43:38] God created us to, the first thing is that you should eat. But that, the real food is God himself to be enjoyed.
[43:50] So, they ate the wrong one. And God said, no, you can't add me to that one. So, he brought cherubs to block Genesis chapter 3, verse 22 and 24. To block them from having access to the tree of life.
[44:01] In Revelation, the tree of life was still there. Revelation chapter 22. So, this tree of life. Jesus said, I'm the vine. Jesus said, I'm life. So, vine life. Tree life. But, listen to it.
[44:12] Why am I going to all this? God gave them instructions to eat. Can you imagine when they were about to leave Egypt? God said, you can't go. You can't go. Exodus chapter 12.
[44:23] You can't go on an empty stomach. You need a covenant meal. Wow. So, there is a type of food that is good enough to move them out of Egypt to the promised land.
[44:35] On their way to the promised land. So, there are three types of enjoyment so long as feeding was concerned which God gave them. God told them, I'm taking them to the promised land.
[44:46] And there was something that description gave about the promised land. He said, the promised land flows. When they went to the site. They said, it flows with milk and honey. What do you do with milk? What do you do with honey?
[44:57] You don't use honey to grease your thighs. So, milk and honey. He's pointing to that land. That land has good food. They brought grapes from the land.
[45:08] The land is a place you go and eat and have fun. Enjoy meal. Listen to what I'm saying. So, before they move out of Egypt. God said, you gotta eat. You have to eat the flesh and then apply the blood.
[45:20] So, they ate the flesh. So, they had to eat. Now, when you have to be born again. You have to eat of Christ. Jesus said, if you don't eat of me. You don't have life.
[45:32] No wonder he said, I am the bread of life. So, then he said, you have to eat. John chapter 6. It talks about how, if anyone who doesn't eat me. You have to eat me. You don't. 58. If you don't eat me.
[45:43] Jesus said that. Surely I say unto you. Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood. You don't have life. My life is not you. Now, watch this. This is very important. So, if you are born again.
[45:54] It means your entry point is eating Christ. You ate some Christ. That's why we actually take communion. You ate Christ. But that's the first level of eating that Israelites went through. There are three levels. The second level is when they were in the wilderness.
[46:06] God had to send man. Mmm. Man is different from the Passover lamb. Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 5 and 7. Christ is our Passover.
[46:17] So, Corinthians. Watch this. The Corinthians had experienced Christ at the Passover level. Enough to move you out of Egypt. But still, Egypt can be in you.
[46:28] That is why he told Corinthians in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 14 and 15. He spoke about a spiritual man. He spoke about a natural man. And he spoke about a soulish man. You are either, in the culture of one of these three.
[46:40] You are either soulish. You are either carnal. You are either spiritual. Or natural that's carnal. Natural that's fleshly. Soulish. So, look.
[46:50] Suki. Suki. Please put you on the screen for me. It says that. But the natural man. You see, that's the natural man. That's not the same thing of the spiritual God. For the affliction. No, can you not? Because they are spiritual. Look at the next verse. It says, he who is spiritual.
[47:02] You see that? So, you see the spiritual one there. And then, I think the verses before, he spoke about the carnal man. I could not feed you because you are carnal. I could not feed you with me because you are carnal.
[47:14] So, you are either carnal. You are either natural. You are either spiritual. Alright. So, you need the Passover meal to move you from Egypt. You can be out of Egypt but still have carnality.
[47:27] So, Christ is the Passover. Then, the Corinthian church, that's the biggest revelation they got about feeding. Christ is the Passover. But, they didn't even go close to Christ becoming their manna.
[47:39] That sustains them in the wilderness. Sustains them in the wilderness. Builds their souls to be able to take every hit or attack of the enemy. Your soul in the wilderness.
[47:50] So, when they got to the wilderness, God said, now you've come further. Let me give you another type of meal. The manna. And then, they got to their promised land. Which is the land that fills with milk.
[48:01] And that one is an establishment. They are established. And they are eating. They are enjoying. Now, watch the three. In the New Testament, the three levels apply. You are born again. You have to experience Christ as a Passover.
[48:14] But, don't stay there. You have to go further. In Christ becoming our manna. Jesus said, I am the bread that came from heaven. Me. You have to be eating me day and day. Doesn't matter all the things you are going through.
[48:25] Keep eating me. Keep feeding on me. That's why you have to come to church. Keep feeding on me. But, the third one, where Christ becomes your portion in life. Colossians chapter 1 verse 12. He says that he gives us. He qualifies us to have an inheritance.
[48:37] When they enter. So, in those times, their portion. Joshua chapter 14 verse 1. They divided the land for them. The land became their portion. He says that. And, these are the areas which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan.
[48:50] He said. Which Eliezer, the priest, and Joshua, the son of Nun. The heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel. Distributed as an inheritance to them. In the land.
[49:00] Now, we who are in Christ. We are Christians. What is our inheritance? We also have an inheritance. What is our allotment? What is our portion? Christ himself is our. Oh, oh.
[49:12] Christ is our land. Christ is our. Galatians chapter 3 verse 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon us, the Gentiles. That we might receive the promise.
[49:24] Say promise. Promise. Christ is our promised land. Christ is the good land. The good land that people live for. Christ is a good land. And, you get to a place where you are secured and stabilized in Christ.
[49:37] Christ is your actual portion in life. That's when you live in Christ. You are walking in him. You are behaving in him. You say, walk in Christ. Christ must be your portion.
[49:47] He must be your land. Your portion in the land of. Is someone getting what I'm saying? Yes. You are a Christian. Is Christ your portion? Colossians chapter 1 verse 12.
[49:59] We read it earlier. I thought on that. He qualified us. So, we can have an inheritance. We can have an allotment. When they are distributing, they said, you too. This is your own. And, what did you get?
[50:11] I got Christ. I live in Christ. I live in Christ. Now, what's the difference between Christ and the Spirit? Because, Galatians chapter 5 verse 16 says, walk in the Spirit. And, by here, it says that walk in Christ.
[50:23] Walk in the Spirit. Oh, Christ, according to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 45. Christ, the first Adam, became a living soul.
[50:35] But, the last Adam. Who is the last Adam? Christ is the last Adam. What did he become? A life-giving spirit. What did he become? A life-giving spirit. Christ became a life-giving spirit.
[50:47] So, when in the New Testament, you see the Spirit is actually pointing to Christ. The Holy Spirit is pointing to the Holy Spirit. But, most of the time, in the epistles, the Spirit, the Spirit, the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit.
[51:00] Walk in the Spirit. That phrase, the Spirit, is pointing to, in fact, 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 17. It says that the Lord is the Spirit.
[51:12] It's there, clearly. Now, the Lord, let's read it out. Let's go. Now, the Lord is the Spirit. Your loudness and your deepest voice. Now, the Lord is the Spirit. Never forget this scripture, New Testament believer.
[51:26] Jesus, the Lord, is the Spirit. That, he didn't say the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit. The Lord is the Spirit. So, in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 22, he says, The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
[51:42] Romans chapter 8 verse 16. The Spirit himself. Oh, oh. The Spirit himself. And where is Christ operating from? Within your spirit. So, when he says, walk in the Spirit, it's the same as walk in the Lord.
[51:56] Conduct your. So, I said something earlier. I know some people didn't catch it clearly. That the entirety of Christianity, the central aspect of the New Testament Christianity, is about walking in the Spirit.
[52:08] Walking in the Lord. Walking in the Lord. If you don't walk in the Lord, your level of vulnerability, so long as delusion is concerned, deception is concerned, your level of vulnerability is high.
[52:22] It's very high. How do you walk in the Lord? He must be our enjoyment. You feed on him. You walk in him. You think on him. The word of God becomes the center of your living.
[52:35] Not tradition. Not tradition. That's how we do this. That's how we do this. Hey, what has God's word got to say? Don't tell me about human tradition and modern day ideology, modern day demands.
[52:50] So, get out of my face. Christ is enough for me. No. You think I'm joking? See what he said. He says that as you have been taught. That's why those who marginalize teaching are making a mistake. Verse 6.
[53:01] Chapter 2. Verse 6. Colossians. As you have therefore received Christ, walk in him. Now, the original Greek word. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes.
[53:14] The original Greek word translated believe in. In. I am. The Greek word also translates actually into. So, you believe. It's like Christ is a field. You believe into him.
[53:26] That's when Christ can be our portion. Believe into Christ. It's our sphere. And as you have received him. So, ye walk in him. Because you have believed into him. As many.
[53:37] How does it? You receive him. You believe him by receiving him. John chapter 1 verse 12. As many as received him. As many as received him. You receive him.
[53:47] When you receive him, you have actually believed into him. So, now Colossians chapter 2 verse 6. It says that as ye have therefore received Christ, Jesus the Lord.
[53:58] So, so walk in him. Look at the next verse. So, walk in him. Oh. Root is for trees.
[54:09] Not for human beings. But he used two words. They are kind of contrary. Rooted for trees. Build. It's buildings. Trees are.
[54:19] You don't build trees. So, it's like by saying that the Bible is presenting us as trees. Organic elements. And why do you need a root for? It's not to hold the tree firm.
[54:32] One core reason for the tree is so that it will be drawing nutrients from there. From where? The soil. And they say we should be rooted in what?
[54:43] Christ. So, Christ becomes our soil. Christ becomes our soil. And all the essence of your Christian life. You draw it from Christ. Not just from a pastor.
[54:54] Not just from a congregation. All those things are important. But the core essence of your Christian life. Christ is your soil. No wonder he's the land. Christ is. He said be rooted in him. And you are drawing strength.
[55:06] You are drawing nutrients. You are drawing everything needed for your development. It comes from Christ. Anything. That's why Christ is enough. You know Christ and other books.
[55:18] No Christ and other opinions. No Christ and likes. Christ is enough. Someone say Christ is enough. Christ is enough.
[55:29] Be rooted. Ephesians chapter 3 verse 17 talks about being rooted and grounded. There's some Christian roots that must go somewhere into a certain soil.
[55:40] And he says that we have to be rooted in Christ. And then he says that rooted in him. And built up. Built up. Oh. What is that? We are a building.
[55:51] According to Ephesians chapter 2 verse 22. We are a building. We are the household of God. So if you should be built up. We are talking about the body of Christ. The church. You cannot stay safe if you are not established in a church.
[56:03] You can be saved. But it doesn't mean you are safe. You are saved. But it doesn't mean you are safe. Your safety has to do with how much build it you are in Christ.
[56:21] You are part of this building. You are part of a church. Your stability in a church life is for your own health and safety. Oh yes. It does not help the church's congregation.
[56:36] No. That's why churches shouldn't be focused so far excessively on marketing skills. We are like marketing for customers. Church members are not customers.
[56:48] They are family. They are members of your body. Built up in him. Rooted and built up in him.
[56:58] Let me finish on this. And as rooted and built up in him. Established in the faith as you have been taught. As you have been taught. Tell those who constantly disdain and marginalize teachings.
[57:13] People will be saying teaching is not important. Because they haven't been taught. If you have been taught well. And you understand Christianity. Then you realize that teaching plays a central role in Christianity.
[57:28] That's why we spend a lot of time in church teaching. But people are suffering. Listen. There are people who don't. You see it depends on how you define suffering. They didn't even suffer.
[57:39] They didn't even scatter the church. It wasn't that suffering. Most of the suffering they refer to is either they don't have money. But even if you don't get taught.
[57:52] You won't even know what steps to take. Like people I know. Who are supposed to do some courses. They say no this is this one for me. And they are applying for jobs they won't get. No.
[58:08] You see. So you. You perpetuate their suffering. Your financial crisis. But if someone can sit you there and tell you. Guy. Start from here. And go here. And go here. And do this course.
[58:18] It will give you. Someone needs to teach you. Yeah. So some of the sufferings is lack of teaching. It's not lack of prayer. Lack of knowledge might be poorly struck.
[58:30] Anyway, so as my time is up, we have to be rooted and built up in him. Established in the faith as we have been taught.
[58:45] Abounding in thanksgiving. And verse 8 says that, beware, lest anyone spoil you through philosophy and empty deceit.
[58:55] It's very empty. It doesn't lead you anywhere. But they are spoiling with it. Philosophy is sounding very amazing. And it says that after the tradition of men, they have created a tradition and backed it with a certain fake, vain research.
[59:11] Vain research is not leading anyone to anywhere. It's rather increasing problems in our society. Vain research. Because the hearts are dark. So vain research.
[59:23] Philosophy of man. Vain, vain, vain. Someone who spoil vain. After the tradition of men. Be careful. Now they are forcing traditions into the church.
[59:36] And putting the word of God aside. And spoiling believers. And some are being deconstructed. He said, I need to warn you. Less.
[59:47] This generation we are in. Can destroy a lot of believers. You will not be destroyed. Your faith will not have shipwreck. Your faith will be stronger.
[60:00] You will be established in the faith. Stronger. And stronger. And stronger. And stronger. And stronger. And stronger. So shall he be.
[60:11] In Jesus' name. Did you receive something? Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry. You're welcome to connect with David Entry on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
[60:22] You can also find more spirit-filled messages from Karis Church on YouTube and all relevant streaming platforms. Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share the message.
[60:33] Be blessed.