[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.
[0:10] Be blessed. Colossians chapter 3, I'm reading from verse 5 to 11. Colossians chapter 3 from verse 5. My version is King James version.
[0:24] Verse 6.
[0:54] Verse 6.
[1:26] Who we are not, make us. Where we are not, take us. All to the glory of your name. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen.
[1:37] Amen. Please be seated. He said, He said, Sometimes you see words like this, it just makes it look spiritual.
[2:16] You don't know what concupiscence is, but the Bible said evil concupiscence. An inordinate affection. Concupiscence is, I think, has to do with strong desire or strong sexual desire. Uncontrollable, untamable libido.
[2:36] So you see, it's not far from you. Yeah. And the New King James said, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire.
[2:54] So now, it says that fornication. So now, it says that fornication, when you read some other translations, it uses the word immorality. Sometimes it depends on the Greek word translated, which is similar to ponaya, ponaya, which is translated sometimes as pornography or immorality.
[3:14] So it depends on the way the translators did it. But then, it says that put to death, fornication. All right. Or what version is this? NIV. NIV says that sexual immorality.
[3:26] Why did King James say fornication? Fornication, what's the difference between fornication and sexual immorality? Every fornication is sexual immorality. But not every sexual immorality is fornication.
[3:39] Fornication is sexual relationships between one person who is married and the other is not. Or two people who are married, but not to the people doing it. Fornication is fornication.
[3:51] So, sexual relationships outside of the marriage. That's adultery, outside of the marriage. But fornication is when there's no marriage. So every adultery is fornication.
[4:04] Not every fornication is fornication. So, sexual relationship. Sexual intimacy. This particular one is talking about sexual intimacy. But what about those who have thought about it and haven't done it?
[4:17] We haven't come to that one. Fornication is actually sexual immorality or sexual relationships between people who are no married.
[4:27] Amen. How many of you are familiar with that? I mean, you understand it. So, and then it doesn't only say sexual immorality or fornication.
[4:45] It says uncleanness. Give me a different translation. The uncleanness is impurities. The masturbation. The, all the other things.
[4:58] Outside of the real actual act. So, even flirting. Depending on who you are doing it with.
[5:09] False and impurity. These are things that human beings do. This is not talking about animals. Human beings. Impurities.
[5:21] And sometimes it's interesting how immorality or impurity can be crouching on you. In spite of the fact that you are believers. This was not written to unbelievers.
[5:34] It's that you are a believer. You have to put to death. Else by the time you realize. You are living in it. So, you are a believer. But it's still active in your life. And being a Christian doesn't inoculate you from these feelings and desires and things.
[5:52] Different from what unbelievers think. Unbelievers usually think when you're a believer. These things are all gone. So, most of them look at you and they don't know you are also very alive.
[6:04] You are very alive. The same way. But your advantage is there is an addition into your life. There's an addition to you that affords you ability to exclude yourself from those manifestations.
[6:20] That's what makes you a believer. It's not your behavior that makes you a believer. But it's the nature. The life of God that has been put into you. And that when you read the amplified version.
[6:31] Put to death is rendered deprived of power. There's no power for evil passions to your flesh to exit. You deprive it of power. That's putting to death.
[6:43] So, it's not physically as I said at that time. Or killing or something. But you don't give. The power has been taken from it. The desires might be lacking.
[6:53] But the power for it to happen. Or the power for you to live in these things. Have been taken. So, it talks about sexual fornication. Impurities. And then it talks about lust.
[7:04] That's the. King James uses the word. Inordinate affection. Inordinate. Something that is beyond what's acceptable. It's inordinate. When something is ordinate, it's like it's within acceptable limits.
[7:18] It's compliant. Inordinate is not compliant. Wild feelings. Wild feelings. Wild things.
[7:31] That is why sometimes it is just helpful for a Christian, a believer, not to expose yourself to certain environments that will stir up this inordinate.
[7:43] Because you are a human being. It's there. So, it's not that wild party that is the sin. But it's going to generate and stir. Stimulate.
[7:55] A certain part of your body that should be dormant. The older you are growing, the more you understand what stimulation can do. It will catalyze some stuff.
[8:17] On one hand, at one point, you are very calm and okay. On the other hand, something has been stimulated and this is you spinning out of control. And it's like people don't know that you are that mad.
[8:30] Or you can be that mad. You can be that wild. They've always credited you with good behavior. They should wait till your flesh tears up. Inordinate affections.
[8:44] Passions. Places like, I've never been, but I'm told. I might be wrong on this. The party, atmosphere. That in itself is not evil.
[8:54] But the exposure and what goes on there have the propensity to activate, stimulate you in a way that will not be godly.
[9:04] And now the rest of you fight to recover. Because you know it's easier to keep up than to catch up. So that is why you just stay, you are safe.
[9:18] There are some movies that you are safe, bro. Because of your past addictions. There are some movies that you are safe not watching.
[9:28] It's true. It's not like the movie is a scene. But it is, it's the environment within it, what it purports, what it's, it's meant to stimulate something in you.
[9:41] It will trigger something. And you don't want it triggered. Because sometimes the problem is not your level of discipline. Some things when they are triggered, that's where you realize you are not that disciplined.
[9:55] Oh yeah. We all have a limit to which we can be disciplined. Oh yes. So the subject of discipline is always applicable to anybody.
[10:10] Anybody. Some has to relation with food. Some relation with sex. Some relation with fashion or possession. Some relation with passions, anger.
[10:21] Some in relation with girls, boys. Some in relation with different things. Discipline. Sleep. Some relation with work. Some relation is lying, not lying.
[10:34] Some of us, we have to do a lot of discipline. It's too hard not to lie. Because lying is a sacred nature to you. You don't have to think. You just lie naturally. So it says, put off these things.
[10:49] And evil concupiscence. And evil concupiscence has got to do, as I said, lust. Evil lust. Lust is evil in itself.
[11:01] So when you say evil lust, it's not like qualifying the lust by describing the nature of lust by itself. You know, concupiscence is just evil by nature. It's not like being a Christian.
[11:11] It's not like being a Christian. It's not like being a Christian. It's not like being a Christian. These things are, this is very interesting. These are Christians. It's talking to Christians. And not just Christians. It's a whole church. It's Christian.
[11:22] So why do you suppose that being a Christian means that you are fine? You can do anything. You can go anywhere. You are safe. You are still not safe. You can be saved, but not safe.
[11:35] That's why on Thursday I was teaching on the life of Christ that is able to save you. Romans chapter 5 verse 10 says, we are saved by his life.
[11:47] That life, when he begins to find an expression in you, Colossians chapter 3 verse 4, when Christ, who is our life, that life is what will save you from these evil concupiscence. It saves you from, because then most people, when we are not born again, we are like slaves to some of these things, depending on where our strengths are.
[12:06] We are like slaves to it, but when you are born again, the life of Christ saves you from this. It doesn't happen objectively. It happens subjectively.
[12:19] What do I mean? Objective salvation is, I believe in Jesus. You are safe. You don't have to do anything. Just believe in, you are safe. Subjective salvation is based on certain things you do.
[12:31] All right? So then, the life of Christ, so when you are a believer, you have the life of Christ in you. But it doesn't mean the life of Christ is being manifested in you. So the manifestation of the life of Christ in you is subjective.
[12:44] That is why every believer must be careful what you are nurturing in you, what you expose yourself to, because these are all subjective. Prayer life, your prayer life is subjective.
[12:55] How effectively you can pray. It's subjective to you and whatever your conditions and all that. So there are things that have happened. You are a child of God. It's not subjective.
[13:06] Once you believe in Christ, objectively, you are a child of God. But subjectively, now you have to live that life. And so, the life of Christ we allow to dominate us is what makes us look like Christ.
[13:21] Now, it says that, modify all these things. And then, the last one is covetousness, which is idolatry. Very interesting. Let's see how New Living Translation puts it, please.
[13:34] It's very interesting. Verse 5. Put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Say, lurking within me. Lurking within me. Say it again, please. Lurking within me.
[13:44] How many of you agree with me? Yeah. Something is lurking in you. It's there until you die from this earth. That's why Bible calls it our vile bodies.
[13:55] Lurking within you. Having nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy. Watch what he's saying about greed.
[14:05] Greed. Don't be greedy. For a greedy person is an idolater. Worshipping things of the world. You see, so, I want this.
[14:16] I want this. I want it. Eventually, your feelings and things control you. Yeah. Not the life of God. That's why I said, which is idolatry.
[14:28] Look at the Message Bible. Message Bible is quite an interesting way to. It says that. And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death.
[14:39] Sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust. Doing whatever you feel like, whenever you feel like it. And grabbing whatever attracts your fancy.
[14:51] That's a life shaped by things and feelings instead of God. It's very interesting. You can be a Christian, but your life is shaped by feelings. It's true. Your life is shaped by things and not God.
[15:06] So, that's why I said idolatry there. Covertuousness is idolatry. Because things and feelings are shaping and controlling your life. But when you are a Christian, the beauty of being a Christian is that the life of God is in you.
[15:20] And now, via the, it says that, yes, last Sunday, mortify the desires of the flesh by the Spirit. If you by the Spirit are able to put to death. So, it takes the Spirit, which we have by God's grace.
[15:33] Now, moving on to the verse 6. It says in the verse 6 that, for which things, oh no. Last Thursday, I mentioned this particular subject of the wrath of God.
[15:46] I mean, religious superstition. Not superstition, but religious. I don't want to say that. Okay.
[15:58] People whose work with God is just pure religion based on human systems have redefined God. So, some of us grew up with a wrong perception and concept of God.
[16:13] Even though you claim to grow up in a Christian family. You can grow up in a Christian environment, a Christian family, and still have the wrong concept of God.
[16:25] Wrong concept. And our definition of God is largely at the mercy of how we have been brought up. Because you don't know God naturally. You must be taught God.
[16:36] So, if you must be taught God like A, B, C, D. You didn't know A, B, C, D naturally. You were taught. A for apple. A, A, apple.
[16:47] B for bravo. Ba, bo, boy. Phonetics. You need to be taught. In the same way, can you imagine if you are taught that A is for upper?
[17:00] Pa. And you grow up all your life for under or upper? Now, it will take a lot for someone to re...
[17:14] We have to be reoriented. Rewired and re-school. That's what pure biblical teachers are supposed to do. So, we come to church and we are all reoriented towards God, His purpose, and His person.
[17:30] So, that's what we are doing now. To be reoriented. Especially, even the subject of church. The subject of church. Many people don't have a clue what the church is.
[17:43] They've been in church from the day they were born and they are over 60 and still don't have a clue of what the church is so long as God's plan is concerned. And that's all because of teachers.
[17:57] Don't downplay who teaches you the Word of God. Never take it for granted who teaches you the Word of God. Because, you see, that's why I'm interested in how you settle.
[18:08] Because it can affect you. Because what people think is church, especially when you are going to do ministry. What people think is ministry is not really ministry. Some of them, they define, it's a redefinition of industry by us ministry.
[18:23] It is, it is. So, then, why did I have to say this? How does this, I think it started in the late 90s? Or maybe, actually, 70s.
[18:36] Billy Graham used to teach that a lot. But, it has been taken out of context as time goes on. About this love of God. So, someone says that if God is love, why won't he allow me to enjoy my life?
[18:49] Why won't he allow me to, if I want to love a cat? That's me. So, it's like, there's this God who doesn't have anything doing. And he's just there to make sure your life is happy. Who told you that God?
[19:02] That's not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is not there to make you happy. The God of the Bible is not just there to be answering prayers. Why are so many prayers unanswered?
[19:14] It's true. The God of the Bible is not there like a superman to help people who are hungry, who are dying, who are starving. No, that, let me tell you. That's a wrong depiction.
[19:25] That's why atheists will say, if there is God, why are people suffering? It depends on how you define the God you are talking about. It depends on how you define the devil. This God we are talking about is the God who came as a human being to save us from our sins.
[19:39] Yes. Yes. Outside of that, you have the wrong conception of God. If you have not met the God who saves from sins, who saves from hell, you have not actually, you've not been told the true God.
[19:53] God has wrath. He's not only a God of love. Yes. He's not just, he doesn't have love. He's love. Yeah. Three things God, Bible says God is.
[20:05] Three things. He is light. First John chapter one verse five. He is light. Bible says that he's love. God is love. Said first John chapter four verse 16. Said God is love.
[20:16] And anyone who dwells in love, dwells in. God is love. So God is light. God is love. And John, it looks like John likes saying all this. John is deep.
[20:27] In John chapter four verse 24, God is a spirit. God is a spirit. So God is certainly love. But we have to be very biblical in our definition of the God of love.
[20:42] Because they have stretched it to mean that if God is love, he can't have anger. He can't have wrath. They have elevated the love attributes of God to butcher his justice.
[20:58] So because he's a God of love, he shouldn't have justice. And what's the point of a law which there will not be consequence when you break it? God is a God of justice.
[21:09] That's why he has wrath. Bible talks about Romans chapter one verse 18. It said for the wrath of God is revealed. What? What? I can't imagine.
[21:19] So God has wrath. The wrath of God is revealed. Romans chapter five verse nine. It talks about the wrath. The wrath. We can be saved from wrath.
[21:33] Romans chapter two verse five. Romans chapter two verse five. Romans chapter five. It talks about an impertinent heart. Treasure. Give us New King James.
[21:44] Please. You are treasuring up for yourself wrath. And the day of wrath. There's a day of wrath coming. That's the day God will actually now show his wrath.
[21:55] So God has wrath. And then Ephesians chapter five verse six. It talks about children of disobedience. The wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
[22:08] The wrath of God. And here in Colossians chapter three verse six. It said for the sake of these things. Can you imagine? For the sake of these things. Because of these things. The wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.
[22:20] Because of. Because of fornication. Because of impurities. I'm not saying something different from what the scripture is saying.
[22:32] New King James from verse five. Look at New King James from verse five. Let's all read it out now. Let's go. Let's go. Your members which are on the earth. Fornication.
[22:42] Uncleanness. Passion. Evil desire. And covetousness. Which is idolatry. Now look at the next verse. Let's go. Because of. One more time.
[22:53] Because of these things. For the last time. Because of. Because of. What are these things referring to? These things. Because of these things. The wrath of God is coming.
[23:04] But the wrath of God never comes to believers. This wrath we are talking about. Is coming upon the sons of disobedience. Ephesians chapter two verse two.
[23:18] And Ephesians chapter five. We just read Ephesians chapter five. Ephesians chapter two verse two. It says. In which you once walked. According to the course of this world. According to the prince of the power of the air. The spirit who now works.
[23:29] In who? The sons of. So there is a spirit that works in people. Who are not in Christ. They are called the sons of. Another term for them is. Sons of disobedience. Not because.
[23:42] He's a bad person. She's a bad person. She doesn't have to be an evil person. Doesn't have to be an evil person. But by nature. Is disobedient to them. Is independent. I live my own life.
[23:53] I make my own. I live the way I want to live. Not really God telling me what I should do. And sometimes. Even when you know there is a law of God. The sons of disobedience. I live my.
[24:04] I still make my own decisions. In spite of. God. And it says that. The wrath of God. Comes upon the. Sons of disobedience. For the sake of these things.
[24:15] The wrath is coming. That's why when you're a Christian. You don't have to be so upset. With someone. Because of their sins. That's. That's. That's. Now you're also moving.
[24:25] Into a different realm. You are so upset. With someone. Because of their sins. You don't even feel. They deserve to be. Helped. If they are hungry. Don't give them food. Call this a sinner. No. No. No. Please.
[24:37] Please. Don't. It's a sinner. I can never help a sinner. I don't think you know God. The closer you are to God. The more merciful you become.
[24:49] The closer you are to God. The more loving. Loving. There's a difference between endorsement. And. Acceptance.
[25:00] You can accept someone. Without endorsing their behavior. Like your. Family member. Who has this. Deplorable. Damnable. Attitude. See your family member.
[25:11] You can accept them. But it doesn't mean you endorse their behavior. So in the same way. A Christian. Must not be on a crusade. Against people.
[25:22] Because they are not Christians. You can't. I'm against you. Our crusade. Is to preach the gospel. And our crusade. Is to present.
[25:33] Christ. That's all we have got to say. Not even stop your sins. Our message is not stop sinning. Our message is come to Christ.
[25:44] There are kind of two different things. Because people can stop. They're bad. You say they should stop. But still. There's another side of them. That is very anti-God. So our message is one.
[25:58] For God so loved the world. That he gave you. You don't have to die in your sins. When you can die in Christ. That's our message. He said. I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
[26:10] For it is the power of God. Unto salvation. That power that brings salvation. It's in the gospel. It is the power of God. Unto salvation. To everyone who believes. To the Jew.
[26:21] And then to the Greeks. For in it. The righteousness of God is revealed. In the gospel. From faith. To faith. Then he says that. For the wrath of God is revealed.
[26:32] After that. Another one. Spoke about the righteousness of God. Before the wrath of God. The preaching in Acts. Never mentioned. God is love. They actually spoke about.
[26:43] The righteousness of God. The justice of God. And the sinfulness of man. So. It says that. For which things seek.
[26:54] The wrath of God comes. And look at the verse 7. Very interesting. It says in the verse 7. That. In which you yourself. Once walked. When you lived in them. We were all coming from somewhere.
[27:05] Now. Hmm. One way or the other. How were you walking in these things? The manifestation of the flesh. The members were ruling you. And if the members rule you. One way or the other.
[27:16] Sometimes. Oversely or coversely. Oversely. These things will be. Active. In your life. But sometimes. We judge ourselves. By others. We look at this way. And think. I'm better.
[27:27] I'm not as bad as the police. It's not got anything to do with others. It has everything to do with you and God. You and Christ. So. It says that. We once used to live like that.
[27:39] Then verse 8. Today I'm covering a lot of verses. Very quickly. Verse 8. But now. Someone say by now. By now. By now. By now what?
[27:50] You yourselves are. Not Holy Ghost doing it for you. You yourself are to do what? All this. This is interesting.
[28:01] Watch this. The first 5. It said. Kill. Multify. But verse 8. It said. Put off. So. You modify.
[28:12] This physical. Things. Physical. Desires. These desires that are. Heavily. Embedded. In your members.
[28:23] It said. Kill them. And then when it comes to the next one. It said. Anger. This seems to be. Psychological. These are. In a different realm.
[28:33] Of your being. Anger. Wrath. Malice. Blasphemy. Filthy language. Out of your mouth. Oh. I like the way.
[28:45] The. Message puts it. It's like. It's like. Old clothes. You have to take it off. That's the old man. Message Bible says that. But you know better now. So make sure.
[28:56] It's all gone. For good. Bad temper. Irritability. Meanness. Profanity. Dirty talk. Both online.
[29:08] And on WhatsApp. Dirty talk. Talk there. Does not mean. What you just. What says. Out of your mouth.
[29:19] Your expression. Dirty talk. Said. Put all these things. You see. How interestingly. He was teaching the Colossians. How not to.
[29:30] Hinge. Their Christian work. On behavior. Let no one judge you. Don't do this. But. On another hand. Is now. Depicting. Let me tell you something. He's not talking about.
[29:41] Just a person's. Individual behavior. As he's talking about. Someone who is. Part. Of the body of Christ. And this thing. Should find an expression. In all of us.
[29:52] Corporately. I'm going to emphasize. A bit more on that. Back. It says that. Put off all these things. Put off all these things. There are things. We have. To put off. It's like.
[30:03] Take it off. New living translation. But now. It's time to get rid of. Anger. Rage. Malicious behavior. Slander. And. Dirty language. It's time.
[30:15] Tell someone. It's time. It's time. Some of you. I know you will not say it. Because you don't think it's time. It's time. It's time.
[30:25] It's time to put some things. Off. It's time to put some. In Colossians chapter 2 verse 11. In him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands.
[30:37] How? By putting off the body of the sins of the flesh. Put off. The body of the sins of the flesh.
[30:52] Seriously. Put off. Put off. That distance. Picks up on Colossians chapter 2. If you have passed through it.
[31:04] It's a put off. Let's look at Romans chapter 6 verse 6. Knowing that the old man was crucified with him. That the body of sin might be done away. That's a same.
[31:14] Another way of putting off. Talking about the body of sin. So. The old man was crucified. Who is this old man? That has been crucified.
[31:26] When the Bible uses the word. The old man. Is talking about. Your natural self. And everyone was born with a natural self. Your natural self.
[31:38] Who you actually originally are. Outside of any other thing. God. God. Your natural self. And he says that. That old man. Was crucified.
[31:50] Said that. Okay. The amplifier says that. We know that. Our old self. Now that word. Self. In itself. It's not.
[32:00] A wholly accurate translation. I'll come to that. But. Put. We know that. The old self. Better still the old man. Our human nature.
[32:12] Without the Holy Spirit. So when we talk about old man. Your human nature. So some people. That's about. I'm just being natural. I'm just being me. Me. Me. Yeah. They ask for me.
[32:24] That. That. That old man. Is the same. Described. Or. Referred to as the. I. In the. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless.
[32:35] I live. Galatians chapter 2 verse 20. So when he says that. I am crucified. That I. Is the old man. And. The old man. Watch this very carefully.
[32:46] The old man. I'm going to get it. Slightly technical. The old man. Is your soul. Life. You know. You have. A man. As. Spirit.
[32:58] Soul. A man is a spirit. He has a soul. And a body. A human being. Every human being. There are three parts. Your spirit. Your soul. And body. And then. Every aspect. Must be taken care of.
[33:08] Your spirit. Some people only take care of their spirit. But the more spiritual you are. You. You get a sense. To take care of your soul. And you become sensible enough. To take care of your body. The way somebody is reckless about your body.
[33:21] Tells me you are not spiritual. Because spirituality is usually all encompassing. True spirituality does not leave the other parts of your existence.
[33:33] That's why I tell students. If you are very spiritual. You will not be failing exam by heart. Because you can't say I'm so spiritual. And you don't study. You can't be so spiritual.
[33:43] That you. Sometimes you get so angry. You lose control. What spirituality is that? So spirit. True spirituality. Affects every aspect.
[33:54] Of your entire being. Spirit. Soul. And body. Now watch this. When you are not in Christ. When you don't have Christ. You are just spirit. Soul.
[34:04] And body. You still have spirit. But your spirit is. Irresponsive to God. You are not alive to God. And your soul. Watch this. There is a life. The real life. Of you. The soul becomes the leading part of your existence.
[34:17] Not your spirit. That's why. People are so dominated by their feelings. What they want to eat. Where they want to go. Who they enjoy. Who they love. I love you so much. I can't do anything. I love you so much.
[34:28] And you can be stalking someone. Because you just love them. Yeah. People can do that. Dominated. Obsessive. Dominated by their soul life. And it's.
[34:39] Many people. Can you imagine if you have. Lawmakers. Who are just soul. There will be a coalition course. With Christian values. Because it's.
[34:51] If I make. If I make. If I make. If I make a thief. And I make a law. I won't add theft. No, no. How can I make a law against theft. When I'm a thief. And I can't stop it. So I have to redefine theft.
[35:03] And say that. It's just. A weakness. In humanity. See. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. That is what I'm saying. That is what I'm saying. When the righteous. Rule.
[35:13] The people rejoice. When righteous. People. Rule. It's important. Let me not go too much into that. So. Your soul life. There is a life.
[35:25] Of. The real you. The soul. It becomes. Your. The dominant. Part of your existence. Now. When you come into Christ. It is not the soul. That is crucified. It is the life.
[35:37] Of the soul. So it doesn't mean. The soul dies. But that leading. Part. The real you. That finds its expression. Dominantly. From the soul. And affects every aspect.
[35:47] Of your being. When it says that. I am crucified with Christ. It's not your soul. But it's that life. In the soul. And God wants it. Out of the way. So that. The life of Christ.
[35:57] Now become the dominant. Part of your soul. That's what it is about. So then. The life of Christ. Becomes the dominant. Part of your living. The soul. Life. Must go.
[36:08] It must be crucified. So now. When he talks about. The old man. Is crucified on the cross. He's talking about. That. I am. That I. My nature. My natural.
[36:21] Self. Who I am. By nature. Must find his way. On the cross. And God. Wants. That. Who. Every one of us. Is. To stay on the cross. That's my nature.
[36:32] That's my inclination. That's how I feel. That's how I feel. All those things. The center of you. Must. Find its way. On the cross. So that now. The new life.
[36:42] In Christ. When you come. Into Christ. God. When you become born again. As I said. About two weeks ago. When you become born again. Two things that happen to you. The life of Christ. Is injected you.
[36:53] And not only that. The spirit of God. Is also in you. And you have a supply of the spirit. And you have the life of God. And you can afford to live. From the life of God. When you make it become the center of your living.
[37:05] So then. You can have the life of God. And still not live by it. That's what we call. Soulish Christian. Psychicus. You live from your soul. But not from your spirit.
[37:17] Because the life of God. Is in your spirit. And watch this. When the life of God. Is injected in your spirit. The plan is. For it to start. To spread. To renew. In your soul.
[37:29] The mind. Is the living part of your soul. So your soul. So the more. You turn to your spirit. And the spirit. Bible says. Walk in the spirit. And you don't fulfill the desires of it. The more. The soul. Takes the back seat.
[37:40] Or the soul life. Cannot influence you. That's when the. The beauty of a Christian life. Begins to emerge. Which is not necessarily. Based on religious norms. But it's based on the life of Christ.
[37:53] In a person. That's when God. Watch this. Not only. The life. And the mannerisms of God. Will be expressed in you. Which is called godliness. Also. The purpose of God.
[38:04] The program of God. The agenda of God. Finds an easy expression. In your life. When the life of Christ. Is dominating your life. People who. Are full of. Just good behavior. That's all.
[38:15] It's good. Please don't get me wrong. Good behavior. If all your Christian life. Is just good behavior. You don't steal. You don't cheat. You don't lie. You don't. Immorality. You don't do. That means. Your spirituality.
[38:26] Is handicapped. It's not complete. Because the more godly you are. Is not only behavior. But also. You fulfill. God has an agenda.
[38:37] God has a program. God has a plan. How can you claim to be working with God so much. But yet. His plan doesn't find an expression through your life. All things work together for good.
[38:48] To those who love the Lord. And according to his. We always leave the his purpose out. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 11. It talks about he works all things. According to his. God has an agenda.
[39:00] God has a counsel. He has a plan. What. Much of our Christian life should be lived in exploring. The plan of God. On earth first.
[39:11] And then where I. What role I play. In the plan of God. Why are we alive. Is God up to something at all. Are you just safe. To just be.
[39:21] Blessed. I have money. I have this. I have health. That's incomplete salvation. You've got something wrong. How come that. There are people who never had money.
[39:32] Who never had all those things. And yet. They were fulfilling the plan of God. And their rating in heaven is higher. Than the one. Because God's attention is. Primarily what is.
[39:43] God's plan. And God's attention is primarily. Hinged on his purpose. By his purpose is no without you. You are part of his plan. He is.
[39:54] And what is he doing. He is building his family. On earth. For a time. When everything will be gone. And what will be left of his temple. So.
[40:05] When you read Ephesians. In Ephesians chapter 1. Let me say this. I like making reference to Ephesians. A lot. Because Ephesians is very significant. When you read Ephesians. Ephesians gives you.
[40:15] God's portrait. Of the church. You don't know. What the church is about. Until you read Ephesians. And understand Ephesians. Ephesians is a book.
[40:26] Dedicated to. Giving us. A clearer picture. Of what the church. Is to God. And what God plans. With the church. It's a very important thing. And the first.
[40:37] Portrait. That was depicted. In Ephesians. About the church. Is that. In Ephesians chapter 1. Verse 23. The church is the body of Christ. That's a very big mystery. The church is the body of Christ.
[40:48] So then. The life of Christ. In the church. Is what makes the church active. That's why we can't be having church. Without Christ. All the places you see. They say church. And Christ is not centralized. Not church.
[40:59] Is there social gathering. And preaching is not good. If it's not Christ centered. Not church preaching is sound. When it's not Christ centered.
[41:10] It doesn't matter. You can't touch on other things. But at the base of it. Is this Christ thing. And. So portrayed. As the body of Christ. Then he didn't leave it there.
[41:21] He takes it further. In Ephesians chapter 2. Verse 19. By portraying the church. As the kingdom of God. And we. His citizens. That's a strong. That is a kingdom.
[41:32] kingdom. And the citizens of the kingdom. Are you and I. Who are in Christ. And he didn't just leave it there. He takes it even further. That just not a citizen. Is a household. So when you go to the.
[41:43] Buckingham Palace. Or the royal family. There is one family. And everybody has this role. To play. And now. God is saying. That the church is a family. The household of God. And we are members.
[41:54] Of this household. Then. It looks like. That was not enough. Then he takes it. A little bit further. Than just. The body of Christ.
[42:05] Just the. Kingdom of God. The household of God. By saying. We are the temple. We. The church. Is the temple of God. We have been. Ephesians chapter 2.
[42:15] We have been. Built up. Into a holy temple. What? Built together. Into a dwelling place of God. It's a holy temple. I don't want to translate it. Into a holy temple. That grows.
[42:26] God. So. Look at the. Look at the portraits. The Bible. Is giving us. About church. That's why. When I see people. Make mention of church. Flippantly.
[42:37] In a cavalier manner. I feel like. You don't actually know the church. I've said this before. Many years ago. This is about. 19 or 18 years ago. I was watching. Christian television. And this big.
[42:49] International Christian. Superstar. Was talking. And then he said. That you know. When. When Christ comes back. He won't go to the church. He'll go to the marketplace.
[42:59] Go to the homeless people. On the street. What is he going to do there? Maybe you're not thinking far. You can see the depiction of God.
[43:12] Is going to people who are homeless. People who are hungry. People who are living in sin. And they are. They're prostitutes. They're addicts. Those are the people he's going to. I can't. I can't imagine.
[43:22] What he's trying to say. Which is not bad in itself. Trying to tell that. The church. Let's reach out to. Let's not. Just stay in our cocoon. Or our bubble. And think it's just.
[43:33] As me. Oh it's me. No. There are people out there. We have to reach out to. Who's going to tell them? So that's what he was trying to say. But. The way he presented.
[43:44] That when Christ is not coming to the church. It was very. Very. Unhealthy presentation. Because the church. Is the house of God. Why would he go somewhere. When he's coming. He's coming.
[43:55] To home. He's coming. The home. He's coming home. Did you understand? He's coming. He's coming to his family. Yes. When you travel.
[44:07] And go somewhere. And when you are coming. You can't wait to go back to your family. Yes. So God is Christ. Because the church is so precious. Yes. He said.
[44:18] The church is the body of Christ. What's this? The church is his body. His body. The church is his body. But that's. I'm belabling this point too much.
[44:29] Because the meat is coming. Much more. They present the church. This has not been taught very much in the modern day church. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 15. Thus.
[44:40] He presents the church as the one new man. What? What? He says that. Having abolished in his flesh. The enmity.
[44:51] That is. The law of commandments contained. In ordinances. So. Watch this. So. As to create. In. Himself. One new man.
[45:02] From the tomb. That's why Christ came to the cross. To create. One new man. He picks. One. And he picks. Two.
[45:13] Different entities. No wonder Ephesians chapter 2 verse 20. Says that Christ himself is the cornerstone. Is the gluing aspect. Listen. We can be good friends. But it doesn't mean we can work together as Christians.
[45:25] Effectively. Unless. Christ. Is the bonding agent. If you marginalize Christ. What makes your marriage. A Christian marriage. Is how Christ is the center of the marriage.
[45:37] How Christ. Is it? Maybe marriage. From your background. Is very bad. It's always. There's a lot of fighting. It's like a. Karate. Lessons. But.
[45:48] When. Christ becomes the center. It doesn't matter the feelings. Christ has a way of keeping the two. Together. Now. Listen to this. He said. Himself is our peace.
[46:00] Who has abolished the ordinances. And. Created. In himself. In. So he's the sphere of creation. Everything happens inside Christ. So he creates.
[46:11] In himself. One new man. From the two. So. He takes. This. One. And takes this one. And joins them.
[46:23] And you see the two. There. This one new man. Thereby making peace. Now. He's not talking about. Just two individuals. He's talking about. Different factions. Yes.
[46:33] Initially. Jews. And Gentiles. Because Jews. And Gentiles. Don't mix in worship. But Jesus Christ. Took away the divisions. And brought. Jews. And Gentiles.
[46:43] And created. What was this one new man? Is the church. Now. The church is. One new man. If anyone be in Christ. Second Corinthians. Chapter 5. And 17. He's a new creation.
[46:54] The church is. The one new man. Ephesians chapter 4. Verse 24. We read it earlier. We saw it earlier on. Ephesians chapter 4. Verse 24. And that you put on. The new man. There's a new man.
[47:06] Now. You see. Put on here. Colossians. Put off. Now. You are not just putting something off. But there is something else. You are supposed to be wearing. You are supposed to. In. Romans chapter 13.
[47:17] Verse 14. It says. Put on Christ. What? So I can wear Christ. Oh yeah. Colossians chapter 3. Verse 27. It says. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. So like. The Lord Jesus Christ.
[47:27] It becomes like a coat. That you can wear. Put on. But before you put on. It says. Put off. So. Put off. The old man.
[47:38] Now. Let's look at the text again. Colossians chapter 3. Is someone with me? Colossians chapter 3. From verse 8. But now. You yourself. Are to put off. All these things. And it mentions.
[47:49] All that. Look at verse 9. Oh no. It says. Do not lie to one another. Tell somebody. Don't lie. To one another. Last week.
[47:59] I was sharing. Some people. After church that. I was going to say. I didn't get saved. Because I ran out of time. A child was asked. In Sunday school. What is lies? It says lies. It's an abomination.
[48:10] To God. But a very present help. In time of trouble. Oh. Oh. Lies can be. Very present help.
[48:21] In time of trouble. Yes. Is that Colossians 3 verse 9 please. Quickly. Colossians.
[48:32] Do not lie to one another. Since you have watched this. Did you notice that 1 verse 5. It says that. Mortify the members. Then the next verse.
[48:43] Verse 8 says that. Put off. So first one. It says mortify. Then verse 8. It says put off. Or put away. Then verse 9. Look at verse 9. Put off behavior.
[48:53] Put off. Mortify the members. Put off. Those internal. You know. Psychological things in your life.
[49:04] It says put off the. Now verse 9 says. That put off the old man. With his this. So now it says. Even the entire. You. As for me. As for me. As for me.
[49:15] That is what is giving the church a problem. Devil is not the problem of the church. The old man. Your old man. You. Because someone is likely.
[49:26] To cross you. And your old man will wake up from the cross. He will jump out of the cross. You know who you are dealing with. Why are you interested in my boyfriend? Aha. It will bring your old man alive.
[49:36] Very quickly. The old man. It says now. Put off. The old man. With his deeds. And he doesn't stop there.
[49:48] And watch this. Let's go to the next verse. Which is this. And have put on. The new man. That's where I will be. He said. You have put on the new man.
[50:00] Watch this. Who is renewed. Didn't you find out. That the new man was created. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 15.
[50:11] The new man was created. But now here. It says the new man is renewed. Creation and renewal. Two different things. When you come into Christ.
[50:22] The new man is created in your spirit. To live the life of Christ. Because Colossians. You know. They have been invaded. With all kinds of ideas. In their mind.
[50:33] So now the new mind. Is renewed. In our minds. So. So put on the new man. Let's go. Put on the new man. Which renewed. In knowledge.
[50:43] The more you get to know Christ. As the image of God. Who is the expression of the church.
[50:53] The more you grow. In the knowledge of Christ. As the image of God. The more you are putting on the new man. The more. You can actually live the. Watch this. The church.
[51:05] Life. Because the new man is not. You know. I made mention of the word self. When you look at. English standard version. Or new Americans standard version. They use the word new self.
[51:17] Self. Is kind of. Not the appropriate translation. Because self is just. But the new man. Man there. Is not talking about. The Greek word.
[51:28] That translated man. I think. Neos. Or something like that. Is not talking about. A person. As talking about. Humanity. Alright.
[51:39] So anytime. You come across. Man must not live by bread alone. You're not talking about male. So that means. Women can live by bread alone. No. He's not talking about.
[51:49] Male. He's talking about. Humanity. And so this. New man. Is talking about. New humanity. Because. The old humanity. God created.
[52:00] The old man. But the old man. Was infested. With sin. So now. God had to. Terminate. The old man. On the cross. In order to germinate. The new man. On the cross.
[52:12] So the cross. Was doing two things. Terminating. The old man. And germinating. The new man. And then when you come into Christ. The new man is created in you. Now. It's in your spirit.
[52:22] It must then begin to grow. To renew your mind. To renew your soul. So you put on the new man. Who is renewed. Said. Who is renewed.
[52:33] In knowledge. According to the. The knowledge is. In accordance with. The image of Christ. Who created him. Now. The more you know Christ.
[52:43] As the image of God. The more effective. You can be. As an instrument. Or a vessel. In the hands of God. So you see. This Christian thing.
[52:55] Is not so much. Resting. On just. Pure behavior. For other religious people. To compete. With me. On grounds of behavior. If it's just.
[53:06] Pure religion. Then you have. Missed. What God is about. What the church is about. And what Christianity is about. Christianity. Has a lot of. Beautiful. And heavy.
[53:17] Wonderful. Godly behavior. But that is not. The core of Christianity. The core of Christianity. Is the life. Of Christ. Becoming. Our life.
[53:28] And we. Living it. Within the church context. Oh. Let me. Let me. If I say church context. People may not get it. Within the corporate life. That's what I mean by church.
[53:39] So. It's not just me. How is that you are. You are. You are. So strong a Christian. And you don't have allies. You don't have. Christian brethren. You serve God with.
[53:51] You worship with. You get on with. You study together with. No. You are not living a Christian life. You are not living. You are living a self life. No. Don't take anyone serious.
[54:01] Who tells you. Me I'm just Christian. That's why I don't even do church. You actually don't know Christ. You don't know Christ. If you know Christ. Then immediately you do. Is you're going to look for church. If you really.
[54:13] The gospel. That tells you about. Mary's son. That. Went to the cross. And after that. Nothing. Is not telling you about. The resurrected Jesus.
[54:23] Who is the high priest. Who is the captain. Of our salvation. Who is our forerunner. He doesn't tell you. That Jesus Christ. Who is the life. Of the body. Or the head. Of the body.
[54:34] Of Christ. The gospel. That does not depict. Jesus Christ. As the head. Of the body. It's not a complete gospel. It's not a complete gospel. How do you. Behead the church.
[54:44] You put the head somewhere. And you put the body somewhere. And you say. No me. I don't have anything to do with the body. It's just the head. You actually don't understand. What the head is. What is the head without the body.
[54:57] And worse of it all. What is a body without a head. It's a corpse. Not a body. It's a corpse. So if you are. United with the head.
[55:09] It will show. In your behavior. In the body. Did you hear what I said. Someone of us. Offended me. Get away yourself. Put that self on the cross.
[55:20] This thing is not about you. I don't like the way. They treated me. I don't like the way. They talk to me. I don't like. You are so much. Full of your soul. I don't like. I don't like the way.
[55:31] Sometimes my wife talks to me. And because of that. I'm not going to church. I'm not going to church. Listen. Get away yourself. Okay. We all don't like some things. But really.
[55:41] It's not about us. Didn't they tell you. About speed cameras. I just don't like them. But it's not about me. It's my car. But it's not about me. There are other road users.
[55:53] Who are very happy. With the speed camera. Because of. Dangerous people like you. Who want to drive in here. So the point I'm making. Is that. The more Christian you are.
[56:06] The more. You are able. To build the church. With others. When I'm talking. I'm not talking about. Eternal life. International. Prophetic.
[56:17] Agenda. Church. International. I'm not talking about. A particular name. But the best way. To be able to be. Effective. In the church. Is within the local.
[56:28] Church context. Because you have. The local church. Is like. A commitment. You are there. They know you. Someone can call you. To account. When you don't show up. In church. Can you imagine. If you go. Get up.
[56:38] And go to any church. The Lord leads you. You wake up in the morning. Holy Ghost. What church should I go. Say. When you hear. The Holy Ghost. Say go here. And you come. And tell me. The Holy Ghost. Say go to this other one.
[56:49] I can guarantee you. It's not the Holy Spirit. You heard. It is not. Because Holy Spirit. Is not interested. In this kind of. Infantile behavior. Pediatric. Pediatric. Kind of.
[57:00] Spirituality. Holy Spirit. Won't answer. That kind of question. In it. Saul of Thessels. Ask. The Lord Jesus. Say what do you want me to do. He said just go. Disciples will help you. Go to be discipled.
[57:11] Anyone who marginalizes. Church. Doesn't have a true revelation of God. The church. Is the. One new man. And watch this. Put up the old man. And put on the one new man. That's even deeper.
[57:22] Than just behavior. That's deeper. Than just behavior. After behavior. It shouldn't be a problem. Put it off. But. Don't just say. I've top this. I've top this. I've top this. I've top this. How about.
[57:33] What are you wearing now? Put on the new man. Put on the church life. It's a corporate life. It's a corporate man. Pastor. By that. It doesn't say. She showed us a corporate man.
[57:43] Let me end on that. Look at the verse 11. Look. Let's. Okay. Let's start from verse 10. Watch this. And have put on the new man. Who is renewed. In knowledge. According to the image. Of him who created him. Where.
[57:54] In this new man. There is no Greek. Jew. Circumcised. Uncircumcised. Barbarian. Scythian. Slave. Nor free. But Christ. Is all.
[58:05] And in all. That's the new man. It's in all. And in all. How does the message Bible put it? Let's read the message Bible. Let's go. Let's go. This whole thing is about Christ.
[58:36] Christ is me. Christ in you. That's the grounds on which I can marry you. That's the grounds on which I can have fellowship with you. As Christian fellowship.
[58:47] Is there Christ in you? Not the you I don't like. Is there Christ in you? Christ in you. Did you receive something? Yeah. Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry.
[59:02] You're welcome to connect with David Entry on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can also find more Spirit-filled messages from Karis Church on YouTube and all relevant streaming platforms.
[59:15] Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share the message. Be blessed.