(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Alright, so Ephesians chapter 5 is what we're up to where I left off from last year. And there's a lot, I mean this chapter is jam packed. I'm going to do my best to speed through it and not to rush but to speed through. There's a lot to cover here tonight. But look at verse number 1, Ephesians 5 verse 1. Be ye therefore followers of God. What are we called to be? Followers of God. The total for the sermon tonight is followers of God. Be ye followers of God. Who is to be a follower of God? Let's keep reading there in verse number 1. As dear children. Now brethren this is so important that we start off this chapter understanding who's been referred to here. Who's this being preached to? What letter, this letter, this chapter, who is it directed to? This is directed to God's dear children. You know what are you brethren? You are the children of God. If you've been saved, you receive Christ as your saviour through faith on him then you are born into God's family. You are born again a child of God. Galatians 3 26 says, For ye are all the children of God. How? By faith in Christ Jesus. So if you have faith in Christ Jesus then this is for you. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children. But it doesn't just say children, it says here dear children. So when we think of the word dear, you might say to your wife, yes dear. What are you saying? Or you might write a letter, you might say dear so and so. What you mean by dear is that this person is precious. This person is cherished to you. And so when we read this letter, it says that we ought to be not just children but dear children. We ought to be children that are precious in the sight of God, children that are cherished in the sight of God, that are special. But how is it that we do that? Again the beginning of that verse was be ye therefore followers of God. You see you can be a child of God. You can be saved. You can have your faith in Christ but not be a follower of God. You can be saved by grace through faith. It is not of works, amen. And you might just live a life that pleases self. You might live a life that never attends church, a life that never reads the Bible, a life that barely lifts up your head to pray to the Lord. You'll be a child of God but you wouldn't be a dear child, a precious cherished child with a close relationship with God the Father. If you want to have a close relationship, you want to be dear in His sight, you also need to be a follower of God. That's why these two things are together. These two things are together. And of course this is talking about the saved brethren here. This is important so when you read the rest of the verses, you understand the context. This is about the saved. Verse number two. Now this is important because when we become a child of God, we're saved, amen. Once saved, always saved. Your position before God is the righteousness of Christ, right. So look at verse number two. Now it says, and walk in love. Now does it say here we have to walk in love? Does it say we have to be followers of God and walk in love to be saved? No, you're already saved, right. Now that you are saved, we're being told we are commanded to walk in love, right. Does that mean somebody can be saved and not walk in love? Yes, he can, okay. Because walking in love, being a follower of God is not the basis of your salvation. The basis of your salvation is once again your faith in Christ. Why are you drumming that home? Because as we go through this chapter, you're going to have false prophets, false preachers, trying to teach you a workspace gospel once again using these verses that we're going to come across. So let's understand. Now that we're saved, now that we're dear children, we're commanded to walk in love as Christ also have loved us and have given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. Keep your finger there and go to Genesis chapter eight please. Genesis chapter eight, we've been commanded to walk in love, right, as Christ also have loved us. The same way that Christ has loved us, the same way that Christ has served us, we're now being commanded to live after that same way, okay, to follow after the steps of Christ. But it says here when the way that Christ has loved us is that he offered himself that sweet smelling savour, right, that sacrifice to God, that sweet smelling savour. Before we read Genesis eight, what is this saying? This is saying when Christ took on our sins on his body, when Christ was crucified, when he died, was buried and rose again from the dead, that whole sacrifice, not just the physical suffering but the spiritual suffering of taking our sins upon himself, not just that but the forsaking that God the Father had to do upon his son, all of that sacrifice, as difficult as it would have been to offer up your son, that sacrifice was a sweet smelling savour. That's what it's saying is it smelt good. It's exactly what it means. It's not some complicated thing there, okay. It was good to the Lord. It was good to God. Where does this come from? Look at Genesis eight verse 20. Genesis eight verse 20, we're going to the story of Noah when God flooded this earth because this earth was filled with violence, this earth was a weaker place, and it says here after, well let's keep reading verse number 20, and Noah built it, so this is after he comes off the ark, it says in verse number 20, Genesis eight, 20, and Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Look at this, verse 21, and the Lord smelled a sweet savour. So that's the beginning of that, all right. Genesis, we get a lot of the basic teachings in the book of Genesis that teaches us other things throughout the rest of the Bible. This offering that was being done, this burnt offering, this burnt offering rose up in smell and was a sweet savour to the Lord. Let's keep reading. And the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground anymore for man's sake, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I again smite anymore every living thing as I have done. So you see, when God sees that or smells that sweet savour, he makes a promise, I will never curse the earth again in that same way with that flood. You know what that means for us then? We take the picture there, when the Lord was able to smell the sweet savour of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, you know what he's saying? He says, I will never curse the children again. The children of God, they will never be cursed when they receive Christ as their saviour. If you're in Christ, that sweet smelling savour has risen up to God the Father, and he will not smite you with a curse. Praise God, because that's the offering of Christ that's taken on our curse. The Bible says it became a curse for us. Cursed is everyone that hangeth upon the tree, the Bible says. And so that's the sacrifice of Christ. He was a sweet smelling savour to God. Go back to Ephesians 5 for me. Ephesians 5, and while you're turning back to Ephesians 5, I'm going to read to you from Hebrews 13, 15. Okay, Hebrews 13, 15, it says, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice. Are we commanded to offer sacrifice? Yeah. We are offered the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Brethren, you know every time you thank God, every time you praise God, every time you come to church and you sing the hymns, and the praises unto the Lord are at home, wherever it is that you do, that is a sacrifice unto the Lord. That is a sacrifice that he receives that is like a sweet smelling savour to him. He likes it, he enjoys it. Verse number 16 says, But to do good and to communicate, forget not. What is it to communicate? It's kind of like fellowship. So to do good and to fellowship, to communicate with the brethren, forget not, and then it says this, For with such sacrifices God is well pleased. You know, just coming to church and fellowshipping, you know that pleases the Lord. It gives him honour, it gives him joy to see the brothers and sisters of Blessed Hope Baptist Church come together for church, not just singing the praises, but just enjoying one another's company. So brethren, you know, I really encourage you, I know it's hard during the mid-week, but I encourage you to come to church on time, I encourage you to come and sing the praises to the Lord. Why? Because it is a sacrifice that is well pleasing to the Lord. And hang around a little bit, you know, don't rush off home too quickly, hang around, have a bit of fellowship. Why? Because it's another sacrifice that pleases the Lord. That's why church is so important, so we can then offer these sacrifices unto the Lord. Back in Genesis, sorry, Ephesians 5, Ephesians 5. And so, you know, we are to walk in love and to offer up sacrifices the same way that Christ offered himself. But look at verse number 3. Now, it says here, But fornication, so again, who's the context of this? The believers, children of God. But fornication and all uncleanness, all covetousness, Let it not be once named among you as becometh saints. So what's this teaching? This is teaching that we should not, now these three things that we read there all together, fornication and cleanness and covetousness, these are referring to sexual sins, okay? And the commandment is walk in love and don't do these sexual sins, okay? The first one there, name was fornication. And of course, fornication is that physical intimacy between man and woman outside of the institution of marriage. Nothing wrong with that within the institution of marriage, but outside of the institution of marriage, that is referred to as fornication, right? And then it says all uncleanness. You know, that might be other forms of perversion. You know, that might be things like pornography. You know, things like that, unclean. Those things that are unclean are not to be named among us, okay? And if you're struggling in these areas, you need to learn to put that aside. This is why this chapter is here for us, so we can walk in love, so we can grow in the Lord. And then it says all covetousness. Now, often we think of covetousness as desiring something that does not belong to us, but when it's named here amongst these other sins, you know, it has the reference of lust. And Romans 7 says, For I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. So in the Bible, when the law said, Thou shalt not covet, what is it also saying? Thou shalt not lust, okay? So fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, or lust, that should not be named among us. Now, is this verse saying that we need to stop doing these things in order to be saved? No, okay? But once we are saved, if we want to be dear children, we need to put these sins away from us, right? That is something we need to strive to do, to walk after the way that the Lord has asked us to live. But not just these sins in verse number 3, Ephesians 5 verse 4, guys. Ephesians 5 verse 4 says, Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting. So these are other things that we need to put away from amongst ourselves. You know, look how these things are together. Filthiness, foolish talking, jesting. These are things that we talk about, right? These are things you might get together with your friends and talk about these things. And so this is about what we have to say. So, you know, filthiness is things like speaking, you know, things that are obscene. You know, maybe your four-letter swear words. You know, those are things that should not be coming out of the Christian's mouth. That's not something that should be coming out of the mouth of dear children, okay? You know, using filthy language. And then it says foolish talking, foolish talking. That's just talking foolish, talking stupid things, things that don't matter. Now, Brevin, here's the thing. You know, when I catch a plane, you know, on Tuesdays, and I, you know, I catch a train from Sydney Domestic Airport to Fairfield, quite often when school's on, I'm on the train with school children, right? You know, if they've left early school. You know, I listen to the thing, and they talk loud. I remember being a child on the train. We'd talk loud and talk. But you know what they talk about? Foolish things, foolish talking. I mean, I listen to the way they talk, these teenagers at school, and I'm like, man, they talk about such stupid things. But then I'm reminded, but I did the same, right? I did that same. I was doing the same stupid things, talking about the same silly, nonsense things, but we're commanded as children of God to put away those stupid things. And then it says, no jesting. And you say, but Pastor Kevin, you're always telling jokes. You're always jesting. Well, of course, the context is within this thing, right? Filthiness, foolish talking, jesting. You know, these would be things like dirty jokes, right? You might go to the workplace, and quite often if you're like a laborer, you know, you've got one of these trades. You know, quite often people are telling dirty jokes, you know, very sexual, you know, jokes that are dirty. You know, you should not participate in those jokes. You know, when someone starts saying these dirty things, you should just walk away from that, you know, don't laugh, you know. And the flesh, your flesh will find some of those jokes funny, okay? But you need to make a conscious effort to not participate of those things. And then it says here, no jesting, that's what it says, which are not convenient, which are not convenient. Now, you know what? Keep your finger there and go to Romans chapter 1. There's only two places in the Bible that uses this phrase which are not convenient. And the other place is found in Romans chapter 1, so let's go there. Romans chapter 1, Romans chapter 1 verse 26. Romans chapter 1 verse 26, again, just keep your finger back in Ephesians 5 because that's our main text, but Romans chapter 1 verse 26. It says here, for this cause God gave them up unto vile affections, for even their women did change their natural use into that which is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. So what is it so far that we're reading about? Homosexuality, sodomy, right? Women with women, men with men, you know, these are vile affections the Bible says, these things are unseemly, and then look at verse number 28, and even as they, who's the they? The homosexuals, even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, look at this, to do those things which are not convenient. There it is. There's the other place in the Bible where that phrase is found, which are not convenient. Okay, so when we apply this, when we take this back to Ephesians chapter 5, go back to Ephesians chapter 5, it says, nor jest in which are not convenient. There in verse number 4, jest in which are not convenient. You say, Pastor Kevin, how did we get to a state today where as Australians we've accepted homosexual marriage? How is it that we've gotten to a state today that you can't speak about these things, you can't speak against this community without being ridiculed, without facing rebuke and all these things? When once, just a few decades ago, this was vile. What's happened? I'll tell you what's happened, jest in which are not convenient. You know what happened? They started to add these homosexual characters in your favourite TV programs. They started to make, you know, in the comedy shows, they would add these homosexual characters and people would laugh at them, laugh at their behaviour and it starts to become accepted. You know, accepted TV in your house, you start laughing at this nonsense, you start laughing at this foolish thing and before you know it, one generation later, now it's accepted widespread throughout Australia. That's what started, right? The things which were not convenient. Homosexuality is something, it's not convenient. It doesn't work. It's not meant to work. It's meant to be disgusting, it's unnatural, it's filthy, it's vile. There should be no pleasure found in any of those sins or any of those people that commit such things. You know, it's wickedness in the sight of God. But back to Ephesians 5, Ephesians 5 verse 5. And you know what, especially as Christians, we should not be laughing at the wickedness, we're laughing at the fact that God will bring judgment one day, all right? You know, even the Lord laughs at that, you know, but not laughing with them, okay? Not laughing with them. And so, look at verse number 5. Now this is so important because verse number 5 is often used to teach works-based salvation, okay? And this is why I was just driving home that this passage so far, as we've read it, is about saved people. It's about the children of God. Look at verse number 5. Know this, sorry, for this ye know that no whoremonger or unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Wow, that's a powerful verse there, right? What's it saying there? That if you want to inherit the kingdom of God, another way we say that is salvation, right? Because we enter the kingdom of God the moment you're saved. So the people that are committing, that are whoremongers, committing fornication, things like that, unclean or someone who's covetous, and I'm sure we've all been covetous at some point in our lives, or someone who's an idolater here, it says they want to have inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Now let me just quickly show you how people use this verse to teach, you know, wicked doctrine, okay? Wicked doctrine. Number 1, they'll say, well, see, you know, they say, well, yep, this is about a saved person. So if a saved person, a child of God, commits whoredoms or, you know, is covetous, they'll teach many churches, you know, especially the Pentecostal churches, will teach that person will lose their salvation, right? That they will not inherit the kingdom of God. Yes, they were inheriting it to some extent, but now that they've committed these major sins, now they're no longer committing that, right? They're no longer inheriting that kingdom. And so they teach you can lose your salvation. Immediately, as soon as you hear that, brethren, that should make you go, well, that's nonsense, because we know that Christ has died for all our sins. We know that Christ is the one mediator between God and man. We know that Christ has given us everlasting life, okay? And it's called everlasting or eternal for a reason, right? Because it's forever, it's eternal, it's everlasting. If you could lose it tomorrow, even with major sins, it wasn't everlasting to begin with, okay? So, of course, this church, we're very familiar, that would be nonsense, okay? But the second interpretation that people take on this that is incorrect as well, and you'll often find this even within our own Baptist churches, okay? Even within your own independent Baptist churches. The other interpretation is that if someone is committing whoredoms, if someone is covetous, et cetera, they were never saved to begin with, they'll say, okay? They were never saved to begin with, now think about that. So in order for them to be saved, even if they claim to have believed on Christ, but let's say they continue living in whoredom, they continue living with their girlfriend, whatever, that person is not saved. So they're starting to say what? Not only do you have to believe on Christ, but you also have to give up on certain sins, such as whoredom or covetousness or whatever. So what happens? Well, sin is the transgression of the law. They're saying, well, you need to stop doing these sins, so what do you have to do? You've got to start keeping the law, they'll say. Not only is it believing on Christ, but you also have to stop sinning, you have to start keeping the law of God. And the Bible calls the law works, right? You know, doing the works of the law, the Bible refers to that, or the deeds of the law. That's works-based gospel. And so what you'll find, many times people cannot understand these verses, and they just get confused and start teaching a works-based gospel, even losing your salvation is a works-based gospel. Because if you could lose it, what they're saying is you've got to keep doing the works to maintain it. And so they believe salvation is by faith and by works. So how do we then understand this verse? And that's why, you know, we're spending a lot of time in these first few verses, so we don't get confused here, but how do we understand this? Well, keep your finger there and go to Galatians 5 for me. Galatians 5, because there's something very similar here that we find in Galatians 5. And I don't have to go to Galatians 5 to prove this to you. The reason I'm going to Galatians 5 is just to show you the consistency of the Bible, okay? The Bible's not confusing. It is consistent. Look at Galatians 5, verse 19. Galatians 5, verse 19. Galatians 5, 19, the Bible reads, Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these? Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry. So far, very similar to the list we saw in Ephesians 5. Let's keep going. Witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envians, murders, drunkenness, rebellions, and such like, of the witch I tell you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Wow, very similar. If you do these sins, a lot of those sins that were mentioned in Ephesians 5 are also in this list. They will not inherit the kingdom of God. You say, wow, that's a big list. I've done some of that. Does that mean I've lost my salvation? Does that mean I'm not saved? No. If you look at verse number 19 again, let's start where we started reading from. Now the works of the flesh are manifest. Brethren, is this flesh going to heaven? Is this flesh inheriting the kingdom of God? No. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. We don't go to God's kingdom in this flesh. Before we're resurrected, what's God going to give us? At the resurrection, God's going to give us a new body, a new one that is in the likeness of Christ. And when Christ comes to reign for a thousand years, we're going to be in those new resurrected bodies in the kingdom of God. It's this flesh that does these things. It's the flesh that will not inherit the kingdom of God. It's this flesh that will not see the kingdom or enter into the kingdom of God. Now look, just backtrack to verse number 17, Galatians 5.17. It tells us the truth. Once again, I've preached this many times. It says, for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary, the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. The Bible's saying here, there are things that you want to do. It's saying you want to do right. You want to please the Lord. You want to offer your sacrifices to God. But many times you're stopped because of the flesh. The flesh fighting against the Spirit. And that's the constant battle we have, brethren. And so the flesh can do all of these things in the list. But the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God. Now let's backtrack a little bit more, verse number 16. Galatians 5.16, look at this. This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Does it say, walk in the Spirit so ye will be saved? No, you're already saved, and now that you're saved, you walk in the Spirit. By walking in the Spirit, you'll be able to overcome the lust, the covetousness of the flesh. Okay, brethren, if that is not clear to you, you can ask me after the service. But let's go back to Ephesians 5, verse 6. I just don't want you to get stuck on these verses, okay? And there are too many pastors preaching incorrectly on these verses, and messing up the foundational truth of God's Word, okay? Let's go back to verse number 6, verse number 6. Ephesians 5.6, Ephesians 5.6. It says here, let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God unto the children of disobedience. Now I want you to just remember that, children of disobedience, that's referring to the unsaved, the unsaved, right? But then it says, verse number 7, be not ye therefore partakers with them. You see, the children of disobedience, the unsaved world, they love to do these sins. They live by these sins, right? And we're called not to do those sins. Verse number 7, be ye therefore not partakers with them. Partakers of what? Of, in verse number 6, the wrath of God. You see, even as a Christian, you can feel the wrath of God. You can experience the anger of God in your life, okay? Now, if you can, please keep your finger there and go to Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs chapter 3 for me. Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs chapter 3. And while you're turning to Proverbs 3, I'm going to read to you from Colossians 3, 4. Colossians 3, 4, which says, When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. Is this about believers? Absolutely! Appearing with Christ in glory. Then it says, so to the believers, verse number 5, Mortify therefore, or kill therefore, your members, that's your body or your flesh, which are upon the earth, look at this, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry, for which things, sake the wrath of God, cometh on the children of disobedience. So is God's wrath coming upon the children of disobedience? Yes, it will. It may come upon this life, but it will definitely come at the judgment seat of Christ. Or sorry, at the great weight from judgment, I should say, when they stand before the Lord, and they will be judged as unbelievers and cast into hell. But you guys are in Proverbs chapter 3, look at verse number 11. Proverbs chapter 3, verse 11. You see, we can also experience the wrath of God. It says here, my son, so these are the children of God, my son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction, for whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth, even as a father of the son in whom he delighteth. And we will call the dear children of God. You know, he delights in you, he loves you. So what's the promise here? If he loves you, and he wants the best for you, when you do wrong, when you're living worldly, when you're living in darkness like the rest of this world, what's God going to do to you? He's going to chastise you. He's going to correct you. Just like I take a rod of correction and use it on my children when it's necessary, I do that because I love them, or the Lord God will do that to you, and to correct you, to correct you so you can live righteously. Now, if you don't want the correction of God, then walk in the Spirit, walk in light. You know, walk after his paths. Otherwise, if you start to live ungodly, don't be surprised when God's hand of chastisement falls upon you. Back to Ephesians 5, verse 8. Ephesians 5, verse 8. Ephesians 5, verse 8. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the world, walk as children of light. Now, let's break this down once again. For ye were sometimes darkness. What this is saying is that sometimes, or sometime in the past, you were in darkness, okay? Now, what's beautiful about the rest of this verse is it has our position, and it has our walk once again. Those two things, okay? The first bit, but now are ye light in the Lord. That's your position. You know, if you're saved, you can't, I'm sorry to say, you know, this is something that you shouldn't be ashamed of. You're a light in the Lord, okay? So because you're a light in the Lord, you're a child of light, then you need to do the walk. Walk as children of light, okay? Salvation is becoming light in the Lord, but then once you are the light in the Lord, now you're commanded to walk in light, okay? So that means we don't, you know, walking in light is not salvation. It's something that should come after you are saved. Whether you walk in the light, you are still the light in the Lord, okay? But that's something that is a natural progression of a Christian, someone that is growing in the Lord. Not only do they become light compared to darkness, they should now walk in that light. And verse number nine, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness of truth. Now you don't need to turn there, but he mentions there the fruit of the Spirit. Now the question is often asked, okay, you're telling us to walk in the Spirit. You're telling us to put on the new man, but how do I do that? How do I know if I'm walking in the Spirit? How do I know if I'm walking after the new man or after the old man? How do I know these things? Well, the fruit of the Spirit will tell you whether you are or not. And I'll just read it to you very quickly. Galatians 5, 22, it says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. Now as I keep reading, this is what your life should be made up of, okay? If you're lacking in these areas, if you don't have these things in your life in general, then that's when you're not walking in the Spirit. When you're able to express these things in accordance to God's word, then that is when you're walking in the Spirit. That's expressing the fruit that the Holy Spirit built in your life. Let me read it again. Love, joy, peace, long suffering, that's having patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, that's like humility, temperance, you know, having your temper in control, not getting angry so quickly. Against such, there is no law. That is the fruit of the Spirit. So that is one sure way that Christ has given us in His word to base, how are we doing? How well are we walking in the Spirit? If you find yourself struggling with these areas to live by, then you're struggling to walk in the Spirit. You're probably spending a lot of time in the flesh. If you walk in the Spirit, these things will come out in your life, will come out in your spiritual growth. That's the work of the Holy Spirit, trying to build these fruits in your life. Back in Ephesians 5 verse 10, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Now this is difficult because, you know, everything we do ought to be for the glory of God, right? And so here we're told to prove what is acceptable unto the Lord. You know, whatever it is that you do, as you live your life, you know, whatever you eat, whatever you drink, the church you attend, the times you read your Bibles, or whatever else you do with your life, the things that entertain you, right? You've got to prove that. You've got to say, well, Lord, is this acceptable unto you? And if it is acceptable, praise God, enjoy it. Do it. Do what the Lord wants you to do. But if you find yourself saying, no, this is not acceptable unto the Lord, well, that's something you need to get rid of. That is something you need to put aside because that is not walking in the Spirit. Verse number 11, And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. You see, the Bible, you know, says to have no fellowship with the works of darkness, the unfruitful works of darkness. And so not only should we not be ourselves doing the works of darkness, but we should have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, okay? So that's more of an indirect. So directly, we shouldn't be in darkness, right? We should be walking in light. But indirectly, sometimes, even when you're walking in light, and again, all of us have unsaved family, all of us have unsaved friends, right? If we have fellowship while they're having, while they're in darkness, that is something that we're called away not to participate in, okay? And the Bible also puts it this way in 1 Thessalonians 5, 21, Prove all things, hold fast that which is good, abstain from all appearance of evil. You know, we're called to abstain from evil, but even from the appearance of evil. And this is why you've got to be careful with who you fellowship with, the kind of people you hang around, because their evil, their unfruitful works of darkness can have an effect on you, even indirectly. Or it might put you in that light and people will think of you, thinking that you're backslidden or you're not being fruitful for the Lord because of the company that you keep around. So be careful directly, but also indirectly not to be affected by the unfruitful works of darkness. Again, how do I know that? Prove it, just take it. This is what I'm doing. This is what my friends are up to. Lord, is this acceptable unto you? And if it's not, then have nothing to do with it, okay? Let's keep going, verse number 12. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. So this is kind of the idea where people laugh about their wickedness. It's been a long time since I had really good friends that were worldly, but I would often remember how people just laugh and talk about the wicked things they do. Just the total, just the most sinful things, they'll share that with others. Oh man, I'll get up to this and this happened, blah, blah. What it says here, it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. Someone comes up to you and just again that has that filthy mouth speaking about things of the bedroom maybe. It shouldn't be in your ears about somebody else or things like that. Don't have any part of that. And you can see how deep this chapter is. It's a big calling. It's a high calling to live righteously, to live for the Lord. It's a challenge. All of us, all of us, I don't care how mature of a Christian you are, all of us would be challenged by what we find in this chapter. Verse number 13. Verse number 13. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light, for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. So again, how do we prove what is right and wrong? How do we know what is right? Again, you manifest it. It's manifest by the light. God has given us the light of his word. That's how we do it. We learn the Bible. We learn what God says. We learn about what his commandments are. We learn about the things that are sinful. That's the light. It's not my opinion as your pastor. It's not your opinion or someone else. It's what does the word of God say? And if it shines light on this dark thing that I'm doing in my life, then you need to reprove. You need to speak against those things. You need to put them behind you. In order for you to grow in the light of his word, in order for you to grow in the Lord. The Lord is calling you his dear children, okay? And he wants his dear children to put away the things of darkness. Verse number 15. See then that you walk circumspectly, circumspectly like carefully. Be careful with the way you walk, right? Not as fools, but as wise. Redeem in the time, because the days are evil. What's it saying there? That the unfruitful works of darkness is just going to waste your life. It's going to waste the time that you have. You know, I'm 38 now. I'm turning 39 this year in May, right? I mean, I've already lived half my life most likely, right? I mean, I don't know. I could pass away today, right? Who knows, right? But you know, if I were to live the average lifespan, I've already lived out half my life. I've only got half of it to go. I don't know about you guys, but I feel like life is flying quickly, all right? I mean, I feel like it's just Christmas and then it's going to be Easter. It's going to be Christmas again. We'll be in 2021 soon. It's just going to fly. So it says here, redeem the time. It's trying to like purchase the time. Make the most of the time that you have because the days are evil, okay? And do we live in an evil age today? We do. Do we live in a wicked nation? We do, right? There are abortions. There are these homosexual marriage. I mean, there's such wickedness in this world right now and it's saying here because the days are evil, then we should be shining bright as lights more than we ever have, okay? And the more you stand by the word of God, the more you know God's word, the more you overcome the sins and the darkness in your life, the more you're going to stand out in this evil world, in this evil age, you know? And so let's make the most of our time is what the Bible is saying here, all right? I mean, make the most of your time. If you've got nothing to do, if you find yourself, you know, you've just got nothing to do, you know, let's turn on YouTube and see what's on. No, go and knock a door and give the gospel, all right? Make the most of your time. Do something godly. Do something that matters for eternity. That's what it means to redeem the time. And, brethren, listen, I've wasted a lot of my time. You know, I'm a bit of a procrastinator, all right? I only do things. Like, I'm trying to work this in my life, but I really only do things when I really need to do it. It's like deadline, right? It's due tomorrow. Like, oh, I'll do it now. You know, I'll do it under pressure. But that's not how we ought to be. We should redeem the time. Make every use of the time that's made available to us. That's what's gonna help you be productive and do the most works that you can for the Lord. Now, verse number 17, let's read this. Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is, and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. Now, before I teach what verse number 18 is, again, what is this about? What are we teaching about? Believers. Believers. You know, not walking in darkness, but walking in light. Save people. You know, make the most of your time. Serve the Lord. And in light of this, when we read verse number 18, this should be understand in the context of everything else that we've just read, okay? Now, let me explain to you what some people teach about verse number 18. Let's read it again. Now, let me just, before I read this, I don't believe you should be drinking alcohol. You know, I think the Bible's quite clear on this, okay? Now, again, you know, people challenge you because there's alcohol in your toothpaste, right? There's alcohol in your suntan lotion, sunscreen or whatever. Pretty much every cream, you know, your super glues, that all has alcohol. Your car probably has some alcohol in it if you've got that E10 stuff, right? I mean, you know, so alcohol is a chemical that has its useful properties, you know? So I'm not against alcohol as a chemical, but when we talk about, you know, a cup being brought before you that is for the purpose of getting drunk or things like that, this is what it's speaking about. So it says here, let's read it again. And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess. Now, this is how some people read this. It's saying, the way some people interpret this is don't drink excess wine or you'll get drunk. That's how some people read it, okay? And so what they teach then is a little bit of alcohol is okay as long as you can control yourself, okay? That's what some people teach. Let's read it again. Let's read it again. And be not drunk with wine, okay? So is this person already drunk with wine? Don't be that way, okay? Because the person that is drunk with wine, wherein is excess. Now, look at the rest, but be filled with the spirits. You know what it says there, wherein is excess? That's saying that if you get drunk with wine, with alcohol, you're going to be excessive in your behaviour. You're going to be outside of the norms that God, that you would normally do if you're sober. You know, if someone says, if someone's let's say obese, you know, you'll say that person has put on excessive weight. He's gone beyond the norm, okay? Or you might say about someone, you know, you've done excessively more than I asked, right? You might ask someone to, you know, can you wash my car, I'll pay you 10 bucks. That person washes the car, but then he waxes it, you know, and he vacuums inside. That person has done excessively more than was asked, right? So it's doing beyond the norm, all right? So what this is teaching, in light of being filled with the Holy Ghost, that if you get drunk, you will do more than the norm, okay? You will do some stupid things, is what it's saying, right? So for example, you know, someone that might be struggling with lust, he might be struggling with the thoughts of fornication or adultery. Now, under the normal circumstances, they might be able to control themselves, but under the influence of alcohol, that would allow them to break through their normal hindrances and do that which is in excess, do that which is wrong. I mean, how many stories do you know of someone who is drunk? I mean, I can think of one right now where someone's told me I was drunk, I don't remember anything, and this is what happened. And it's some major, major sins, right? Major wickedness that we're committed. And they're like, I don't even remember doing it. And if they weren't drunk, they wouldn't have done it. They've done it in excess, is what this is teaching, okay? So someone that is drunk will operate in excess. I'm sure, I don't know if you've seen drunk people. Usually, if someone's like kind of generally a happy person, like a positive person, and they get drunk, they're excessively happy, right? They're excessively cheerful. And you know, someone that's usually maybe negative, a bit cast down in life, things like that, when they get drunk, they get excessively sorrowful, right? They're crying out, you know, drinking down those, that alcohol. That's what alcohol does. It pushes you beyond your normal boundaries, all right? So instead of doing that, instead of getting drunk with alcohol, what are we called to do but be filled with the Spirit? Be filled with the Spirit. You see, the opposite is this. If you're filled with the Spirit, you'll also be able to do things excessively. You'll also be able to do things outside of the norm. But this would be things that please the Lord. You know, brethren, I never thought I could be a pastor, let alone a pastor of two churches, all right? And the only way I can do that isn't because of me. It's because of the feeling of the Holy Spirit. I never thought I'd be able to preach three or four sermons a week. Never thought. But I can do it excessively. Why? Because of the Holy Spirit. I'm sure many of you that knocked doors today, many of you that have seen souls saved, once thought I could never do that. I will never do that. You know why you could do it? Because the Holy Spirit worked in your life. It worked in your life, and you could do in excess more than what you could do before. And so in light of all that we're learning here, you know, we're caught, it's a very high calling to walk in the light that God has given us, to walk after his ways. How are we to do this? In ourselves? We're on strength? No. We have the Holy Spirit. That's how we do it, all right? And this is a truth also. I don't know if you've ever tried to preach the gospel to someone that's drunk. Don't waste your time. I've tried numerous times. They're not going to get it. They don't get it. I've tried. I've tried really hard, many, many times, to give the gospel to drunk people. Because here's the thing. You knock on someone's door and they're drunk, they're more likely to let you talk. Because they're drunk, right? But I remember going up in Queensland. I can't remember. It was like a five-hour drive from where we live. We went to this Aboriginal community. And we went there in the morning. We knocked doors. We got a whole bunch of people saved in the morning. Then we went to have lunch. Then in the early afternoon, we had another session of soul-winning in that community. And I'm telling you, by 2 p.m., they're all drunk. All right? I'm telling you. And here's the thing. I probably was able to talk to more people at 2 p.m., you know, and I'm talking to them, but it's just going over their heads. I'm asking them basic questions and they don't get it. Say, why couldn't they be born of the spirit? Because they were filled with drunkenness. They were filled with alcohol. It's one or the other. It's one or the other. You know, one will tend to the flesh. The other will strengthen the spirit. And so, you know, people under the influence of alcohol, you know, they'll behave in a manner that they would not normally behave. Verse number 19. Ephesians 5, 19. It says here, Speak unto yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Brethren, you know what we're called to be? Singers. To sing praises to the Lord as we saw earlier. To give, you know, that sacrifice unto the Lord. Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Brethren, please, you know, try to be, again, to church on time. Try to be here for the hymns, for the singing. That's going to lift up your heart in praise. Thanks given to God. And, you know, sometimes, I don't know if you've noticed this, sometimes, you know, to preach, it requires, I've heard, I don't know if this is true, I've never really fact checked this, but I've heard from my old pastors that to preach, it takes a lot of nervous energy. And it's like running half a marathon. Not physically, but just emotionally, you know. And it's challenging to study God's word and then to proclaim God's word. I'm sure, like, just when you go soul winning, you go soul winning, you probably don't even walk that much. But you find yourself after an hour, it's like, man, this is tiring. It is tiring because, you know, you're working, you're preaching God's word, you're doing the work of God. And so sometimes, you know, before I get up to preach, I don't feel I'm ready to preach. I feel there's something lacking. I'm just not there yet. And so what I sometimes will do is like, all right, brethren, let's just sing one more song. When you hear me say that, let's just sing one more song. Has anyone got a favorite? I just need one more song to get fired up, right? Because that's what it says there, right? Speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing, making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God. Sometimes I just need that extra song to get in there, into my heart before I can preach God's word. And let me just encourage, if you're a preacher, and you just don't feel like you get behind the pulpit, and you're just not feeling it, just sing one more song. Just do it. I'm telling you, it's going to make a big difference. Make a big difference. You know, the Holy Spirit can work in your heart, through your heart into your mouth. Verse number 21, verse 21, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. So we're called here to submit to one another. It's not, yeah, I'm the pastor, yeah, I have the rule in this church. And a lot of you guys do wonderful things to me. I've already been given gifts before I walk into the front doors by some of you guys. Thank you. I appreciate it. I appreciate the service. But here, it's not submitting to the pastor, submitting yourselves one to another. You know, we're here to serve each other. We're here to be submissive to one another in the fear of God. And then this takes us to the next sort of topic here, which I'll speed through, because I preached on wives and husbands not long ago. But look at verse number 22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. Wives, if you want to have a New Year's resolution for 2020, you know what it should be? If it isn't already, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as unto the Lord. That's how much, right? As if the Lord Jesus Christ was asking you to do something, that's how you ought to treat your husband's requests. I didn't say that. It's from the Bible. It's from the Word of God, right? Verse number 23. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the savior of the body. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Now, ladies, I'm just talking to wives. I'm talking to the wives right now. Let's read it there again. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ. Wives, don't speak out, but should Blessed Hope Baptist Church be subject to Christ? I'm sure you'll say yes, right? Should it be subject to Christ sometimes, most of the times, or all the time? All the time, amen? All the time. So, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. I didn't write that in your Bible. It's right there, ladies. Okay, in everything. Whatever your husband asks from you, you know, do it as unto the Lord, okay? You say, well, what if my husband asked me to do something sinful, do something wicked? Well, that's when you obey the higher power. You see, your husband is under the authority of someone as well, and he's under the authority of Christ. And if Christ has told you not to do something that is sinful, but then your husband who's under Christ tells you to do something that is sinful, then you obey Christ. That is the only time that it's right for you to disobey, to not be submissive to your husband, is when they are contrary to what Christ has asked you to do, alright? So let that be your New Year's resolution, wives, to be subject unto your husband as New Life Baptist Church should be subject unto Christ. And the wives will say, well, that's not fair. I hope you don't say that. I hope everyone, all the ladies right now are saying, yeah, praise God, because that's what I'm going to do in 2020 and beyond, right? But just in case someone says, well, that's not fair. What about the men? Well, look at verse number 25. I personally think it's harder for the men. Verse number 25, husbands, love your wives. Let that be your New Year's resolution, husbands, in 2020. I'm going to love my wife more than I've ever loved her before. Love your wives. How much? Even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. That's how much you love your wives. Love her so much that you're willing to die for your wife. Are you willing to die for your wife, men? Well, that's what the Lord's asked you to do, alright? Just like Christ gave himself for the church, you ought to be willing to give yourself to your wives. Verse number 26, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. So what does it mean to love your wife as your own bodies? In the same way you look after yourself, you ought to look after your wife. So if you get up in the morning, you put some clothes on, you wash your face, you have a shave, you get ready for the day, then you need to give that same care and thought to your wife. Give your wife the things she needs to be able to function through the day. Not just the physical things, but the emotional needs that she has. Even if it's unto death, that's how much you are called to love her and give yourself over to her. Not only did Christ die for the church, but what else did he do? It's said here that he sanctifies us, he cleanses the church by the washing of water by the word. So ought men, you're called to be the spiritual leader in your house. To teach your family the word of God, to cleanse your family and be that leader. That's what you're called to do. Lead your wives, lead your children. And this ought to be, for a man at least, this ought to be the decision. As soon as you say, honey, will you marry me? That's when you're saying, I'm willing to lay down my life even unto death if we get married. At that point, when you get married, it's no longer hang out with the mates. It's no longer go to mum's house because she's got better cooking. No, no, no. Once you're married, you're giving yourself over to your wife. She's number one in your family. You need to be there for her to encourage her, motivate her, give her the things that she needs to be an effective wife. Verse number 29. Verse number 29. For no man ever, yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church. What do you command it to do, men? Nourish, cherish your wives. Verse 30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife and they too shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. So the mystery here is that the relationship between Blessed Hope Baptist Church and Jesus Christ is ought to be as a picture of marriage, a picture of a husband and wife, that this Church needs to be subject unto Christ. Whatever Christ says in the Word, that's what we ought to do. That's what we ought to strive to do, to be submissive to Christ. And the promise that Christ gives us is that he's going to cherish and nourish this Church. Alright, cherish and nourish this Church. Let's keep going. Verse number 33. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself and the wife see that she reverence her husband. That's the best marriage advice you're ever going to get. Some people have said to me, you know, can you give me marriage counselling? You know, people that have been wanting to get married. I'm like, just read Ephesians 5. Ephesians 5 has all the answers. The Bible has all the answers how husbands and wives ought to treat one another. So what I really want to drive just from these last thoughts here, brethren, Blessed Hope Baptist Church. This is a Church built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. If we want to continue experiencing the nourishment that comes from Christ, then this Church needs to continue being submissive to God, submissive to Christ in accordance to his Word. Let's never depart from the Word of God. This is what brings out that close fellowship and relationship with Christ as a picture between husband and wife. Let's pray. Let's pray.