The Temperament of the Temperate - Dr. Frederick K Price, Decembefr 04th, 2023
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00:00 And so 2nd Timothy chapter 3 the last two scriptures we read were
00:06 verses 8 and 9 here and I just want to I want to quickly look at
00:11 Verse 1 we're gonna read the first three verses of 2nd Timothy 3 and then drop down to verse 10
00:19 It says but know this that in the last days perilous times will come which we all see every day
00:27 It says for men will be lovers of themselves
00:29 lovers of money
00:32 boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents
00:35 unthankful unholy
00:38 We see this everywhere
00:40 verse 3 unloving unforgiving slanderers and then look here without what
00:46 without self-control or without temperance
00:50 without self-government
00:53 without self-restraint
00:56 That is what Paul is writing to Timothy about regarding
01:01 In the world in in in the framework of the world system in
01:07 The last days perilous times will come and here's what it's gonna look like
01:12 and
01:14 Then in verse 9 he says however their folly or their foolishness will be manifest to all
01:20 Just like the folly and foolishness of Yanis and Yombris the sorcerer sons of Balaam
01:27 They were they were made a spectacle
01:29 By God working through Moses, but then look here in verse 10
01:33 He says but you
01:36 Now remember Paul's writing to who he's writing to Timothy. He's saying but you Timothy you man of God have carefully followed my doctrine
01:47 And my manner of life and purpose and faith and long-suffering love and perseverance
01:53 Persecutions also afflictions also which happened to me at Antioch and Iconium at at Lystra
02:01 what persecutions I
02:03 endured and out of
02:06 some of them
02:09 Out of most of them
02:14 Out of them all what did the Lord do?
02:16 Paul said he delivered me
02:21 Because he's a deliverer
02:24 He says yes and all who desire to live godly put a pin there
02:30 Anyone in this room anyone streaming desire to live godly I
02:39 Desire to live godly
02:44 Well, he says
02:46 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus might suffer persecution
02:52 Will
02:56 Will you desire to live godly get ready for the persecution and
03:01 The persecution is going to increase as the days get closer to the Lord's appearing as times become more perilous
03:09 The persecution of believers who stand firm in their faith will increase
03:15 But let us make sure we are always always
03:21 Like those three Hebrew boys
03:25 Shadrach Meshach and Abednego
03:30 Their Babylonian names
03:36 Interestingly, we know them by their Babylonian names, but their Hebrew names Hananiah Azariah Mishael
03:41 Those are their born names
03:44 Hebrew boys who who who were good friends of Daniel and
03:48 Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's his dream and explained to him the image that King Nebuchadnezzar saw in
03:55 In his dream and and in that dream the top part of that image was gold which represented Babylon Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom
04:03 There were other precious metals that represented other kingdoms
04:06 But Nebuchadnezzar and his pride decided to make an image entirely made of gold implying what the kingdom of Babylon will
04:13 Last forever. Oh, and by the way, I
04:15 Need everyone to bow down and worship my image
04:19 and
04:21 those three young men said
04:23 I'm gonna go with a no a strong. No
04:25 I'm gonna go ahead and pass on that. Well, if you don't worship the image you're getting tossed into the furnace warm it up
04:34 Let's go
04:36 Fully convinced that their God would deliver them they said but worst-case scenario
04:41 Let's just really think worst-case scenario. I die and go be with God
04:45 But I'm not worshiping your image and and Saints Church
04:50 We are we are we are seconds away from that
04:56 When you look at the condition of the world, we're judged harshly for what we believe
05:03 So if you desire to live godly in this life
05:08 You're gonna suffer persecution
05:11 It says watch this but evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived
05:17 That's why they do the deceiving because they are deceived. It says but you Timothy
05:23 must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of knowing from whom you have learned them and that from
05:30 Childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures
05:33 Which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus and Paul brings his childhood up again
05:41 The importance of raising your children up in the word and raising your children up in the scriptures
05:46 That's why Paul opens up his second letter to Timothy
05:50 Inspiring and acknowledging his mother and his grandmother Lois and Eunice. They kept that word before Timothy
05:58 He says in that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation
06:04 Through faith which is in Christ Jesus all scripture is what given by inspiration of God
06:11 It is given by inspiration and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in
06:19 Righteousness and that includes self-control and temperance that the man of God may be what?
06:25 complete
06:28 Complete when it says man of God is talking about males and females
06:31 That the believer in God may be complete or mature
06:36 Thoroughly equipped for how many good works?
06:40 Thoroughly equipped for all for every good work
06:48 So that means we have to we have to improve in the area of temperance
06:54 The area of
06:57 Self-control look at look at Titus now
07:00 Paul writes to Titus here in chapter 2
07:05 And he
07:13 he shares
07:15 some things that are
07:17 necessary for Titus to
07:19 Speak and declare to God's people and
07:24 and when these things are spoken and declared to God's people God's people should receive them and
07:31 And then live these things out
07:34 Act act on the things which are declared
07:38 Via the man of God Titus chapter 2 like his epistle to Timothy
07:44 Paul is writing to Titus
07:47 He's writing to Titus. We get to peek in on on the conversation the letter that Paul personally
07:56 Pinned and wrote to Titus chapter 2 verse 1 it says but as for you speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine
08:03 What a responsibility
08:07 If I'm not teaching you sound doctrine get me out of here now
08:14 Speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine that the older men be sober reverent and what temperate sound in faith in love and in patience
08:21 We read that again that the older men see when the Word of God goes forth
08:39 when when when things that are proper for sound doctrine are spoken and
08:44 They enter into the ear gates of those listening. It says the older men are to be sober
08:51 That's discipline
08:53 reverent
08:55 temperate self-control
08:57 Self-restraint sound and faith in love and patience watch this the older women likewise
09:02 Likewise that they be reverent in
09:09 Behavior in behavior not slanders not given to much wine
09:14 teachers of good things
09:16 For the older women to not be slanders and not be given to much wine. That means they need to be also
09:23 exercising temperance
09:25 self-control
09:28 Says that they admonish the young women
09:30 That the older women admonish the younger women
09:37 That the older women admonish the younger women we need our church mamas
09:44 To admonish them to love their husbands
09:52 To love their children to be discreet
09:56 Chase homemakers good obedient to not just any husband
10:01 But to their own husbands
10:06 I
10:08 think of the scripture over in first Corinthians 11 and
10:11 You know if one is not careful
10:14 Specifically the the male gender can can run amok with that chapter
10:20 Because that chapter says that that man is the head of woman
10:25 Well, well that to me sounds like men are always the head of women always and everywhere
10:32 That's not what Paul was saying
10:35 He was actually saying husband is the head of wife
10:38 Not just man is the head of woman
10:41 and
10:43 More specifically husbands are the head of their own wives
10:46 Not someone else's wife
10:49 It says obedient to their own husbands that the Word of God may not be blasphemed
10:58 Now now don't read something like this and think that that means that you as a woman can only be a homemaker
11:05 You
11:07 You can you can do other things you can venture out
11:11 Make sure the the the home is in order and make sure wives and husbands that you communicate
11:18 About what order should look like in your home
11:20 Yes, it says being obedient to your own husbands, but
11:26 The Bible says submitting yourselves one to another in the reverence of the Lord
11:32 So even though this woman right here angel prices my wife and she must submit to me as I submit to the Lord
11:39 Well, she's also a fellow believer
11:42 and
11:45 There may be times when I need to submit to her wisdom
11:48 And once again, it takes nothing away from me being the head
11:53 nothing
11:56 Make life easy for yourself
11:59 Maybe
12:01 One day out of the week I decide that as the head of this house
12:08 We're gonna do what she said cuz I said we're gonna do what she said
12:11 See you stood ahead man
12:18 Right that the Word of God may not be blasphemed
12:23 Likewise exhort the young men. Oh, so older men
12:27 You have a responsibility to teach the young men just like the older women have a responsibility to teach the younger women
12:32 Exhort the young men to be sober minded
12:36 One who's sober minded is one who has a sound mind one who's in their right mind. That's also one who's exercising discipline
12:44 It says in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works in doctrine right showing integrity reverence
12:52 Responsibility sound speech that cannot be condemned that one who is an opponent may be ashamed having nothing evil to say of you
13:00 Exhort bond servants to be obedient to their own
13:04 Masters, we don't we don't live in a in an environment like that
13:08 Anymore and and and Paul wasn't authorizing this Paul was giving he was giving structure to an to an institution that already existed
13:17 in the earth realm
13:20 Many scholars liken that relationship today to the employer and the employee
13:24 Right, but anything that would be similar to that in other words wherever you go in life
13:30 There is someone who's gonna have authority over you
13:32 Okay, when when when you see the badge that's the symbol of authority
13:40 Yes, sir officer
13:43 and and and I can't be someone who's
13:48 Mad at the police for all of the wrong that's occurred by way of their hands and want to be rebellious against them
13:55 That's out of order
13:57 Why because God has ordained watch this
13:59 I'm not telling you God has ordained the people in positions
14:04 But he has ordained positions of authority
14:07 He has ordained government because he's a god of government. He has ordained governmental positions and
14:15 We're to submit to those
14:17 authorities if those authorities
14:19 Are not telling us
14:22 Something that goes against what we are to ultimately submit to the Word of God
14:29 All right, not pilfering
14:34 To be well-pleasing in all things not answering back not pilfering but showing all good fidelity
14:38 That they may adorn the doctrine of our God and Savior
14:43 In all things we need to wear the doctrine
14:47 That the Word of God should be a garment for us worn at all times so that everyone can see
14:52 Let's go back to Timothy now, let's look at Timothy's first epistle or Paul's first epistle to him
15:00 First Timothy chapter 2
15:05 Verse 8 now our lesson is regarding self-control
15:14 But I'm gonna I'm gonna hit something and it's gonna cause me to deviate for a second I won't do it too much
15:21 But for the sake of clarity, I can't just gloss over it
15:25 First Timothy chapter 2
15:29 Verse 8 we're talking about self-control
15:32 We're talking about
15:35 temperance
15:37 Okay
15:40 Verse 8 so that we keep it in context. It says I desire therefore
15:45 Who's Paul writing to again?
15:48 Writing to Timothy
15:51 He's writing to Timothy he says I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere
15:57 lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting
16:01 It says in like manner also that the women adorned themselves in modest apparel
16:09 With propriety and moderation not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing
16:16 But which is proper for women professing godliness with good works
16:21 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission
16:25 Let's see, let's see how that goes for us this see
16:32 All right woman keep silent
16:39 Oh
16:41 And then it gets worse verse 12 and and I don't permit
16:44 Timothy while we're on it not only let a woman learn in in silence. I don't permit I don't allow her to what?
16:55 To teach or to have authority over a man
17:01 Who I
17:06 Don't permit a woman to teach a man or have authority over a man but to be in silence
17:13 For Adam was formed first and then Eve
17:22 Okay
17:26 What does all of this mean
17:34 Now one might say seems pretty clear to me pastor
17:37 And watch this
17:44 now
17:46 It's understandable
17:47 What I'm about to say it's understandable that this this belief in this teaching and this doctrine would exist
17:53 because it's based on one's interpretation of Scripture and
17:57 There are orientations in the body of Christ
18:00 They wholeheartedly believe that a woman is in sin and is being disobedient if she's teaching men
18:06 if a woman is in a setting like this a setting like we are in and a woman is standing before a
18:14 Group of believers right the church in a in a in a in a public space
18:20 But if that woman is teaching she is in sin and she is out of line and she is going against Scripture
18:27 And and I understand why one might believe that because they're basing it off what they're reading here
18:33 And and and it just it appears. I mean it appears that Paul's really driving this point home, especially since he brings up Adam
18:42 Right, he brings up Adam and then he brings up Eve which sounds to me at least on the surface
18:49 It sounds to me like he's bringing up individuals that
18:53 Transcend any culture because everyone came from Adam and Eve
18:57 So it doesn't appear that what Paul is talking about is local to the environment that Timothy is in it sounds like
19:06 He means this for all time as long as the church remains and he's saying it with apostolic authority
19:12 So it sounds to me like when Paul says let a woman learn in silence with all submission
19:17 He means let all women learn in silence with all submission
19:21 And when he says I don't permit a woman to teach a man or have authority over a man
19:25 But to be in silence, it sounds like he means that as long as the church remains
19:30 That's what it kind of sounds like but is that what he was saying how y'all know
19:39 Don't be saying no because you don't like Paul's words
19:47 First Peter 315 Peter said be ready to give a defense a
19:51 reason for the hope
19:54 You profess for that which you believe in apologies where we get apologists and apologetics from the defense of the faith
20:00 Peter said what you believe it give a defense
20:04 Give a reason
20:07 Let's make sure that our reason for for
20:10 Believing that Paul couldn't mean this for all women at all times as long as the church remains
20:14 It's simply because I don't like how it sounds
20:17 but
20:19 That that that if you don't believe Paul was referring to all women at all times as long as the church remains
20:24 then then we need to dig and
20:27 And and search high and low for for the context in which Paul was referring to okay
20:33 So let's consider this now now now I got to go this route just to get to the self-control
20:38 See I'll work with me for a second
20:46 Let's say for a second that we believe that verse 11 and 12 is for all time
20:52 That it is for
20:56 The duration of the church in the earth meaning what that this should be the case
21:02 until the Lord appears
21:05 If we are to hold to that regarding verse 11 and 12, then we would also have to refer
21:15 To verse 8 9 and 10 in the same light
21:19 Which would then mean what that men should always be praying everywhere lifting up holy hands
21:27 Wherever they are
21:30 Is that what Paul meant?
21:32 Wherever a man is
21:35 At all times as long as the church remains he needs to pray everywhere and always lift up holy hands
21:40 Or was Paul saying this in the same way he was saying pray without ceasing
21:46 in other words
21:48 Pray without ceasing doesn't mean pray every second because if you pray every second you won't get anything else done
21:55 Rather when he says be a person who prays without ceasing meaning you live a life of prayer
22:02 Would it be safe to deduce that that
22:06 Paul here was saying I desire that men live a life of prayer and lifting up holy hands
22:14 Not lift up holy hands everywhere they are every second of the day and be praying
22:20 Absolutely not that's not what he was saying then look at verse 9
22:25 In like manner that the women adorned themselves in modest apparel. No one's arguing against modest apparel. I
22:31 Think we could also assume that if women are to be in modest apparel men also should be in modest apparel. I
22:39 Don't think anyone's arguing against a woman
22:43 being
22:45 In modest apparel what is modest apparel mean well look at the rest of what Paul says
22:50 With propriety and moderate not with braided hair
22:54 That would that would pose a major problem wouldn't it look she's just letting her braids flow she's like
23:10 Is
23:12 That what Paul was saying a woman should never braid her hair ever
23:17 I mean ever as long as the church remains as long as the Ecclesia is in the earth a woman should never have her hair braided
23:24 Well wait, but don't stop there or gold
23:28 So a woman should never have gold or pearls
23:39 Or costly clothing
23:41 So I just want to make sure like cuz let's let's think about this for a second because whenever we take doctrine
23:47 That's that's why that's why it's dangerous to do what's called proof texting
23:51 Proof texting is when you reach into the scriptures you pull out one verse and go. Hi. This is the one
23:59 Lord it over everyone
24:01 And say thou shalt not look at what this one scripture says
24:07 That's a dangerous thing to do
24:09 Let the record
24:12 Let the record state that if a woman is not allowed to teach based on what Paul's writing to who?
24:18 Based on what Paul's writing to Timothy let the record show that if a woman
24:25 Cannot teach a man or have authority over a man, and if a woman is to only learn in silence
24:32 for all time
24:35 That means that same woman should never have her hair braided
24:39 Should never wear gold
24:42 Should never wear pearls and should never wear costly clothing
24:48 You can't allow a woman to have her hair braided
24:53 wear costly clothing
24:56 Wear gold and wear pearls, but prevent her from teaching a man or having authority over a man
25:03 Either she can do it all or she can't do any of it
25:06 And in addition to that because it's in the same context
25:11 Men should also be praying everywhere and constantly lifting up holy hands and right now
25:15 I don't see no men lifting up holy hands. So y'all being disobedient apparently
25:19 Is that what Paul was saying
25:23 Okay
25:28 Let's consider just
25:33 a
25:35 Few more things
25:37 Paul
25:43 Was not only writing to just Timothy he was writing to Timothy where Timothy was
25:49 And where was Timothy Timothy was in a place called Ephesus
26:00 Paul the Apostle who had already
26:02 Written a letter to the church at Ephesus. It's called Ephesians. He already wrote a book to the Ephesians
26:11 now as
26:13 an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ
26:15 He is with permission from the Lord the head of the church. He is he is informing his spiritual son Timothy
26:23 you are to
26:26 Pastor the church here at Ephesus you Timothy
26:30 Alright, so so let's look at this now
26:31 We have the book of Ephesians which is Paul's letter to the whole church at Ephesus
26:36 Then we have the books of Timothy, which is Paul's letter specifically to the pastor pastoring at Ephesus
26:42 There's a difference
26:46 now now one would think that if Paul was saying a
26:49 Woman should never teach a man and should never have authority over a man
26:53 You would think he would get more benefit and cover more ground if he would erode it to the Ephesians
26:59 Because
27:01 When you're just writing to Timothy you're just writing to Timothy and only Timothy is receiving that
27:05 You didn't be relying on Timothy to dispense this information to everyone at Ephesus
27:11 But if you already had a captive Ephesian audience, it would seem like watch this a captive Ephesian audience
27:16 Consisting of males and females you would think that's the time to let women know you can't teach a man or have authority over a man
27:23 When you're writing to men and women
27:27 But Paul never says this to the Ephesian Church, does he he only writes it to the one pastor pastoring the Ephesian Church
27:34 so the question is
27:36 Why did you write this Paul?
27:39 Well, let me tell you why
27:42 This is a short version
27:45 There's a longer version which includes
27:48 Logic and common sense things like
27:55 Would you say that that the old world antiquity ancient history
28:01 Would you would you would you think that
28:05 That any kind of rules of
28:09 bondage that existed then
28:12 Would be null and void now by way of the blood of Jesus
28:16 What do I mean well, for example before there was ever a church and before there was ever a
28:25 Nation of Israel there was a woman by the name of Rachel
28:28 Who would be one of Jacob's wives?
28:31 Who the Bible called a pastor a?
28:35 Shepherd
28:38 The word specifically is shepherdess
28:40 Now this is antiquity. Why would women be allowed to herd the sheep sound like man work to me?
28:46 It sounds like man work, but you have a woman named Rachel who the Bible
28:52 clearly
28:54 Calls a shepherd this saying she was out there
28:57 herding the sheep
29:00 Take it a step further
29:02 you have a man by the name of Moses who encountered a woman a beautiful ebony skinned woman by the name of Zipporah and
29:10 Zipporah has sisters and you know what I know what they were doing
29:13 shepherding
29:16 Now one might say ah, those are Midianites not Israelites. Well, let's not forget that although they are Midianites and not Israelites
29:24 They are Hebrew because they daddy's Abraham and you are what your daddy is
29:27 Why would it be okay for women to be shepherds then but not shepherds now
29:36 Take it a step further you think about positions of leadership
29:40 Right, you would think that in antiquity all those positions would go to the men
29:45 Sure, a queen would have authority but still submitted to the king
29:52 Sure a princess would have authority but still submitted to her father
29:55 And yet way back then one of the judges of Israel was a woman named Deborah
30:01 What why would God be okay with Rachel as a shepherd
30:08 shepherdess and
30:10 Shepherd means pastor now back then there was no church. So it didn't mean pastor the way it means today
30:15 But the word pastor comes from pastoral societies, which is shepherding and agriculture
30:21 So why would God way back then be okay with a woman being a shepherd and a woman being a judge?
30:27 But all of a sudden under the New Testament, he wants her to be quiet. I
30:30 Don't know something's not
30:34 Sometimes sounds like a step backwards, doesn't it?
30:37 Okay
30:41 Let's also consider the fact
30:43 that
30:45 That in Ephesus and I know this
30:48 Firsthand because I've been to Ephesus. I've been to the beautiful ruins of Ephesus
30:53 Some of you have been to the beautiful ruins of Ephesus
30:56 Some of you have joined me on
30:58 These trips to Ephesus some of you were privileged to go to Ephesus while I was still on the stupid boat with Kovat
31:05 I'm sorry
31:09 I'm sorry. That was a moment a year ago. I'm doing better. I'm doing better
31:18 36 months in LA never get Kovat. I gotta go to the other side of the world once in a lifetime trip to catch it
31:25 And therefore I missed my second opportunity to see Ephesus but I did see Ephesus on my first trip
31:41 Now
31:44 when you go to Ephesus
31:46 Before you hit the ruins of the city
31:48 You have all these
31:51 salesmen
31:53 And if you guys have done any traveling, especially international travel, you know that there are folk always ready to sell you something
31:59 Well when we were at Ephesus right before we enter the city there were all of these
32:05 Statues in these shrines of this one particular goddess
32:09 Her name was Diana
32:13 Sometimes she's called our lady of the Ephesians and and she has these orbs that look like either breasts or eggs
32:19 Symbolizing she's a goddess of fertility
32:21 but to the Ephesians
32:24 Diana was precious
32:26 so here comes Paul with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he's he's encountering and contending with this doctrine of Diana
32:35 We know how strong the doctrine is because here we are almost 2,000 years later and they're still selling her statues
32:43 If you go to Acts 19 you're introduced to a man by the name of Demetrius
32:48 He was a silversmith and he was selling shrines of Diana and he had fellow Smith's who also
32:55 crafted and sold shrines of Diana Paul comes in with the gospel and Demetrius is like our
33:01 Business is in trouble because here comes this man
33:04 Preaching this foreign doctrine and it's turning people away from Diana to the God. He's proclaiming
33:12 It's messing up his business
33:14 So they went to the government and city officials to silence Paul
33:18 They even went to the theater and they were crying out great is Diana of the Ephesians
33:24 Sounds to me like this female goddess who had a female cult of Diana
33:32 Would be a problem for any believers in Ephesus
33:36 Paul had already encountered them. So upon his departure
33:39 Leaving Timothy in his in his place at Ephesus
33:43 He lets he lets Timothy know now we don't see these words exactly in his letters to Timothy
33:49 But but but Ephesus has a Diana problem
33:52 It has a cult of Diana problem and what these women would do who worship Diana is they would they would infiltrate?
34:00 Groups to influence them to also worship Diana and those groups included any local church at Ephesus
34:07 Well the cult of Diana got into the church at Ephesus
34:12 Started influencing the female believers as well as the male believers
34:17 So what does Paul say? Okay, Timothy, I'm talking to you now. We have a Diana problem
34:24 We got to flush the cult out
34:28 So for the time being I don't permit a woman to speak and I don't give her authority over a man
34:34 Because Diana is still here
34:36 We got to get Diana out
34:40 How do we know this was the case because this same Paul who said I don't give a
34:47 woman authority over a man in
34:50 Romans 16 gave a woman named Phoebe authority over men
34:56 Paul are you a hypocrite or am I missing the context here?
34:59 I'm gonna lean more towards me missing the context here in first Timothy as opposed to Paul being a hypocrite
35:05 Yes, there's a woman by the name of Phoebe in Romans 16 and
35:10 Paul writes to the church at Rome. I don't have time to break down the Greek and everything
35:15 I can show it to you literally in the language
35:17 That Paul was giving this woman Phoebe
35:21 Authority over males and females at the church at Rome
35:25 Which means if that's the case
35:29 Paul could not mean here that I don't ever allow a
35:33 Woman to have authority over a man and I don't ever allow a woman to teach a man
35:38 He couldn't be saying that otherwise
35:39 He is contradicting himself
35:41 And if Paul is contradicting himself in the scripture and the Holy Spirit allow it allowed it then the whole word is compromised
35:50 And I'm here to tell you the word isn't compromised
35:52 I'm here to tell you that when I'm reading the scripture and I get confused is cuz I'm confused
35:58 It's because I'm missing something
36:04 It's because I haven't seen something yet
36:09 Not that the Bible contradicts itself
36:14 Matter of fact, I've made it one of my aims in life
36:18 To oppose every argument one has in trying to prove the Bible contradicts itself
36:24 Bob was not contradicting itself
36:27 Because if the Bible is contradicting itself God's contradicting himself and we know God doesn't contradict himself
36:35 So when Paul said what he said here to Timothy is because he was talking to Timothy
36:39 He wasn't talking to the church at Ephesus. He was talking to Timothy
36:43 And he was telling Timothy
36:45 You know, you got a problem over there with with that cult of Diana
36:49 Any cult of a goddess made efforts to influence other women and emasculate men
36:56 Lower men get men
37:00 Seduced with their doctrine. Well, that's what was happening. Paul said. Oh, okay. All right. Let's arrest this right now
37:06 The women can't do anything right now. We got to get this cult out
37:11 Are you with me? Okay, so with that being said
37:17 Look at verse 14
37:20 He says Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived fell into transgression nevertheless
37:26 She will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith love and holiness with what?
37:32 Which is temperance?
37:34 So this right here
37:35 This is how you know, this is a contextual thing because ladies you can't be saved by way of giving birth to a child
37:43 Which means that the saving Paul is talking about here couldn't be the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ
37:49 Matter of fact the word saving can can have a number of meanings save can mean to keep safe
37:57 to protect
38:01 Well, well Paul needed Timothy to protect the women of the church at Ephesus from the cult of Diana
38:06 Because because because if that cult were to were to be allowed to run rampant
38:15 Not only would it influence the women it would influence the young daughters being raised by these women
38:20 That would cause the growth of her cult
38:23 Now I got to do is look at the world today. Where's Diana's cult that I?
38:29 Don't know I know where the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is
38:31 It's in it's in this room
38:35 Watching by stream in many edifices all around this city all around this country and all around this world
38:41 the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is alive and
38:45 speaking and declaring loudly
38:48 Diana's voice is much smaller today than it was back then. She's still got a voice
38:56 she's found ways just like all the gods and goddesses have found ways to enter your ear gates through a number of of
39:02 Methods by which you wouldn't even be aware that they're trying to indoctrinate you
39:08 But Diana's voice isn't louder than the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ
39:14 And so that's why Paul was writing to Timothy this in in particular
39:21 Look at this 15th verse again. Nevertheless. She'll be protected right? She'll be made sound she'll be safe in
39:28 childbearing if what
39:31 She'll only be safe in childbearing if they what?
39:34 Continue in faith watch this continue in love and continue in holiness with what?
39:40 with self-restraint
39:43 with self-government
39:45 With temperance or self-control
39:50 Make your way to 1st Corinthians chapter 7 verse 1
39:53 Now I was having a conversation with with someone two people
40:00 This past week about
40:04 About self-control in the area of food now now
40:08 You know, we've talked about
40:11 sexual vices and
40:14 substances
40:17 During this this session so far this look this particular lesson so far but but food see see I believe
40:23 This is a reason why Paul brings up food. He brings up food in Romans 14
40:27 He brings up food in 1st Corinthians 6 1st Corinthians 8 and 1st Corinthians 10. You want to know why he brings up food?
40:34 No, no, it's because
40:39 That's an area that a lot of people have issues in and it's an area that we can all relate to
40:46 food
40:48 Now some of us are able to exercise more restraint than others
40:55 Actually, let me reword that it's not that some of us are able to
41:03 To the degree that others are not able to some of us have decided
41:10 To use our willpower
41:14 In the arena of food where others have yet to
41:17 Where others have yet to see what I did there yet to I
41:25 Think one of the reasons that that that some of us we get
41:33 We get flustered when it comes to weight loss is because we're trying to lose all of our weight in seven days
41:42 All of it
41:44 Forgetting that it took you a nice piece of your life to get to this weight
41:51 In other words, it took time to gain this weight. It may take a little time to lose the weight some of us
41:58 the reason listen
42:01 I'm
42:02 technically according to the to the
42:04 What's it called again the BMI body mass index. I'm still overweight
42:11 So
42:13 Weight is a is a it's it's you got to stay on top of yourself. That's why Paul said I keep I
42:19 Keep under my body I keep my body under I'll just put it under I keep it under
42:28 But the little bit of success I've had is because I didn't give myself a
42:34 Give myself a deadline
42:36 And so I'm just gonna start
42:39 Just start losing weight as a part of my lifestyle
42:42 Because people close to me know how much I enjoy food
42:47 People close to me have seen what I can do and the particular set of skills that I possess
42:56 So I know that if I don't arrest myself all the time
43:04 I'm gonna be out of control
43:08 But I believe one of the reasons that I've had a modicum of success because I'm not I'm still not where I want to be
43:12 but but I
43:15 Believe the reason that I've had the little success that I've had is because I didn't put the pressure on myself
43:19 Every time I put pressure on myself I would fail
43:22 Got got. All right. All right. All right. I'm gonna hit this plan and it says in 90 days
43:28 And some of you have actually done the plan you lost the weight in 90 days
43:34 But you couldn't keep it off because there wasn't a mind change. You just followed you followed a program
43:40 to the T
43:42 But there was never an internal change
43:44 And so 90-day program you did it you lost all the weight
43:48 They said you would lose in 90 days and then you gained it all back plus extra
43:52 How many of us have done that
43:55 Yeah
43:57 Yeah, a lot of these diets good portion of them. Most of them. In fact, they work they do
44:03 They work if you're working, but if you don't have a mindset change as soon as you lose that weight, I
44:09 Remember one time my wife and I we did a we did this three-day diet. He's supposed to lose 10 pounds in three days
44:15 right and basically the diet consisted of like like
44:19 thoughts water and communion wafers like it was
44:23 That's about as much as you could eat
44:26 Right, and so if you worked it 10 pounds off, I'll never forget when them three days. It was my mother-in-law
44:32 She told us about it and when I did it we worked it
44:34 Scale said the 10 pounds came off soon as the weight was over. I went to Ralph's you want to know what I bought?
44:40 About everything you could imagine that would put the 10 pounds back on in less than 24 hours
44:47 Because there wasn't a mindset change
44:52 Don't put that kind of pressure on yourself just make a decision. You know what I'm making a lifestyle change
45:00 It's starting here and it's gonna make its way
45:03 Out here. Listen, it's not just with that. You know, I look at myself
45:07 because
45:10 listen, I
45:12 Only have some of my daddy's skills. My dad was an anomaly. You know what an anomaly is. My dad was
45:17 Angie would joke about him being from another planet, but it was like he was from another world
45:24 I'm serious that his discipline he would do stuff. It's like why are you even doing that?
45:30 You all have heard his stories about a tablespoon of ice cream
45:34 Forget all that. No, I'm just not eating it. Forget it. No, forget it. No, I'm not I'm not doing the tables. No
45:40 If I can't have a scoop or two scoops or three scoops
45:44 They're free. I just forget it. I just won't do it, but I'm not about to have no tablespoon of ice cream
45:51 And that's it. That's the kind of stuff he would do. You all know the little mini candy bars, you know
45:56 They got three Musketeers minis and Milky Way minis
45:58 My dad would get these mounds minis and my mother the almond joy minis and they would eat like one or two
46:03 What are you doing?
46:05 No
46:09 There many so that you can eat more than one a lot more than one that's that's why they're mini what are you doing?
46:20 He was just and that's and that's that that was in every area of his life I
46:27 Work overtime trying to be a little bit like him in every area and it's rough because I look at myself when it comes
46:34 To to my weight and I'm like, okay for you doing well, but oh my gosh, I asked myself for why can't you get your time together?
46:41 Like you get your weight together
46:46 Somebody all time is easy for you being on time
46:48 And doing everything you need to see being on time doesn't start. It doesn't start the morning you wake up
46:54 That's the night before maybe the day before maybe a couple days before
47:00 There there's you just have the kind of habits that that prep you
47:08 For timeliness and if you don't have those habits and work those habits, you might even know what those habits are
47:14 But you're not doing them
47:16 And something is being on time or just having your time together because you know, there's being late and then there's running late
47:22 See some of you some of you you make sure you're not late, but you're always running late
47:28 You're supposed to be somewhere at 11 and you pull up at 10 57 and a half
47:32 That's running late. Now. You're now you're flustered. You're you're you're hot. You feel like you need to take another shower. Your first hour was pointless
47:40 You just you're mucky. It's
47:44 just
47:46 Think something like that would just be so easy
47:50 But what makes it difficult is all of the other disorderliness in your life that contributes to it
47:56 See, we're all working on self-control and self-government and self-restraint and temperance
48:02 Whatever that that that it's interesting how we can all sit together and have a conversation and we'll be in awe of
48:11 What each other's struggles are you hear one person struggle and you're like that's a problem for you for real
48:16 Really? Right, but then you share your problem and they're like that that's your challenge
48:22 Seriously, right what seems easy to us
48:27 For whatever reason can be
48:31 Difficult or have a degree of difficulty for for for others
48:36 This is why Paul when he when he's talking about keeping his body under and when he's talking about about about a
48:42 running with certainty
48:45 Right or for I don't just beat the air
48:47 Right, like when I swing my fist hits the target
48:52 I'll just I'll just fight the air. I'll just beat the air. I don't run with uncertainty
48:56 I don't run in the race. Like I wonder how this is gonna end
48:59 No, how do you get to that point? That's a that's an entire life of self-restraint
49:06 That's a life of discipline and watch this any areas that we're all lacking in
49:11 We don't have to lack in those areas
49:14 You want to know why because you've already shown yourself to have discipline in other areas and the principles the same
49:21 So where so wherever it is that you got it
49:26 Take what you're what you're doing and using in the areas where you got it and apply it to where you don't
49:35 Got it so that you can got it
49:37 I'm talking to me too
49:42 First Corinthians 7 I was not supposed what's wrong with y'all
49:48 First Corinthians 7 okay, so we're definitely not gonna finish today, but no problem. Here we go. All right
49:57 It says Paul's writing here he's writing about marriage
50:04 He says and now concerning the things of which you wrote to me, I love this he's like remember y'all wrote to me
50:11 So here's my response
50:15 Are any of you like that you're like listen if you don't want the truth you shouldn't ask me
50:21 Some of us don't have grace to respond with diplomacy
50:30 One person says, you know, I it's clear you you you need to
50:35 Work on some things, you know change your diet up. Others might say you just fatten out of control. That's what you are
50:43 No seasoning no grace no
50:49 Nothing just oh, thank you. Appreciate that. Thank you. Got it
50:53 So Paul saying concerning the things
50:57 So Paul saying concerning the things I didn't bring this up y'all wrote to me
51:02 He says it is good for a man not to touch a woman
51:06 Just stop right there for a second
51:10 It's not good for a man to touch a woman what does that mean?
51:14 Can we qualify this?
51:17 Sometimes we stand up we hold hands and you might be man holding the hands of a woman
51:22 That you have no particular relation to
51:26 Is it not good for you to hold her hand? What are we talking about here? Paul?
51:29 you said it's not good for a man to touch a
51:31 Woman and then the next thing you bring up is sexual immorality. So Paul give me a little more clarity here
51:37 Well, clearly he's not saying you can't shake a woman's hand fellas or vice versa ladies. You can't shake a man's hand
51:44 That's not what Paul is talking about here. He says it's not good for a man to touch a
51:49 Woman, here's what it means in the Greek to fasten yourself to
51:54 to
51:56 Cling to to adhere to leading to carnal intercourse
52:00 In terms of of the Levites it was any heathen practice
52:06 That's what touch meant
52:09 He says not good for a man to touch a woman and we'll end here nevertheless
52:15 Because of sexual immorality, it's an interesting reason. That's an interesting because of
52:22 Because of sexual immorality let each man have his own wife and each woman have her own husband
52:28 Why would you need to tell somebody that?
52:30 Because he's was writing to the Corinthians and
52:33 The Corinthians were a hotbed of sexual immorality in
52:38 Previous chapters Paul said I heard some of y'all have your own mother
52:48 You understand what I'm saying when I say that that's how sexually out of control and immoral Corinth was
52:54 So so he's writing to Corinth and he's saying alright y'all you wrote to me about marriage. Let me tell you this
53:01 It's not good for a man to touch a woman as a matter of fact because of your sexual immorality and you're out of control
53:06 appetites let every man have his own wife and
53:09 Every woman have her own husband
53:15 We'll pick up right here next time father. We thank you for your word. Your word is life and truth. It will not
53:21 Cannot return to you boy, but it will accomplish what it set out to do will prosper where it's sent
53:27 And I thank you indeed the word has gone forth. It's it's it's been sent
53:30 And father your word be and because your word be your word is
53:35 Therefore it will not it it cannot return to you void because when you speak your words produce
53:43 It cannot return to you void, but it'll accomplish
53:46 Thank you father that where you send your word
53:49 Or the reason you send your word is to accomplish and where you send your word it prospers
53:56 Thank you for your accomplished and and and prospered word today having gone forth and been sown into our hearts
54:08 Thank you Holy Spirit for making the invitations I mentioned in just a second available to the people
54:14 [BLANK_AUDIO]