Epistles of Paul 90

Good evening, brethren. Paul, as we read in Acts 28 verse 30, stayed in Rome for two years in house arrest. That was probably between the years 59 to 61 AD and, or maybe 60 to 62 AD, around about that time frame. And from there, he wrote a number of what we call the prison epistles. Last time, we covered Philharmon, and today we're going to start covering Ephesians. There are basically three of these prison epistles that are written to congregations. Philharmon was written to an individual, but Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians are the three prison epistles that are written to congregations and we'll cover them in that sequence. There are a few epistles that we really need to explain carefully because, and you, we all as brethren, need to be able to explain them because the world in general use these few epistles as a way to do a way of God's law.

Those are the epistles of Romans, Galatians, Colossians, and Ephesians. Just to give you an idea where those geographical areas are, we can see Ephesians. It's in this area in Asia. Then we see Galatians is this Galatia area.

So it's Galatians. Colossians is an area which is right next to Laudasia. We'll see that it says that the letter to Colossians is to be read in Laudasia and vice versa. So there must have been another letter which did not become part of the Bible, out of the Holy Scriptures. But it said Colossians is to be read in Laudasia.

Obviously, it's Romans. So those are the four letters that people use to do a way of God's law.

Now, Ephesians is one of those letters, but there's only basically one or two areas in Ephesians which people use to try and do a way with God's way of life and God's law, which we will cover, obviously, later. But as an introduction to the Book of Ephesians or to the Epistle of Ephesians, it's good to get a little bit of background. Now, you may wonder why it is important to get a background of a letter, but amongst others, it helps us to understand the culture.

It helps us to understand what is occurring locally, and that would impact the context. Also, because there are different dynamics in different regions, so you could have certain things happen in one region, which would be pertinent, and in another region would not be as pertinent. Like, for instance, if you had to write a letter to the brethren, for instance, in New York City, the things, the dynamics in New York City, would be different than the dynamics, for instance, than in another city like Chicago. I remember when I used to talk to Mr. Bob Fay. He used to say how different the dynamics were, but imagine if you were to write, for instance, to a lot in Oklahoma and writing to, for instance, Toronto, Canada, the situations are different. And so it is important to get the background of these different letters for us to get a little bit better understanding of what was happening at that time. Now, Ephesus was colonized by Greeks over a thousand years before Christ. They say about a thousand and forty-four. But anyway, it is a long time, and it was part of the Roman Empire about 133 years before Christ. And Ephesus became the capital of the Roman province in Asia, and therefore during Paul's time, it was a major commercial metropolis for trade and business. So, Ephesus became a center, and we can see that Ephesus actually became quite, there was a lot of development in the Gospel, as we'll see a little later, and God really opened a lot of doors in that city. Now, there were two great architectural features in Ephesus. One of them is the temple of Diana, also called as Artemis. It took about 220 years to build that temple, and that temple was about the size of a football field, as about 324 feet, say about 100 meters by 164 feet, about 50 meters wide.

If we look at Acts chapter 19 verse 29, Acts 19 verse 29, which is still there, and so the whole city was filled with confusion and rushed into the theater.

Sorry, I meant Acts 19 verse 24, starting from verse 24. And there was a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana and brought no small profit to the craftsmen. So we see there was the temple was there, and the worship of Diana and making silver things, and it became a great business. And we can see in verse 28, and there's even it says, you know, when they heard about the stray that is being impacted, in verse 28, in verse 28, there was this riot that broke out, great is Diana of the Ephesians.

So there was a real riot that developed there, and this whole section up to verse 41 addresses that, because there was that big temple of Diana. Diana was a goddess, very well known in that region. But in verse 29, which I was reading a moment ago, says the whole city was filled with confusion and rushed into the theater. So the second great architectural feature in Ephesus was this theater. It was excavated on a western slope of Mount Caresses, and it seated about 50,000 people. That is like a normal, a large football stadium, 50,000 people. And so there is this theater, which was like an amphitheater on the rock formation, and there in front of it there would be different things that would happen. It's also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 32. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 32, and it says, if in a manner of man I afford with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? And so yeah, it would have been in the theater where that fighting with beasts would occur there in Ephesus. All right, so Ephesus, as I mentioned, was a big area colonized by Greeks, a city, a very old city at that time, over a thousand years, nearly 1100 years old at that time. There were some great or large architectural features.

And let's look at Paul's visits to Ephesus. Paul first went to Ephesus during his second missionary trip. So let us just share that map so you can see his second missionary trip. We can see he left in the second missionary trip. He left as we have here Antioch, and then he went through Galatia, and then he went into into, well, let's call it Europe, Macedonia, all the way through to Corinth, and then on the way back he went via Ephesus. And so that is his first time he went into Ephesus. That was during his second missionary trip. We read about that in Acts 18, Acts 18 verse 18 through 21. Acts 18 verse 18 through 21. You see, so Paul still remained a good while, and then he took leave of the Brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him, and he had cut off his ear at St. Croixa, for he had taken a vow, and he came to Ephesus. So he came from Corinth, and he came to Ephesus. And we read here, when he got to Ephesus, where is it? I lost the place here. Verse 18 verse, yeah, verse 19. And he came to Ephesus, and left him there, but himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. So he went there with Priscilla and Aquila. He left them in Ephesus. He went into the synagogue, reasoned with the Jews, and then he left, as we can see in verse 21. But took leave of them, saying, Amazpah means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, possibly the Passover feast. So he was striving to get to Jerusalem. Then in his third trip, in third trip, then he came, as I mentioned a little earlier, in his third trip, or I showed this map a little earlier, he went through Elisha, and then he went to Ephesus. And then let's see in verse 24 through no verse chapter 19, chapter 19 verse 1 through 10. And well, before that, we know that Apollos visited Ephesus. And then on his third journey, Paul then, it happened, it looks like 19 verse 1, as it happened while Apollos was at Corinth. So Apollos had been at Ephesus, then Apollos went to Corinth. Then Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. So that's this third mission, having passed through what they call these upper regions, these mountainous areas. Then he came down to Ephesus. So we see that he stayed there for about three years. We can see that, for instance, in verse 10 says that he continued for two years. But in chapter 20 verse 31, in chapter 20 verse 31, we read when he came to Corinth on his way back from Abbac Miletus, it says here in verse verse 31, he said, and therefore watch, and remember that for three years I do not cease to warn every one night and day with tears. So he was there for three years, and he kept warning them for that period. We can see also that it was a period of great success. We read in the words of preaching the Gospel of great success. We read in Acts 19 verse 11, and now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul. So this is why he was at Ephesus, that even ankerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sea, and the diseases left them, and evil spirits went out of them. So there was a great work being performed by God through Paul there in Ephesus. So it was a period of great success for the Gospel, and the Gospel through Ephesus spread throughout Asia, through that area of Asia. And so it became later, well, a center of the Church of God after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem after 70 AD.

We know that the Apostle John was there, and he was in the Isle of Patmos, and the Isle of Patmos is just outside Ephesus. So if I show you the map again, just to give you an idea, because that's when the Book of Revelation was written, but we can see the Isle of Patmos is right there, and that's where he was in jail, and then he was, let's call it, the pastor of Ephesus. So later on, Ephesus became a center for the Church, for the New Testament Church.

On his third trip, that's Paul's third trip, when he returned from Corinth, and that, let me just show the map again so we can see it clearly. So he went through Macedonia, which is the north of Greece. He went to Corinth, and then when he returned back, when he returned back, he did not actually go to Ephesus. He went to Miletus, which is like 30 miles southwest of Ephesus about that. So he went there, and we see that in Acts chapter 20, for instance, in verse 2 and 3, you see, and when he had gone over that region, he encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece and stayed there for three months. That's the area of Corinth, and when the Jews plotted against him, and he was about to sail to Syria, in other words, to the area of where Ephesus is, he decided to return through Macedonia. And so that's where he did. He went, and then he ended up, we read in verses 15 and 16 of Acts chapter 20. It says, we sailed from there, and the next day came opposite Chios, and the following day we arrived at Samos and stayed at Trog, Gileum, and the next day we went to Miletus.

For Paul, he decided to sail past Ephesus, so he decided not to go to Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia. So he wanted to go to Jerusalem. He says, if possible, on the day of Pentecost, so he wanted to go there for Pentecost. So, all right, so he was there, and then we can see in verse 17, from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.

And so the elders of the church came from Ephesus to Miletus to meet him. And that story is from verse 17 through verse to the end of this chapter of Acts 20 of what happened when he was in Miletus and when he spoke to the elders from Ephesus.

And so we see that he exhorted them to stand fast in the faith, and also he foretold what would happen to him. So we see in verse 21 and 22, he says, he is explaining how he went through and testified to Jews and also to the Greeks about repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, and see now Agau bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there.

And so he was expecting that that things were going to get tough for him when he would get to Jerusalem at the end of his third trip. Then from verse 27 to 31, we have a section of Scripture which is very important, and then he says here in verse 27, still in Acts 20 verse 27, for I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.

For I know, for I know that this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock, among or also from among yourselves men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch and remember that for three years other Nazis to warn everyone night and day with tears.

And so, in a sense, it's like he kept giving similar messages and similar sermons day and night, trying to hit the point that things were gonna get rough. And how many of us have heard of situations of ministers leaving the church, for one reason or other, maybe they felt that they were maltreated and they left and started their own group.

And so, all is warning them of this very thing. We've got to be careful with that. Now it's interesting that in Revelation chapter 2, Revelation chapter 2, it's also talking about the church in Ephesus. And that is Christ writing a letter to the church in Ephesus. And so this was the time of the book of Revelation, so around about written somewhere in the years 90 of AD, so maybe 94 or whatever, somewhere there in the period between 90 and 100. And in Revelation chapter 2 verses 1 through 3 says, to the angel, which is to the messenger, or to those that have the leadership role of the church in Ephesus.

So that would be to the church in Ephesus, because it applies, obviously, to the literal churches, but also applies to attitudes that prevail, and that the historical, not only the church historical, but to attitudes that can happen, and attitudes that people can have. And it says, these things says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, which is Christ, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil, and you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars.

So, here is Christ talking to this early church, early, let's call it apostolic church, in the early centuries after, let's say, the year 100, in those first early years, and he's saying, encouraging words, saying, look, I know your works, your labor. So it's positive, good, positive points. Like in the letter that we read, the last Bible study about a letter from Paul to Philemon, he also started by giving positive points, and then it says, nevertheless, nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

And so, Yah is a point of constructive criticism from Christ, saying, you have left your first love. The first zeal, the work that they were doing, and we can see how Paul was prophesying that in Acts 20, that there would be some people that would leave from among them, and it says, remember they fall from where you have fallen, repent, and do the first works, or else I'll come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent.

But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Lecolaitans, and that's these Gnostic ideas you hate, which I also hate. And so he says, and whoever has a year to year, whoever understands the truth, let him take note and year. And so we can see that Acts 20 and Revelation 2 tie together, and points to the early church. So now what we have is Paul as a prisoner, which arrived in Rome as a prisoner about the year 59 AD, and he had various visitors.

He had Epithroditis from Philippi, he had Tychicus from Ephesus, and he had Epiphras from Colossae, and he had others like John, Mark, Luke, and Timotheus. So they were there as visitors, and so now he's there writing these prison epistles. Interesting enough, there are similarities between the epistle to the Ephesians and the epistle to the Colossians. In fact, they could be contemporary, and maybe they both were sent by Tychicus. Let's just look at Ephesus Ephesians chapter 6. Ephesians chapter 6 verse 21. Ephesians chapter 6 verse 21, he says, but that you also may know my affairs and how I'm doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you. So it appears that this letter to the Ephesians was taken by Tychicus to the Ephesians, and he says, well, Tychicus will tell you more about me. But now look also at Colossians chapter 4. Colossians chapter 4 verse 7. Colossians chapter 4 verse 7.

He says, Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. Very similar verses, which kind of could be concluded that Tychicus took these both letters and went to the Ephesians area and then went further inland to the area of the Colossians. And it took possibly then within the letter to Philemon.

So we are talking about a time period of about the years of 60 to 61 of the current era. So that kind of gives you a fairly good background of of this epistle. Now let's talk a little bit about the purpose of the book of Ephesians. The main theme of Ephesians is one of unity in Christ, to be united in Christ. That is the central theme. The first few chapters, the first three, basically give us a summary of the key Christian doctrinal focus of Paul during his ministry. So the first three chapters basically focus on what Paul was concentrating in his messages.

And the last three chapters of Ephesians 4, 5 and 6 are more related to practical Christian behavior points, like related to marriage, related to the ministry. So some practical Christian behavior points. Paul also gives some warnings about Satan's devices.

And overall, he also focuses on building Christians spiritually. In other words, to, for us as Christians, to make sure that we are growing in in in our faith as being Christians. Now there are many possible modern applications to these principles that that we're going to read in Ephesians. Let me just mention a few. We need to reject false teachers, ideas that are masquerading themselves as Christians. We need to try to continue in the path followed by the church, the body of Christ, through the centuries. We need to reject those who were null and alter Christ's teachings. So we need to stick to the basic doctrines.

We need to have that first love, that spiritual love and enthusiasm, for the truth that people, when they first come to the church, they're full of zeal. But we need to maintain that, because when normally what happens when we face trials and difficulties, apathy is quite often a common result. People get tired and just too difficult to expand the same energy as before. And then they may say, well, it's not necessary to preach. Just hold fast. And that's why in Christ in Revelation 2 verse 5 said, repent and do the first works. And so there, we need to have those first works of loving the brethren, love of God, and love of doing his work.

An eagerness to participate. Remember how many years people never minded how long distances they had to drive. Nowadays, some people are, no, it's too far. You know, and I'm not talking about when there are obviously health issues in others, but those are quite justified. I'm talking about when those issues are not there. We also need to extend our efforts to attend Bible studies, because quite often, commitment wanes. And we remember in all days how we would go to Bible studies, having to drive many hours with our children, and then late at night drive back. So we made very specific efforts. Are we, at this time, are we losing that first love?

Those that are capable to attend, they should attend rather than choose other options instead of being with the spiritual family. What about regular prayer and Bible study?

Is it waning? Is it kind of getting lax? And what about attitude? Is it kind of easy to blame, start accusing, or even distrust this trusting brethren and others? And last but not least, what about serving others and willingness to volunteer the church? So these are things that that we could see as modern applications of making sure we don't lose that first love. So let's now, with all this background, let's start Ephesians chapter 1 verse 1.

It says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. And so you see, yeah, that first the authority comes from God. And the very meaning of the word apostle, yeah, it's emphasizing there is an authority, an authority that Paul is exercising that comes from God. That's not a dictatorship, not putting people down, because Paul always showed a lot of love how he put things across.

A lot of care, not speaking rashly and hard to people, but in other words, keeping a good uplift and encouragement amongst the brethren. And so, but he emphasizes that he has a position of authority, and it's an authority that is received from God. And then he writes, he says, to the saints. Now, this is interesting because, you know, the Catholic belief is like, oh well, you're going to have died, you're going to have, you're going to have to have died, and the number of years, and then you are made a saint, quote unquote. Well, yeah, he's talking to people that are living, that he's defining them as saints. You and I, we are in yeah, in God's eyes, saints, if we have God's Holy Spirit. In other words, we are set apart, set apart. Right, verse 2, "...glace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." So that's the common introduction. Again, it's an attitude of loving kindness and desire for us to be living in peace and to have peace of mind. That is the desire of our Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a point between brackets, yeah, the Holy Spirit is not mentioned, yeah, because he's not a person, as you can see that. But this is the common introduction that Paul uses, basically, in his epistles, and so he mentions that. Then he goes on to verse 3, "...blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." What has God blessed you and I with? Maybe it's something that we should meditate and think about. What have we been blessed with? What blessings, spiritual blessings, do we have?

For instance, being called and knowing the truth, knowing the true God, being able to discern the truth from the lies of this world, and therefore having this great hope and understanding it. That is a spiritual blessing that comes from from the heavenly. Note that the word places is in italic, which means it's not in the Greek. And so it's blessings that come from heaven in Christ or through Christ. So God blesses us through Christ in many ways. Verse 4, just as He chose as He knew before the foundation of the world, this sometimes people get a bit confused. God established His purpose to create human beings before the foundation of the world. And His desire is that ultimately all will be chosen to be in His family, to be called, will understand the truth, because that's why He made us as human beings. That's His purpose. That's what He's desired, but He has decided God has predetermined there would be a few that will be called first. God in His plan is decided there would be a few that will be the called out ones that would be part of His, let's call it, the first ones to receive the Holy Spirit. Ultimately all, it's a matter of timing, yeah, ultimately all that repent will receive God's Holy Spirit, but you and I, God chose, God predetermined, God decided in His plan there will be a few that would be the ones to receive the first fruits of God's Holy Spirit. In Romans 8 verse 23, Romans 8 verse 23, it talks about that, and it's important for us to understand that it says here, it says not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit.

We are the ones that have God's Holy Spirit today. We are the first few that have received the Holy Spirit today. Why? So that we can be trained. When God sets up His kingdom on earth, He will have a group of people that will have been trained. In other words, you'll have a priesthood that is properly trained. You'll have a ministry that is properly trained. In other words, you'll have a bride that is ready for the tasks that we will have as teachers, kings, and priests under Christ. In other words, you'll have a group of people that have or that are qualified to take over the government responsibilities under Christ in the first stages of when the kingdom of God is established to rule on earth during the millennium. One analogy that I do have given at sometimes is that God is preparing us to, let's say, be the cabinet, the ruling, governing cabinet under Christ for that of that government. And so, yes, others will be qualified to teach at different times, but those that are the first few, we have been called for that purpose. Now, it does not mean that you were chosen specifically by name before the creation of the world. In other words, your name and specific? No. But what it means is that God had a plan, and he had a plan that he chose decided right from the foundation of the world that he will have a group of people that would be the first to receive the first fruits of the spirit. Then they would receive the Holy Spirit to be what? To become holy, to become separate, to become people or beings that are blameless, that are righteous, have God's righteousness. Look at the rest of verse 4. He chose as in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

We have to become separate, saints, sanctified, separated, holy without blame.

So when we're going to rule with Christ, nobody can point fingers and says, well, saints have got this problem, that problem, and the other problem. Yeah, we all have problems as human beings, but with other come, we have changed with the help of God's Holy Spirit.

Verse 5, having predestined us, you know, was predestined to adoption as sons. In other words, predestined to be sons of God. That's what the predestination is about, is that we, God, decided that we would be children of God. That will be his sons.

God has willed a plan that is going to be carried out and will be carried out, and part of that plan, he predestined a method through which we will get into the kingdom of God. And the method is repent, believe in God, and be baptized. That was kind of the first few steps. Acts 2 verse 38. Let's just read that in Acts 2 verse 38.

And then Peter said to them, repent and let every one of you be baptized. Well, they had to believe because in the previous verse, verse 37, they realized that they had killed Jesus, who was both Lord and Christ, and they said, what shall we do now? So they believed in Christ, and now they repented, and they needed to be baptized. They needed to make a commitment to be different, okay, in or by the authority of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. In other words, they would be repented, would be baptized, they would have hands laid on them, as we see in Acts chapter 8 verse 15 through 18. Acts chapter 8, 15 through 18, you see our people that had been baptized. We can see that in verse 13, and then in verse 14 says, now when the apostles, where the Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who when they came down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. And so you needed to have proper ministers of Jesus Christ, in this case with apostles, but proper ministers of Jesus Christ that had the delegated authority to represent Jesus Christ. In other words, to pray and lay hands on them. That's what it says. Then they laid hands on them, verse 17, and they received the Holy Spirit because they laid hands on them by the authority of Jesus Christ. In other words, in Jesus Christ's name, by his authority, they had the authority to do so by Christ, and therefore Christ honored that, and they received the Holy Spirit. Look at verse 18, we see Simon Mayers saw that through the laying on of hands of the apostles. It was of those that had the God-given authority to do so.

The Holy Spirit was given, and he offered them money, so he had the wrong spirit as we know that. A little later in chapter 19, Acts chapter 19, verse 5 and 6, Acts chapter 19, verse 5 and 6, we see, and when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, in other words, by Jesus Christ's authority, because they had been previously baptized with a baptism of repentance, but they had not been baptized by the authority of Jesus Christ, and so they had to be baptized by that authority, in the name of Jesus Christ, which is not just words, it's actually by that authority, which is very meaningful, and when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied, so it showed evidence that they had received God's Holy Spirit, and so the method that God is predestined for adoption is that we've got to believe, we've got to repent, we've got to be baptized, we've got to have hands laid upon, we receive God's Holy Spirit, and then we have to grow and overcome. We have to grow in the knowledge, in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we've got to apply ourselves, live, become like Christ, and then we will be in the kingdom at the resurrection, or when we get transformed at Christ's coming. And so this predestination, yeah, in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 5, it's got nothing to do whether you're predestined to be saved or predestined to be lost.

It has nothing to do with that. Predestination, yeah, has to do with being saved, coming into the Church of God, and when we... it's when God decides to bring us there. So some were predestined to come earlier. Others will come later. So those that came earlier, they are now the first fruits of the Spirit, and they have to be overcoming so that at Christ's coming, if they have been faithful till the end, Revelation 17 verse 14, that means they're called, chosen and faithful. If they remain faithful till the end, then at the resurrection, they will then become Spirit beings, and then they'll become the first fruits. So now we are the first fruits of the Spirit, symbolized by receiving the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. At the resurrection, symbolized by trumpets, we will then be changing to Spirit beings, really into then becoming the actual first fruits as Spirit beings.

So, and this is all condition of repentance and remaining faithful till the end.

You see, God can give us His Holy Spirit, but we can still quote-unquote miscarry.

For instance, a woman can be pregnant, but can still miscarry, not make it. And Paul knew that he could quote-unquote become disqualified as we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 27. So, Paul understood, and we all understand and need to remember that we gotta remain faithful till the end. 1 Corinthians 9 verse 27. 1 Corinthians 9 verse 27, But I discipline my body, and bring it into subjection, lest when I've preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. So, Paul understand, and we as ministers of Jesus Christ understand, and we all Christians understand or should understand that we have to, as he says, yeah, discipline our bodies and bring it into subjection, lest we become disqualified. Look at 1 Corinthians 10 verse 12. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 12, Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall. So, we can fall. Or, in the example I was saying, like a woman, you can miscarry. You can just not make it. And so, we also read in Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3 verse 12 and 13. Hebrews chapter 3 verse 12 and 13. Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. And so, he's talking out to brethren and saying, be careful, in case this, let's call it like a root of bitterness, this grows like an evil heart of unbelief. And unbelief means starting to disobey.

And we depart from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it's called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. And so, God has predetermined that he would have a family.

But we do understand that we do have a choice to make. We have to be faithful to the end.

God wants us in his family, and I'm convinced God has called people from every age, through all the middle ages, etc. God has called people from every age, so that in his kingdom, you'll have people representing every age, to carry out his plan and purpose.

And so, brethren, this is where I'm going to stop today. Next week, we're going to continue with this verse five, because there's more to say, not only about predestination, but about adoption as sons. And so, we'll continue with that next week, next week, at the next study.