Hello, I'm
Dwayne. And I'm Lance.
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And we like to welcome
you to another episode of TKS,
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A True Knowledge of Self,
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where we get to know ourselves
from a biblical perspective.
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Now in previous episode,
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especially our
last couple of episodes,
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we've been dealing
with the principle of peace.
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We looked at the Bible
and we saw what true peace is.
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And we've been
talking about this
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in kind of contrasting
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some of these main
cornerstones of hip-hop culture
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which are love, peace,
unity, and safely having fun.
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In today's episode, we're
gonna be talking about unity.
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But when we consider
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what we've discussed in the past
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and talk about peace,
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we understood that
peace was something
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that only God could provide.
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And what we're
finding here is a trend.
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All of the things that we need,
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all of the things that
are necessary for proper
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and fruitful human
existence come from God
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because they originate with God.
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So this is something
that God wants us to have,
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these are things
that God wants us to have.
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And when we looked at peace,
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we understood
that it comes from Him.
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And our response to
God's giving of peace
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is a life of consistent,
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obedience, and servitude,
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essentially love for God
and keeping His commandments.
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We understood that those...
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That lifestyle of
faithfulness and obedience
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actually produces peace.
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Not only for us
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but also that
lifestyle will produce peace
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towards those
from even our enemies.
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Now we wanna spend
most of our attention
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dealing with the
subject of the unity
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as the next step, if
you will in this progression
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in dealing with the
principles of hip-hop culture.
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And we wanna look at it
from a true perspective.
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However, the biblical unity
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that we're
going to be discussing
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is going to constantly
be juxtaposed in scripture
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with a counterfeit unity.
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Now, Dwayne, there's always,
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as we've seen
time and time again,
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there's always truth,
genuine, and counterfeit.
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And in fact that is
the kind of the foundation
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of Satan's government
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is this idea of hate,
lies, and counterfeit.
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So one thing we know
about our counterfeit is it,
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it is almost the perfect
representation of the truth,
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almost a perfect
representation of the truth.
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The truth comes first
and then the counterfeit
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and the deception comes after.
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But in order
for it to truly work
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and be effective as a deception,
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it has to resemble the
truth almost perfectly.
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And so when we talk about unity,
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we're gonna get
into biblical unity,
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what it is, how it functions,
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and what God's desire is.
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But we wanna look at this
idea of counterfeit unity.
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It's something a
term called ecumenism.
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What are we dealing with?
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What are we talking about
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when we use the term ecumenism?
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Well, I appreciate
that question, sir,
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because that is a point
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that we have to
identify in our study.
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It's like every other thing,
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there's true love,
there's false love,
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there's true peace,
there's false peace.
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And then of
course, there's true unity
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but then there is false unity.
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And you hit the nail on the head
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because there is a movement
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that existed
many, many years ago
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that still is being perpetuated
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throughout society
today called ecumenism.
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And ecumenism
can manifest itself
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in just about any
type of organization.
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It can be in a Christian realm,
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but it also can in certain ways
be manifested in other realms,
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in other cultures,
in other religions,
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even hip-hop culture.
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But what really is
ecumenism at the end of the day,
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I'm gonna go ahead
and just simply read it
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from the dictionary.
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And here's what it states,
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it says, "Of or
pertaining to a movement,
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ecumenical movement,
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especially among Protestant
groups since the 1800s,
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aimed at achieving
universal Christian unity
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and church union
through international
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interdenominational
organizations
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that cooperate on
matters of mutual concern.
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And this is a
very important point
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is that it's a call to unity.
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But they're uniting upon
things that they hold in common.
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You know, the
things that they have
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mutual concerns about.
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So in other words,
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you know, if we just look that
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at from the
Christian realm right now,
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if you say, we believe
that people need to love Jesus.
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Then every other denomination,
every other organization says,
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"Yeah, let's join
together and work together."
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Because even though we
have all of these differences
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one toward another,
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the one thing we
do have in common
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is we believe people
need to learn about Jesus
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and love Him.
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And therefore it causes
a union to come together.
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The problem is,
it's a false union,
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it really cannot
last, it cannot truly exist
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without a surrender
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or a relinquishing
of original position
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that each organization held.
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And a perfect
example is Protestantism
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and Roman Catholicism,
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they cannot go together,
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because Protestantism
was literally birthed
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as a result of
protesting against the dogmas
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that were being
taught through Rome.
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So a Protestant
and Roman Catholic,
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or the Protestant movement
and a Roman Catholic movement,
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in truth they
could never truly unite
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because their
reasons for existence
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was that there was an issue
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that existed that
obviously was an offense to God
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and caused the
Protestant movement to say,
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"We cannot be united
with the church of Rome."
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Well, if an individual says,
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well, let's put
all of that aside.
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An example, in
Roman Catholicism,
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it is taught that Mary
is a Co-Mediatrix of Christ.
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In Protestant Christianity,
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we believe that
there is one mediator
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between God and man,
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and that is the
Man Christ Jesus.
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Now that's biblical,
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you can't find in the Bible
where Mary is a Co-Mediatrix
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but you can find in the Bible
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that there is one
mediator between God and man.
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So the
Protestants generally hold
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the biblical position
where the Roman Catholic Church
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would hold more of a
traditional position.
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What ecumenism says is,
let's not worry about that.
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Let's just keep doing that.
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Let's just keep
doing what we do here.
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But because of the fact
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that we believe that people
need to learn about Jesus,
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let's unite nevertheless.
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The problem is,
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the Bible tells us
in the Book of Amos,
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"Can two walk
together, lest they be agreed?"
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And what's the answer?
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The answer is no.
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And therefore, we
cannot have true unity
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because one is
an offense to God,
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where the other is not.
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It's kind of like Cain and Abel.
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They both had,
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you know, if you will
they both had one goal
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which was to worship God.
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Cain, he came with
the best of his fruits
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or what have you,
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or he at least
came with some fruits.
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He didn't actually
come with the best,
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he just came with
some fruits and vegetables.
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But Abel, he came
with what God required.
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Hebrews 9:22 says,
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"Without the shedding of blood
there is no remission of sins."
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So Abel came with an animal,
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both of them came to God,
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both of them came to worship God
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and both of them
presented offerings.
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Now under the
spirit of ecumenism,
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you would think, "Well,
God should've accepted both."
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Yeah. But we know
the Bible account.
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The Bible tells us
Cain's offering was rejected,
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Abel's offering was accepted.
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God does not endorse
the spirit of ecumenism.
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It is against His words,
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because it says,
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we can overlook by our
own mindsets and choices.
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We can overlook
what God has said,
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and we can just say,
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because we agree on this point,
let's just go forward anyhow.
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In fact, Revelation 13
brings out a picture like this.
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It's about those
who are gonna fall under
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what's called the
Mark of the Beast.
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And the Bible makes it
clear in the Revelation 14:9-11,
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it says, "If any man
worship the beast and his image,
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and receive his
mark in his forehead,
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or in his hand,
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the same shall drink of the wine
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of the wrath of God,
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which is poured
out without mixture
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into the cup of his indignation,
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and he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone
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in the presence
of the holy angels,
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and in the presence of the Lamb.
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And the smoke of their torment
ascendeth up forever and ever,
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and they have no
rest day or night,
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who worshipped the
beast and his image,
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and whosoever
receives the mark of his name."
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That is a very
clear definite statement.
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Do not receive
the mark of the beast,
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otherwise you will
receive the wrath of God.
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Well, Satan works
through the beast's power.
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And in Revelation
13, it says in verse 16,
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"And he causeth all,
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both small and
great, rich and poor,
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free and bond,
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to receive a mark
in their right hand,
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or in their foreheads."
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There will be a group of people,
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made up of all
different facets of society
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that will unite.
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They are going to come together
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but they're going to
receive something called,
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the mark of the beast.
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They will appear united
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but they are in a false unity
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that was lead
out by Satan himself.
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It is because of this
that it's not enough to say,
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we need to unify.
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It's how do we unify?
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What are we unifying about?
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What is it that we are
saying we're in agreement about?
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And how then does that get
accomplished or established?
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And this is the question
again that we have to put out
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towards hip-hop culture
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when it says, we believe
in love, peace, and unity,
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and safely having fun.
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All right, again, sounds great.
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Buts spell it
out, how does it work?
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Show me the
details, make it plain,
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how can it be practical?
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And this is where
the line will be divided
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between God's
plan and man's plan.
00:09:30.60\00:09:33.07
So this is why
it's important for us
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again to really look
at the subject of unity,
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beautiful as it is.
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But we need to know
there is a false unity,
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the same way
there was a false peace,
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and the same way
there's false love.
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And we don't want the false
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because it leads to destruction.
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We want the truth
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because that's
what leads to life.
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So in other words,
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the idea, the
desire to come together,
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it's not a problem,
00:09:55.76\00:09:57.09
we should come together. Sure.
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But not at the
expense of the truth.
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That's right.
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We need to come together
under the banner of truth,
00:10:01.23\00:10:02.90
under the stand
that God outlines.
00:10:02.93\00:10:04.30
That is correct.
00:10:04.33\00:10:05.67
So ultimately when
we talk about unity,
00:10:05.70\00:10:07.04
what is true unity?
00:10:07.07\00:10:09.37
What is God's desire?
00:10:09.40\00:10:11.11
God's desire.
00:10:11.14\00:10:12.47
Now when we think
about God's desire,
00:10:12.51\00:10:14.01
I believe Jesus spells it
out beautifully in John 13.
00:10:14.04\00:10:17.95
In John 13, the
Bible tells us in verse 35,
00:10:17.98\00:10:22.72
it's kind of like what
I firmly believe God wants
00:10:22.75\00:10:25.55
and is needed
in our world today.
00:10:25.59\00:10:27.89
It says in John 13,
00:10:27.92\00:10:29.82
and we are considering verse 35,
00:10:29.86\00:10:32.03
and this is what Jesus said,
00:10:32.06\00:10:34.33
"By this shall all men
know that ye are my disciples,
00:10:34.36\00:10:39.73
if ye have love one to another."
00:10:39.77\00:10:44.17
So the Bible's very clear
00:10:44.21\00:10:45.54
that there is a way
that people can demonstrate
00:10:45.57\00:10:48.24
Christ likeness or
Christianity if you will.
00:10:48.28\00:10:51.95
Lot of people are
calling themselves
00:10:51.98\00:10:53.31
the disciples of Christ.
00:10:53.35\00:10:54.72
A lot of people are saying
00:10:54.75\00:10:56.08
they are the
representatives of God
00:10:56.12\00:10:57.45
in hip-hop culture,
00:10:57.49\00:10:58.82
in various church groups,
00:10:58.85\00:11:00.42
and of course,
other religious groups.
00:11:00.46\00:11:02.26
Many people are saying,
00:11:02.29\00:11:03.63
"Hey, we are the
representatives of God."
00:11:03.66\00:11:05.59
Well, Jesus says,
00:11:05.63\00:11:06.96
one of the signs is
that it will be unity.
00:11:07.00\00:11:10.17
So this is one of the
things Christ shows here.
00:11:10.20\00:11:12.07
He says, "You have to
have love one to another."
00:11:12.10\00:11:15.10
Now somebody says, love,
unity, are they the same?
00:11:15.14\00:11:18.34
Well, they
definitely work together,
00:11:18.37\00:11:20.28
but they're not
exactly the same.
00:11:20.31\00:11:21.94
But why do I say unity?
00:11:21.98\00:11:23.31
It's because the
word love in John 13:35,
00:11:23.35\00:11:26.85
it comes from
the Greek word agape,
00:11:26.88\00:11:28.65
which deals with a godly love,
00:11:28.68\00:11:30.39
this very
unconditional type of love.
00:11:30.42\00:11:32.75
And it's beautiful to
know that the desire of Christ
00:11:32.79\00:11:35.79
was that we His disciples
00:11:35.82\00:11:37.63
would have that kind of
love one toward another.
00:11:37.66\00:11:39.83
But then the Bible says
00:11:39.86\00:11:41.20
something that I believe
00:11:41.23\00:11:42.56
does add the
unity component to it.
00:11:42.60\00:11:44.40
But it's found in Philippians 2,
00:11:44.43\00:11:46.17
so I'm gonna compare that.
00:11:46.20\00:11:47.54
So in John
13:35, the Bible says,
00:11:47.57\00:11:49.97
"This is how people
shall know you are My disciples
00:11:50.01\00:11:52.84
when you have
love one to another.
00:11:52.87\00:11:55.71
But then when we
look at Philippians 2 now,
00:11:55.74\00:11:58.61
you see that the Bible
also spells something else out
00:11:58.65\00:12:00.98
that we would do
well to consider.
00:12:01.02\00:12:02.78
It says in verse 1,
00:12:02.82\00:12:05.35
"If there be therefore
any consolation in Christ,
00:12:05.39\00:12:09.42
if any comfort of love,
00:12:09.46\00:12:11.46
if any fellowship of the Spirit,
00:12:11.49\00:12:14.06
if any bowels and mercies,
00:12:14.10\00:12:16.63
fulfil ye my joy,
00:12:16.67\00:12:18.93
that ye be likeminded,
00:12:18.97\00:12:21.57
having the same love,
00:12:21.60\00:12:25.61
being of one
accord, of one mind."
00:12:25.64\00:12:29.31
So notice in John 13:35,
00:12:29.34\00:12:31.15
Jesus is simply
speaking to His disciples.
00:12:31.18\00:12:32.95
He says, listen, this is
how people are gonna know
00:12:32.98\00:12:34.88
you're my disciples,
00:12:34.92\00:12:36.25
you gotta have
love one for another.
00:12:36.28\00:12:38.02
This is how they will know,
00:12:38.05\00:12:39.39
they'll see
through your interactions
00:12:39.42\00:12:40.96
with each other
00:12:40.99\00:12:42.32
that these are
children of the Most High God.
00:12:42.36\00:12:45.93
Now God magnifies this
point in Philippians 2,
00:12:45.96\00:12:49.36
by saying actually,
00:12:49.40\00:12:50.87
"I want you to
have the same love."
00:12:50.90\00:12:54.00
The same love,
00:12:54.04\00:12:55.37
so the love you have
is not gonna be degreed
00:12:55.40\00:12:57.87
where you have one kind of love
00:12:57.91\00:12:59.27
and I have a
different kind of love.
00:12:59.31\00:13:00.74
God's desire is that
we have the same love
00:13:00.78\00:13:02.88
which produces us
being of one accord
00:13:02.91\00:13:06.48
of one mind.
00:13:06.51\00:13:08.58
Now that's unity. That's unity.
00:13:08.62\00:13:10.95
This is what Christ wants.
00:13:10.99\00:13:13.09
If we have the same
love one toward another,
00:13:13.12\00:13:15.39
we shall be unified.
00:13:15.42\00:13:17.13
And that's why we say
that love is the foundation.
00:13:17.16\00:13:19.53
Love is the foundation
00:13:19.56\00:13:20.90
of all of these
wonderful virtues
00:13:20.93\00:13:22.43
and from that we can
experience every other blessing
00:13:22.46\00:13:25.80
that comes in its string.
00:13:25.83\00:13:27.17
So God wants to make it clear.
00:13:27.20\00:13:29.04
True unity is when
individuals can be likeminded,
00:13:29.07\00:13:32.87
when they can be of one accord,
00:13:32.91\00:13:34.81
when they could be of one mind.
00:13:34.84\00:13:36.75
It doesn't mean we
lose our individuality,
00:13:36.78\00:13:38.85
you know, I'm still
Dwayne, you're still Lance,
00:13:38.88\00:13:40.72
and we are very different.
00:13:40.75\00:13:42.18
Nevertheless,
there are some things
00:13:42.22\00:13:44.72
that we do hold in common
00:13:44.75\00:13:46.86
and this is where it
is very, very important
00:13:46.89\00:13:48.76
that we have a
right understanding
00:13:48.79\00:13:50.13
of what God wants to accomplish.
00:13:50.16\00:13:51.49
So there's actually,
again the desire to have this.
00:13:51.53\00:13:55.63
It's something that I believe
God places in the human heart.
00:13:55.66\00:13:58.97
So we all should want it,
00:13:59.00\00:14:01.14
and so when hip-hop culture
cries for it or strives for it,
00:14:01.17\00:14:05.81
that's an honorable thing.
00:14:05.84\00:14:07.18
Absolutely.
00:14:07.21\00:14:08.54
The problem is the means by
which you're going about it.
00:14:08.58\00:14:10.65
Correct.
00:14:10.68\00:14:12.01
The conclusions
that you are drawing
00:14:12.05\00:14:13.65
or the lack of
conclusions that you're drawing,
00:14:13.68\00:14:15.88
and the lack of
power that you're giving,
00:14:15.92\00:14:17.62
that you're
communicating to the people,
00:14:17.65\00:14:19.65
you're not directing them to God
00:14:19.69\00:14:21.46
for to obtain it. Correct.
00:14:21.49\00:14:22.82
In other words, you're
saying, we need to do this,
00:14:22.86\00:14:25.83
and that's the end of the story.
00:14:25.86\00:14:27.20
Sounds great.
00:14:27.23\00:14:28.56
Everybody would agree
with that we need to do that.
00:14:28.60\00:14:29.93
But how do you do it?
00:14:29.96\00:14:31.30
We can't, we've tried,
we can't, it's not working.
00:14:31.33\00:14:33.30
So you're not directing them
00:14:33.34\00:14:34.80
to the only one
that can supply them
00:14:34.84\00:14:36.40
with what they need.
00:14:36.44\00:14:37.77
And in fact the Bible
even shares another verse
00:14:37.81\00:14:39.57
that you're gonna share with us
00:14:39.61\00:14:41.11
that talks about
the absolute beauty
00:14:41.14\00:14:43.38
and the picture of
what unity would look like.
00:14:43.41\00:14:46.75
Absolutely.
00:14:46.78\00:14:48.12
And you know, I like this
00:14:48.15\00:14:49.48
because once we can
reconcile with the fact,
00:14:49.52\00:14:53.36
I cannot produce what
God wants independent of God.
00:14:53.39\00:14:56.66
John 15:5, "Without
me you can do nothing."
00:14:56.69\00:15:00.83
This is the point that
Christ is trying so hard
00:15:00.86\00:15:03.13
to bring across to our hearts.
00:15:03.16\00:15:04.50
You see, before
there was KRS-One,
00:15:04.53\00:15:06.63
Afrika Bambaataa,
00:15:06.67\00:15:08.00
before there
was Dwayne or Lance,
00:15:08.04\00:15:09.57
before there was Martin
Luther King, or Malcolm X,
00:15:09.60\00:15:11.67
there was a whole
string of human beings,
00:15:11.71\00:15:14.34
people that insincerity
wanted to promote unity,
00:15:14.38\00:15:18.55
love, and peace, and
many of these other things.
00:15:18.58\00:15:20.95
And yet, from so
many centuries ago,
00:15:20.98\00:15:24.02
up until today,
00:15:24.05\00:15:25.79
you almost have to
be deaf, dumb, and blind
00:15:25.82\00:15:27.69
not to see how
true the Bible is.
00:15:27.72\00:15:29.62
And what does the Bible say?
00:15:29.66\00:15:30.99
It says in 2 Timothy 3,
00:15:31.03\00:15:32.86
I want you to consider
this because this is the point
00:15:32.89\00:15:35.70
that God wants to
get across to our hearts.
00:15:35.73\00:15:37.63
And once it gets across,
00:15:37.67\00:15:39.00
then hopefully we
can do some things right.
00:15:39.03\00:15:40.77
The Bible says in
2 Corinthians 3:1,
00:15:40.80\00:15:44.81
"This know also,
00:15:44.84\00:15:47.31
that in the last days
perilous times shall come."
00:15:47.34\00:15:51.65
So Bible is making it
clear, in the last days,
00:15:51.68\00:15:53.48
it's gonna be some
bad situations going on.
00:15:53.52\00:15:55.75
Why? Notice.
00:15:55.78\00:15:57.15
It says, "For men shall be
lovers of their own selves,
00:15:57.19\00:16:01.32
covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers,
00:16:01.36\00:16:05.73
disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy,
00:16:05.76\00:16:09.80
without natural affection,
trucebreakers, false accusers,
00:16:09.83\00:16:14.17
incontinent, fierce,
00:16:14.20\00:16:16.00
despisers of
those that are good,
00:16:16.04\00:16:18.11
traitors, heady, highminded,
00:16:18.14\00:16:21.14
lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of God,
00:16:21.18\00:16:24.18
and then it says,
having a form of godliness,
00:16:24.21\00:16:27.02
but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away."
00:16:27.05\00:16:30.89
The Bible literally
paints a horrific picture
00:16:30.92\00:16:33.46
of not even what the
world would look like
00:16:33.49\00:16:35.52
but even at the
religious institutions,
00:16:35.56\00:16:37.16
the churches and
what they would look like.
00:16:37.19\00:16:39.09
The Bible actually
says, it's gonna be horrible
00:16:39.13\00:16:41.46
because all of these
things are gonna be rising up
00:16:41.50\00:16:43.70
in the hearts of people,
00:16:43.73\00:16:45.07
they're gonna be traitors,
00:16:45.10\00:16:46.43
they're gonna be
heady, highminded,
00:16:46.47\00:16:47.80
lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of God.
00:16:47.84\00:16:49.17
But they'll have
a form of godliness.
00:16:49.20\00:16:51.11
In other words,
this lip service,
00:16:51.14\00:16:52.51
this thing about you are
God, you are this, you are that.
00:16:52.54\00:16:57.01
Anybody can say
that, anyone can talk that.
00:16:57.05\00:16:59.31
But at the end of the day,
00:16:59.35\00:17:00.68
your behavior tells who you are.
00:17:00.72\00:17:02.68
And this is the
question, are we getting better
00:17:02.72\00:17:05.69
or are we getting worse
00:17:05.72\00:17:07.06
since we had so
many thought leaders
00:17:07.09\00:17:09.52
all throughout the
years that have been promoting
00:17:09.56\00:17:11.96
and teaching lots of
concepts and different things.
00:17:11.99\00:17:14.40
But the question is,
what has it produced now
00:17:14.43\00:17:17.90
in this time in our
earth's history in society?
00:17:17.93\00:17:20.90
Well, the Bible tells us,
00:17:20.94\00:17:22.27
it says in verse
12 of 2 Timothy 3,
00:17:22.30\00:17:28.41
"Yea, and all that will
live godly in Christ Jesus
00:17:28.44\00:17:31.31
shall suffer persecution,
00:17:31.35\00:17:32.75
but evil men and seducers
shall wax worse and worse,
00:17:32.78\00:17:38.09
deceiving, and being deceived."
00:17:38.12\00:17:40.12
The Bible says
things are gonna get worse.
00:17:40.16\00:17:42.32
People are gonna
continue to get worse.
00:17:42.36\00:17:44.13
Are we living in that society?
00:17:44.16\00:17:45.49
Do we see these
things happening today?
00:17:45.53\00:17:47.26
Absolutely. Absolutely.
00:17:47.30\00:17:48.63
Things are getting worse.
00:17:48.66\00:17:50.00
In other words, it is not enough
00:17:50.03\00:17:52.30
to simply give
people lip service.
00:17:52.33\00:17:54.34
It is not enough to
just say, "Hey, do this.
00:17:54.37\00:17:57.24
Hey, do that.
00:17:57.27\00:17:58.61
Do this or you need to
be this. We need to unify."
00:17:58.64\00:18:01.51
It all sounds great.
00:18:01.54\00:18:03.11
But we are
testifying through our behavior
00:18:03.14\00:18:06.11
and through the
clear landscape of society
00:18:06.15\00:18:08.92
that I need a
power outside of myself
00:18:08.95\00:18:13.42
in order to accomplish
00:18:13.46\00:18:14.79
what we have been
admonished to accomplish
00:18:14.82\00:18:16.32
literally for hundreds of years,
00:18:16.36\00:18:17.83
through various thought leaders,
00:18:17.86\00:18:19.19
through various
people even today.
00:18:19.23\00:18:21.26
So when I look at
hip-hop culture which says,
00:18:21.30\00:18:23.23
"Hey, folks, we need to
have love, peace, and unity."
00:18:23.26\00:18:27.37
It sounds great but
the problem is, how?
00:18:27.40\00:18:30.91
Where are we
gonna get this from?
00:18:30.94\00:18:32.27
And the Bible doesn't
show us a point of confusion,
00:18:32.31\00:18:35.24
it shows us a
beautiful clear answer.
00:18:35.28\00:18:37.35
It's in Ephesians
4, now watch this.
00:18:37.38\00:18:40.55
In Ephesians 4, somebody says,
well, I want to get true unity,
00:18:40.58\00:18:43.92
I want real unity."
00:18:43.95\00:18:45.29
No problem, I want it too
00:18:45.32\00:18:46.65
but I'm thankful,
I know where to go.
00:18:46.69\00:18:48.02
And here's what the Bible says,
00:18:48.06\00:18:49.56
it says in Ephesians 4:1,
00:18:49.59\00:18:54.00
"I therefore, the
prisoner of the Lord,
00:18:54.03\00:18:56.53
beseech you that ye walk worthy
00:18:56.56\00:18:58.20
of the vocation
wherewith ye are called
00:18:58.23\00:19:00.34
with all lowliness and meekness,
00:19:00.37\00:19:02.10
with longsuffering,
00:19:02.14\00:19:03.47
forbearing one another in love
00:19:03.51\00:19:05.27
endeavoring to keep
the unity of the spirit
00:19:05.31\00:19:10.55
in the bond of peace."
00:19:10.58\00:19:12.21
So notice, they are
endeavoring to keep unity,
00:19:12.25\00:19:16.02
but it's the
unity of the spirit.
00:19:16.05\00:19:20.02
The only way I
can have true unity
00:19:20.06\00:19:22.79
is through the spirit
of God that dwells in me.
00:19:22.82\00:19:26.53
As I am
empowered by God's spirit.
00:19:26.56\00:19:28.63
It's kind of like the
Zechariah 4:6 principle,
00:19:28.66\00:19:31.53
"Not by might, nor by power,
00:19:31.57\00:19:33.67
but by God's
spirit, saith the Lord."
00:19:33.70\00:19:36.00
It's gonna take more than just
simple intellectual knowledge.
00:19:36.04\00:19:38.91
It's gonna take more
than simply wherewithal.
00:19:38.94\00:19:41.48
It's gonna take a submission
00:19:41.51\00:19:43.58
to a power source
outside of ourselves
00:19:43.61\00:19:45.58
which the Bible is referring
to here as God's Holy Spirit.
00:19:45.61\00:19:48.82
And this is how we are
enabled to do God's will
00:19:48.85\00:19:52.59
and to have true
unity, the same love
00:19:52.62\00:19:55.79
and to be of one
accord with brethren.
00:19:55.82\00:19:57.89
So this is something
that's very, very clear
00:19:57.93\00:19:59.73
that the Bible is showing.
00:19:59.76\00:20:01.20
Now here's another point.
00:20:01.23\00:20:03.60
If we are to be
unified in the spirit,
00:20:03.63\00:20:05.30
that means the spirit
is the one that leads us,
00:20:05.33\00:20:07.44
we don't lead the spirit, right?
00:20:07.47\00:20:09.54
Well, then let's think
about this, John 16:13.
00:20:09.57\00:20:13.81
In John 16:13 now,
00:20:13.84\00:20:17.05
this is what the Bible says,
00:20:17.08\00:20:18.91
"Howbeit when He, the
spirit of truth, is come,"
00:20:18.95\00:20:23.39
"He will guide
you into all truth:
00:20:23.42\00:20:26.45
for He shall not
speak of Himself,
00:20:26.49\00:20:28.62
but whatsoever He shall
hear, that shall He speak:
00:20:28.66\00:20:30.69
and He will show
you things to come."
00:20:30.73\00:20:32.79
Notice that in Ephesians 4,
00:20:32.83\00:20:35.46
"We are to endeavor to
strive for unity of the spirit."
00:20:35.50\00:20:39.73
Then in John 16, the Bible says,
00:20:39.77\00:20:42.40
the spirit of truth.
00:20:42.44\00:20:44.67
True unity comes
from truth, not lies.
00:20:44.71\00:20:48.48
Lies have no place with God,
lies does not work with God.
00:20:48.51\00:20:53.11
In fact, remember one
time, Jesus said something
00:20:53.15\00:20:55.08
when He was
talking to His disciples.
00:20:55.12\00:20:57.09
Jesus said, "I am the
way, the truth, and the life."
00:20:57.12\00:21:01.56
"No man comes unto
the Father but by me."
00:21:01.59\00:21:03.43
So Jesus is not just
the embodiment of love,
00:21:03.46\00:21:05.83
He's the
embodiment of truth, right?
00:21:05.86\00:21:07.56
Yes. Well, watch
this, 1 John 2:21.
00:21:07.60\00:21:11.37
It's kind of like this text
00:21:11.40\00:21:12.73
just keep
downloading in my brain.
00:21:12.77\00:21:14.10
So you know, indulge me, please.
00:21:14.14\00:21:16.44
Well, here it is
that the Bible says
00:21:16.47\00:21:17.81
in 1 John 2:21, watch this.
00:21:17.84\00:21:22.34
It says, "I have
not written unto you
00:21:22.38\00:21:23.95
because ye know not the
truth, but because ye know it,
00:21:23.98\00:21:26.92
and that no lie
is of the truth."
00:21:26.95\00:21:31.32
So no lie is
connected the truth,
00:21:31.35\00:21:33.52
Christ is the truth, so
no lie connects to Christ.
00:21:33.56\00:21:37.03
The Bible, "Sanctify
them through thy truth:
00:21:37.06\00:21:39.13
thy word is truth."
00:21:39.16\00:21:40.50
So no lie can be
connected with scripture.
00:21:40.53\00:21:43.40
If people want to be unified,
00:21:43.43\00:21:45.63
it can only
happen under God's spirit
00:21:45.67\00:21:49.04
and it must be
according to God's truth.
00:21:49.07\00:21:52.44
If I'm teaching you
00:21:52.47\00:21:53.88
that
Christianity is not necessary,
00:21:53.91\00:21:55.88
that Christ is not necessary,
00:21:55.91\00:21:58.05
that the Bible is not necessary,
00:21:58.08\00:22:00.02
then you don't
have to look to Jesus,
00:22:00.05\00:22:01.58
you can look to yourself
and you can create the unity
00:22:01.62\00:22:05.05
as thought leaders are
teaching in hip-hop culture,
00:22:05.09\00:22:07.39
then what is happening
00:22:07.42\00:22:08.76
is whether they've
realized it or not,
00:22:08.79\00:22:10.16
they're lying to
those precious youth,
00:22:10.19\00:22:12.16
and they are not going to
bring those people into unity,
00:22:12.19\00:22:15.30
no matter how hard they try.
00:22:15.33\00:22:17.53
And I mean, essentially,
that's where it boils down to.
00:22:17.57\00:22:19.90
You cannot call for something
that is divine and holy,
00:22:19.93\00:22:23.54
and then reject the author
00:22:23.57\00:22:25.37
of that which
is divine and holy.
00:22:25.41\00:22:27.98
So you have a
situation where individuals
00:22:28.01\00:22:30.45
are calling for
unity in this case.
00:22:30.48\00:22:32.75
And yet, they at the
same time is saying that,
00:22:32.78\00:22:36.22
"Well, there's no
man up in the sky."
00:22:36.25\00:22:39.32
You know, that's all
false, so that's a lie.
00:22:39.35\00:22:41.69
Well, to call good evil,
00:22:41.72\00:22:44.46
and evil good is exactly
would say in there, right?
00:22:44.49\00:22:47.66
That's right.
00:22:47.70\00:22:49.03
And so it's been promulgated
through today's society,
00:22:49.06\00:22:51.17
it's a deception.
00:22:51.20\00:22:52.53
And when you do this,
00:22:52.57\00:22:54.74
what is it, what
message does it send out?
00:22:54.77\00:22:56.77
Well, I'm God, I can
choose whatever I wanna choose.
00:22:56.81\00:22:59.81
So I can from...
00:22:59.84\00:23:02.04
in one hand I can, you
know, encourage people to,
00:23:02.08\00:23:06.72
you know, be in
good health, and be fit,
00:23:06.75\00:23:09.05
and fight against the
diseases that are taken,
00:23:09.08\00:23:11.65
you know, many
individuals in hip-hop culture,
00:23:11.69\00:23:14.02
you know, have gone
down suffering from diabetes,
00:23:14.06\00:23:17.96
gone down from heart
disease, heart attacks,
00:23:17.99\00:23:20.40
and suffering from MS,
and all these other things
00:23:20.43\00:23:22.23
that are directly associated
with lifestyle in many cases.
00:23:22.26\00:23:25.07
And so there is an undercurrent
00:23:25.10\00:23:27.27
of the hip-hop
community that's saying,
00:23:27.30\00:23:30.04
"Well, we need to
make some changes.
00:23:30.07\00:23:31.41
We need to, you know,
improve our health situation."
00:23:31.44\00:23:34.54
But at the same time,
then we're talking about,
00:23:34.58\00:23:36.71
you know, drinking, and smoking,
00:23:36.75\00:23:38.31
and that's part of natural,
you know, naturally having fun.
00:23:38.35\00:23:41.08
These are things
that come from nature,
00:23:41.12\00:23:42.72
therefore they're
good for us to consume.
00:23:42.75\00:23:44.92
So you know, it's
an idea on one hand
00:23:44.95\00:23:47.02
that we need to pay
attention to certain things
00:23:47.06\00:23:48.82
but the deception
and the lie that no,
00:23:48.86\00:23:50.66
we can indulge in these things.
00:23:50.69\00:23:52.03
So again, it's
impossible to achieve unity
00:23:52.06\00:23:58.10
without acknowledging the truth.
00:23:58.13\00:24:01.07
And if you reject the truth,
00:24:01.10\00:24:02.87
and when we
talked about knowledge,
00:24:02.90\00:24:04.57
the rejection of
knowledge in Hosea 4,
00:24:04.61\00:24:08.38
"The rejection of
knowledge leads to destruction."
00:24:08.41\00:24:10.98
Right.
00:24:11.01\00:24:12.35
And so when the words go out,
00:24:12.38\00:24:14.55
you know, they stop
the violence movement
00:24:14.58\00:24:16.05
and the self destruction,
00:24:16.08\00:24:17.62
you know, you're
headed for self destruction.
00:24:17.65\00:24:19.82
Well, you're headed
for self destruction
00:24:19.85\00:24:21.66
by rejecting knowledge
and rejecting the truth.
00:24:21.69\00:24:24.16
Not necessarily by
getting involved in crime,
00:24:24.19\00:24:26.73
and all these things.
00:24:26.76\00:24:28.10
The very lifestyle
choices you're making
00:24:28.13\00:24:29.46
and the idea that intellectually
00:24:29.50\00:24:30.83
you're rejecting your creator
00:24:30.87\00:24:32.67
is what's leading
to your destruction,
00:24:32.70\00:24:34.64
because you have no power
to abstain from the things
00:24:34.67\00:24:38.34
that are destroying
yourself and your community.
00:24:38.37\00:24:39.91
That's right.
00:24:39.94\00:24:41.28
And, you know, we have to accept
00:24:41.31\00:24:43.14
the fact that
humanity has a limit.
00:24:43.18\00:24:45.05
Human nature has a limit.
00:24:45.08\00:24:46.65
There are powers that
be, the one thing I will say
00:24:46.68\00:24:49.75
that I agree with the
points that are brought out
00:24:49.78\00:24:53.29
fairly forcefully
through hip-hop culture,
00:24:53.32\00:24:55.86
but God brought it
out before they did,
00:24:55.89\00:24:57.43
but nevertheless they
are echoes of this is,
00:24:57.46\00:25:00.53
there are social injustices.
00:25:00.56\00:25:02.30
It's not that it's fabricated,
there are disadvantages,
00:25:02.33\00:25:05.53
there is a lot of
the cooking of the books
00:25:05.57\00:25:07.64
in people in the back, and
there's money manipulation,
00:25:07.67\00:25:10.51
there are people
being used and manipulated,
00:25:10.54\00:25:15.14
and there are
things happening in society
00:25:15.18\00:25:17.08
they try to keep
certain societies down,
00:25:17.11\00:25:19.55
and things of that nature.
00:25:19.58\00:25:20.92
I can see that, I can go
in certain neighborhoods,
00:25:20.95\00:25:22.78
and I don't see a billboard
promoting Guinness Stout
00:25:22.82\00:25:25.62
and all these other
horrific, you know, substances.
00:25:25.65\00:25:28.22
But I can go to
other neighborhoods
00:25:28.26\00:25:29.59
and I can see
those things there.
00:25:29.62\00:25:30.96
Why is it? You
know, or what have you?
00:25:30.99\00:25:33.29
There's a lot of things
that are happening in society
00:25:33.33\00:25:36.00
whether be in
the judicial system
00:25:36.03\00:25:37.43
or otherwise that
definitely is worthy of reform.
00:25:37.47\00:25:41.20
There's no question about that.
00:25:41.24\00:25:42.94
And what we have to realize
00:25:42.97\00:25:44.31
is that humanity
does have a limit.
00:25:44.34\00:25:46.84
There does come a point in time
00:25:46.88\00:25:48.21
where our human nature
is gonna be capped off.
00:25:48.24\00:25:51.68
And whatever is
naturally in us will come out.
00:25:51.71\00:25:54.82
And this is the
reason why we are constantly
00:25:54.85\00:25:57.25
pointing individuals back
00:25:57.29\00:25:58.79
to the power
source being Jesus Christ
00:25:58.82\00:26:01.02
and the power of His Holy Spirit
00:26:01.06\00:26:02.39
to enable us to demonstrate
the principles of true unity
00:26:02.42\00:26:07.60
even during those times of life
00:26:07.63\00:26:09.83
when the precious of
life begin to crush us
00:26:09.86\00:26:12.03
and come upon us as
a true and heavy way.
00:26:12.07\00:26:15.54
Friends, I believe that,
00:26:15.57\00:26:16.91
you know, God is trying to
make a point to our hearts.
00:26:16.94\00:26:20.48
Point by point,
principle by principle,
00:26:20.51\00:26:22.71
and that's why we've
been studying these things out
00:26:22.74\00:26:25.01
succinctly, very
carefully, looking at true love,
00:26:25.05\00:26:28.52
looking at true peace,
studying now true unity.
00:26:28.55\00:26:31.95
And even though we haven't
really gotten into the concepts
00:26:31.99\00:26:34.69
that really spell out
unity in a practical way.
00:26:34.72\00:26:37.93
We're gonna be doing
that in our next episode.
00:26:37.96\00:26:39.59
And I trust that the
Lord is gonna bless us.
00:26:39.63\00:26:41.60
And I just hope
that you stay tuned,
00:26:41.63\00:26:43.63
continue to study,
00:26:43.67\00:26:45.00
review the verses
that we have shared.
00:26:45.03\00:26:46.74
Pray and ask God
00:26:46.77\00:26:48.17
to bring these
truths home to your heart
00:26:48.20\00:26:50.67
and watch what the
Lord would do for you
00:26:50.71\00:26:52.74
and through you for others.
00:26:52.77\00:26:54.34
Until then we look forward
to seeing you at our next time
00:26:54.38\00:26:56.71
when we come together.
00:26:56.75\00:26:58.08
And please, remember the words
of Proverbs 2:6 that tells us,
00:26:58.11\00:27:00.98
"It is the Lord
that gives us wisdom
00:27:01.02\00:27:02.78
and out of His mouth
00:27:02.82\00:27:04.19
comes knowledge
and understanding."
00:27:04.22\00:27:06.45
God bless.
00:27:06.49\00:27:07.82