Righteous Invasion of Truth

Dr. Abel Damina: Go ahead and give Him praise tonight. Give Him praise in this house. Give Jesus praise in this house.

Thank You, Father. Thank You, Jesus. Hallelujah. Father, we are grateful that we are found in You. And thank You for the privilege of being known by You, called by Your name, chosen by You, elected by You, foreordained by You, and loved by You. What a privilege. What a joy to know that we are in union with You that can never be separated.

We have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. Thank You that You loved us, not that we loved You, but that You first loved us and gave Yourself for us. And so, tonight, we just settle ourselves in that love and we take from the excellent ministry of Jesus.

We declare that tonight, the eyes of each one's understanding flood with light. Whatever is not planted by God is rooted out. Doubts are dissolved. There's no error in this environment. Clarity upon clarity. And we rejoice that by the end of this service, all will be the better for it. So, we give You praise and glory for answered prayer. In Jesus' name we pray, and every believer says a powerful amen.

Lift your right hands to heaven. Let's release our faith together as we say these words: I am born of God. I am born of the Word. The Word of God is my nature. I do not struggle to do the Word. I do the Word naturally. Therefore, today, I will understand the word of His grace. I will be built up. By the end of this service, I will never be the same. Never, ever be the same again. In Jesus' name, and every believer says a powerful amen.

Glory to God. Grab your pen, your notebook, your Bible. You can be seated with your sweet, smart self tonight as we get into the word of His grace. Hebrews chapter 2, from verse 1. Hebrews chapter 2, from verse 1.

Guest (Male): Therefore, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him?

Dr. Abel Damina: How shall we escape from the transgressions and disobedience that are punished by angels? Look at how he started it. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" Escape from what? The previous verse, verse 2. "For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast." So, what were the words spoken by angels? Put your finger in Hebrews chapter 2, verse 2, and flip over to Galatians chapter 3, verse 19.

Guest (Male): Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Dr. Abel Damina: So, the angels were the supernatural arm of the law of Moses. The angels were the supernatural arm of the law of Moses because he says it was ordained by angels in the hands of a mediator. Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant or the law. So, angels and Moses worked together to carry out the law. Now, watch also in the book of John, chapter 1, verse 17.

Guest (Male): For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Dr. Abel Damina: The law was given by Moses. And because angels were administrators of the law with Moses, so under that dispensation, every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward. Then he now said our escape from that is so great salvation. That's our escape. How shall we escape the judgment of the law? Again, in order for you to understand what we're talking about, Romans the eighth chapter, the first and the second verse.

Guest (Male): There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Dr. Abel Damina: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. That is salvation. That is so great salvation. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. What is the law of sin and death? The law of sin and death is the law of Moses administered by angels.

Under that law, every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward. That is why an Ananias and Sapphira would die in the church, because Peter administered to them the law. And under the law, every disobedience and transgression received a just recompense of reward. Then he now said, how shall we escape from the law and from the angels and their modus operandi? If we neglect so great salvation.

So, the salvation that Jesus gave us is our escape from the law. Why do we have to escape the law? Romans chapter 8, verse 2 and 3.

Guest (Male): For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.

Dr. Abel Damina: For what the law could not do, in that it was weak. Oh, is it not the dispensation of the law that Hebrews chapter 8 says, for finding fault with them? For finding fault with them, he saith. So, there was no fault with the law, but the law was a fault-finder. So, what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

So, we've established that salvation is not just a theme, but the core doctrine of the Bible. And that term "so great salvation" reflects both its significance and its depth. So, we began to look at the sovereignty of God as we are wrapping up 30 Days of Glory. And we said the word "sovereign" is from English dictionaries, Oxford and Collins English, and it takes its roots from the word that means independent of control.

Independent of control. And we said that the term doesn't come in any text of the Bible. But we find the term "God" in the scriptures, which means one who is worshipped. God is one who is worshipped. Now, the idea of God's sovereignty has created issues in the church and often being linked to His Almightiness. The Hebrew phrase "I am that I am"—all right, ready? Guys, are you ready?

"I am that I am" in Exodus 3:14 means "I am, I will be." I am, I will be. The name "Yahweh" in Exodus the sixth chapter, the second verse.

Guest (Male): And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord.

Dr. Abel Damina: "I am the Lord" is used in the context of deliverance and redemption. "I am" is the name of God associated with deliverance, with redemption, with salvation. "I am" is not as controlling all things.

Oh my goodness, my attention was called to another video that was done, another message that was preached by one pastor like that again in Ghana. A Hausa proverb says ignorance is darker than the darkest night. Ignorance is darker than the darkest night.

He was confidently saying that God kills. To start with, that statement reveals that he doesn't believe that Jesus is God. That statement, just that statement, already reveals that he doesn't know Christ. Because you cannot know Christ in all sincerity from scripture and say God kills.

If God were to be a killer, Christ is the marker for what God does. Christ would have at least by mistake killed somebody. For thirty-three and a half years, nobody was killed by Jesus in spite of men's misbehavior. The only time His disciple mistakenly chopped off somebody's ear, He stopped it and fixed it back. He was saying, "Don't dent our record, we are not destroyers." He fixed the ear back.

Jesus said, "What I see my Father do, I do. What my Father does not do, I do not." If the Father was a killer, Jesus is the ex-Eko-mi. That is, Jesus is the physical representation of God in humanity. And no scripture—no scripture. All he was doing was philosophy.

In fact, he even said that anybody who says that God does not kill is a theological orphan. Maybe this evening we will know who the theological orphan is. Because maybe he has not read Romans chapter 5, verse 12. Put it up, Romans chapter 5, verse 12.

Guest (Male): Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.

Dr. Abel Damina: Repeat again.

Guest (Male): Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.

Dr. Abel Damina: Did it say and death by God? Death by sin. God is not the inventor of death. He's not the creator of death. He is not behind death. He's not the sponsor of death. Death is a child of sin, and sin is a product of man. In fact, death by sin, not death by God.

And so, death passed upon how many men? So, from the first death in the Bible, from the first death in the Bible, it was a product of sin. Even in the law of first mention. "Adam, the day you eat of it, you shall surely die." He didn't say, "the day you eat of it, I will kill you." You shall surely die, which means the death is in it. What is "it"? It is in man's refusal to heed God's word, which removes God from the equation.

Death is not a creation of God. Death is an absence. Let's see what God created and see if there will be death in any of those creations. Genesis chapter 1, verse number 1.

Guest (Male): In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Dr. Abel Damina: God said, "Let there be light." So, the first thing God created was light. Let there be light. And there was light. Now, whoever is on the computer, travel with me. Any verse that has "God said," put it up after verse 3. Any other verse that has "God said" from this chapter, verse 6 till 31. Let's go, first three words.

Guest (Male): And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters.

Dr. Abel Damina: Okay, next one. Next verse.

Guest (Male): And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

Dr. Abel Damina: Let the earth bring forth. Okay, next verse.

Guest (Male): And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

Dr. Abel Damina: And it was so. Another creation of God. Next verse.

Guest (Male): And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.

Dr. Abel Damina: So, day and night are for seasons. For seasons. For seasons. For signs. For days. For years. Next verse.

Guest (Male): And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

Dr. Abel Damina: Next God said.

Guest (Male): And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Dr. Abel Damina: Let the earth bring forth life. Bring forth life. Next God said.

Guest (Male): And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Dr. Abel Damina: So, dominion given to man. Next God said.

Guest (Male): And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Dr. Abel Damina: God said, okay, food for man. Next verse. Next God said. No, there's still another "God said" in chapter 1. There is still another "God said" in chapter 1. You stopped at chapter 1:29. Go back, give me chapter 1:29.

Guest (Male): And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed.

Dr. Abel Damina: So, it shall be for meat. Okay, verse 30. Give me verse 30. Genesis 1:30.

Guest (Male): And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Dr. Abel Damina: It was so. 31.

Guest (Male): And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.

Dr. Abel Damina: Hold on. And God saw everything that He has made. And behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Chapter 2, verse 1.

Guest (Male): Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Dr. Abel Damina: He has finished the heavens and the earth and He has finished creation. Verse 2.

Guest (Male): And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Dr. Abel Damina: So, God ended all His work. No death in His work. No death in His work. Now He has ended and He has entered rest. And no death in His work. Everything was very good.

Now, so the first place you will see death will be in man's actions. "The day you eat of it, you shall surely die." The death was not a creation, the death was an absence. Because creation has finished, and everything was very good. And then the first time we see the first murder is in chapter 4, Cain and Abel.

And what does the Bible say Cain was? Cain was of the evil one. And the manifestation of the evil one was what? Murder. Cain killed Abel. Cain of the evil one. In fact, give it to me, Cain, the evil one. Cain is of the evil one, it's in First John. Look for it and put it up on the screen. "Of the evil one, Cain was of the evil one, so slew he his brother." Cain was of the evil one is in First John.

Now, while they are looking for First John for it, give me—good. "Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother." So, Cain killing Abel was Satan's action covert in Cain. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Cain of the evil one, and that is Genesis chapter 4. Now, also, give me John 8:44. John chapter 8, verse 44. Let's go.

Guest (Male): Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a lie, and the father of it.

Dr. Abel Damina: Ye are of your father the devil. He was a murderer from Genesis chapter 4. Who was the murderer? Satan. Who was the killer? Satan. "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin." So, this man of God now said, "If God created man, He can unmake what He made." That's his argument. If God created man, He can unmake what He made.

Then he went to a parable which the prophet gave, I think Ezekiel gave that parable of the potter. That's a parable. He's just giving a parable where the potter molded the clay and destroyed the clay. So he says, since the potter can destroy the clay, God can kill man. And he's still alive. Even with that statement he's making, he's still alive.

Now people say, you know Dr. Damina just wants to think of God in good light. He doesn't want to highlight God's bad parts. God's bad parts. I have been looking for—I can't find one. I have searched through all eternity, Lord, and I find there is none. I can't find.

I can't see it in scripture and I can't see it in Jesus. Jesus is God who became a man to correct the misconceptions of man concerning God. Since the Old Testament people were progressively knowing God, so God became a man in Jesus to correct man's conceptions of God in Christ. Christ is the revelation of God in humanity.

"Ye are of your father the devil, he was a murderer from Genesis." Because when we look at Genesis, all that God made was good and there was no death in the least. Then the next death we see is in Genesis chapter 4, and in chapter 3 it was the serpent that beguiled Eve. So, it was the serpent and Adam that cooperated to bring death into humanity.

Hebrews chapter 2, verse 14. Hebrews chapter 2, verse number 14.

Guest (Male): Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.

Dr. Abel Damina: "Him that had the power of death." That is God? Is that what is in your Bible? Who is he that had the power of death? That is the devil. Why did it say he had it? Because in Revelation chapter 1, Revelation chapter 1, verse 5, 6, and 7.

Guest (Male): And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Dr. Abel Damina: He has made us kings. So, go to Revelation chapter 1, verse 16, 17, 18. Let's go.

Guest (Male): And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Dr. Abel Damina: I have the keys of hell and of death. That's why He destroyed him that had, because Jesus destroyed him and took the keys. He doesn't have it anymore. The devil doesn't have it anymore. How did the devil get it? He got it from Adam's disobedience. And Jesus stripped him, having spoiled principalities and powers. He triumphed over him in it.

He destroyed him that had the power of death. I gave a simple illustration because we get into those details in Soteria 13. Uzzah touched the ark. Uzzah touched the ark and died. Why did Uzzah die when he touched the ark? It was me Uzzah touched and died.

Because the Ark of the Covenant is in the Holy of Holies, and today the Holy of Holies is in my heart. I'm the holy place of God. Why did he die? He touched the ark against the law of Moses. And under the law, every disobedience and transgression received a just recompense of reward. So, the law acted against Uzzah and the angels that administer the law took him out.

Because there's no mercy under the law. Moses himself said, "When I saw the product of that law, me myself, I feared and trembled." Moses said I was afraid of it. Is it not in Hebrews chapter 12? Hebrews 12, verse 18. Go ahead.

Guest (Male): For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake).

Dr. Abel Damina: Even the law-giver was afraid of the product of his law. Because under the law, every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward. That's why the writer of Hebrews now says, "How shall we escape? How shall we escape the operations of the law if we neglect so great salvation?" So, why is salvation our escape? Romans chapter 10, verse 4. Romans chapter 10, verse number 4.

Guest (Male): For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Dr. Abel Damina: Christ is the end of that dispensation to every one that believeth. That's why salvation came by Jesus Christ. Salvation from sin, salvation from the law. Because Jesus is God who became a man to save man.

Now, so sovereignty does not mean God controlling all things. Sovereignty in the context is in the context of deliverance and redemption. Which means that sovereignty does not mean God decreed everything.

In fact, biblical interpretation, hermeneutics, the basic rules of hermeneutics are to ask, is it in the Bible? That's the basic rule of hermeneutics. You will always ask, is it in the Bible? It's like that man of God that is making such bold, elaborate claims with no scripture, only philosophy. If God make it, He can unmake it. Hold on. You are reading your thought into scripture. Let the scripture tell us who God is, not what you think. That's philosophy. It's called idle philosophy, it's called plain nonsense. And Paul say let no man spoil you by plain nonsense and idle philosophies.

So, if it is written, because the first question in hermeneutics is, is it written? Then if it is written, we have a duty to exegete. It's not enough that it is written. We now have to do exegesis. Exegesis is when the Bible begins to interpret itself. That's exegesis. Bible interpretation. You're not reading your thoughts into scripture. Now you take yourself out, neutral, and then you allow the scriptures to begin to tell you what the scriptures communicate concerning the character of God.

You exegete. Apart from exegete, you now explain it by paying attention to grammar. You explain it by paying attention to vocabulary. You explain it by paying attention to the tenses. Otherwise, you will mistranslate words. For example, Matthew chapter 11, verse 12. This is very popular among the charismatic Pentecostals, my community. Read for me.

Guest (Male): And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Dr. Abel Damina: The violent take it by force. The violent take it by force. You must take it by force. That phrase "suffereth violence" refers to persecution against the kingdom. Persecution against the kingdom, not entering by force. The kingdom of heaven suffers persecution, and those who are persecuted will seize it.

They will seize it. It's not about entering, it's a perseverance in the face of persecution to advance the kingdom of God. That's what John was talking about. Also John 1:1, where the Jehovah's Witnesses misinterpret "the Word was a god." The Word was a god. But I hope you know that the Jehovah's Witness Bible also, they interpreted from the Greek and the Hebrew. But in their interpretation, they tampered with some things because they know that most of their followers may not have access to the Greek and the Hebrew, and may not even have the time to check it out. If you check the Greek and the Hebrew, it's emphatic. The position confirms Jesus as God Himself, establishing His pre-incarnate existence.

In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God. And the Word became flesh. God became a man. God became a man. So, Jesus is God who became a man. His name is Emmanuel, God with us. First Timothy 3:16. First Timothy chapter 3, verse number 16.

Guest (Male): And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Dr. Abel Damina: And without controversy. Without controversy, Homologio Menos. Homologio Menos, that's without controversy in the Greek. Homologio Menos, that is, this is our common confession. This is what unifies us together as believers in Jesus. Great is the Musterion of Eusebeia. That's the Greek. The Musterion of Eusebeia. It means, great is the explanation of God.

What is the explanation of God? That is, we see God in Christ. Eusebeia. That this is our common confession. This is our unifying force, that all of us, we have seen God in Christ. And the God we saw in Christ was manifest where? In the flesh. That's our God. Our God is manifest in humanity. Our God became a man.

Now let's look at some attributes and keywords of sovereignty. Am I teaching good tonight? Some attributes and keywords of sovereignty. If God is sovereign, He must possess foreknowledge. If God is sovereign, He must possess foreknowledge. If God is sovereign, He must be omniscience. And if God is sovereign, He must be omnipotent. Of course, if God is sovereign, He must be omnipresence.

Keywords. Keywords examined for sovereignty in salvation. And those words are foreknowledge, predestination, election, counsel, and will. Please don't miss that. Keywords that are examined for sovereignty in salvation are foreknowledge, predestination, election, counsel, and will.

Studio, give me "the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." First Corinthians 15 also. First Corinthians 15:26. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." So, if death is God's enemy, then God couldn't have been the one who created His enemy. Death is God's enemy, and God will destroy death because He has no business with it. If death was God's creation, it would be forever. Because whatever God doeth shall be forever. But He will destroy death. Hey, He will destroy death.

Oh death, where is your victory? Give me that verse, give me that verse. Oh death, where is your victory? Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory? Next verse. Next verse. "The sting of death is sin." Once you accuse God of killing, then God is behind sin. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law. Both law and sin are not God's products.

How many of you remember God only has one covenant? How many of you remember God only has one covenant? What is the covenant of God? The New Testament. What is the covenant of man? The Old Testament. Though it be a man's covenant, God doesn't have two covenants. He doesn't change His mind. It's not like He will say, "Even though I wanted New Covenant, now that man has misbehaved, I change my mind. Let us have an Old Covenant." No. Matthew 19, verse 4. Pay attention, church. Are you getting blessed? Matthew 19, verse 4.

Guest (Male): And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

Dr. Abel Damina: If you cannot—if you cannot decipher this discourse, it will be difficult for you to understand what I'm teaching. This inquiry is a billion-dollar inquiry. Jesus said the beginning of God's plan, God's plan, what God produced, God's intent, what God's mindset is, that what God has joined together, let no man put asunder. That's the plan. Because that is a reflection of what His union will be with the church.

So, since God plans to have a union with the church and the church is still in the works, so God created a human institution that reflects what He intends to do with His church. And in the plan, just like God does not divorce. Once you are saved, OSAS. No divorce, OSAS. Did you get OSAS? OSAS means no divorce. So, since there's no divorce in God's marriage, He expects that on earth when men marry, there should be no divorce. That is the plan.

Then the Pharisees said, okay wait. If that was the plan, why then did Moses, a prophet of God, go against God's plan and interrupted God's plan and gave man an option that is not sanctioned, sponsored by God? That's a serious question. Because then that would mean that outside marriage, there are other things that God set that man updated, that man reviewed, and God allowed. That will travel through the thread of theology.

Because it wouldn't just be marriage. Marriage now is the case study and they are asking God in human flesh. That's why Jesus will say to them, "Have you not read? Anaginosko. Have you not read that He which made them at the beginning, in Genesis, made them male and female and said, what God has joined together let no man put asunder?" Then they say, "Why then did Moses command them to give a certificate of divorce and put her away?" Watch Jesus's answer. Glory to God. How many of you know Jesus's answer is God's answer? Watch Jesus's answer. Read for me.

Guest (Male): He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

Dr. Abel Damina: Moses, in view of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives. But in Genesis, it was not so. So, that means there are things God set in Genesis that man altered outside Genesis. And that will even come down to death. That will come to death. That will come to disasters. That will come to killings. They were not so from the beginning.

Moses, in view of your hearts. In fact, go back, go back, Matthew 19. I'm teaching good tonight. Matthew 19, verse 4. Wherefore, go back to verse 4. Go back to verse 3. Matthew chapter 19, verse 3. "The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" He answered and said unto them, "Have you not read?" You know what he was saying? What you are quoting to me is Deuteronomy 24.

How did you get to Deuteronomy 24 before Genesis? How? You are supposed to read Genesis before Deuteronomy to understand what led to Deuteronomy. See, each book of the Bible has a background in the other books. Each book of the Bible, they are not supposed to be studied independently. They are supposed to be studied together because they are tied together by one message.

How did you get to the 24th chapter of Deuteronomy without Genesis chapter 2? Have you not read? Have you not read that He which made them at the beginning? You are jumping to Deuteronomy. By Deuteronomy, things have gone out of place. Why are you going to Deuteronomy and avoiding Genesis? He was a murderer from the beginning. Where is the beginning? Genesis chapter 3 and 4. He murdered Abel. He murdered Abel.

He used Cain as a covert—covert key to operate. Cain covered, Satan entered Cain. He was hiding under Cain's desires and Cain's abilities. He made Cain front for him. And that's how he operated throughout the Old Testament. That's why there's one revelation you will not see in the Old Testament, and that is Satan. That is Satan. Even in the killing of Job's children, he was still hiding. That's why even Job could not factor him out. Job had to say, "God has given and God has taken away, blessed be His holy name." Then in chapter 42, Job said, "Don't mind me, I was just making noise about things I didn't understand."

I'm teaching good tonight. So, sovereignty, therefore, the keywords are examined in salvation will be foreknowledge, predestination, election, counsel, and will. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 4. Ephesians chapter 1, verse number 4.

Guest (Male): According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

Dr. Abel Damina: He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world. Chosen, election. Election. So, the notion that God decreed how many things will go for each person before they came into the world, that notion, who will be saved, who will not be saved—we saw yesterday that the Prorizo of God and we saw the Prorismos of God. That the intention of God is what brought about the actions of God and not the outcome of the actions and intent.

So, predestination is defined by Prorizo and Prorismos. Intent and actions to back the intent and not the outcome of the intent and the outcome of the actions. And we look at the historical usage of those words, both in medical science by Greek philosophers and right when the Greek language used those words for scripture. And we saw how the grammar was structured. Never was it used at any time for outcomes, it was always for intent.

And then we saw that the intention of God to save is embedded in the preaching of the gospel. And the gospel, therefore, is for all. So, no exclusion, no precaution, and nobody is predestined. So, no selection. No selection. God selected nobody for hell or selected nobody for heaven. He just gave man a level playing ground and gave us the gospel to preach for whosoever believeth. Whosoever believeth.

The other day we were doing an analysis of all these people that kept saying white people brought the gospel to Africa. No, sir, Africa gave the gospel to the white man. Quote me anywhere and I'll prove it, both historically and scripturally and doctrinally and exegetically. Anywhere. The gospel was in Africa. Study your Bible.

The Ethiopian eunuch was reading in the book of Acts. The Ethiopian—so from Ethiopia, this guy was in government in Ethiopia, Africa, just behind here, was reading when Philip met him and said, "Understandest?" So, which means the gospel was already in Ethiopia here in the book of Acts. Even before the book of Acts, the gospel was in Libya here. Egypt.

We were the first custodian of the gospel. Even before the gospel went to Rome. Rome, where they killed the apostles of Jesus. Before it went there, it was already in Africa. It was from Rome it went to America and other places. It was already in Africa. The missionaries didn't bring the gospel to us. I don't want to tell you what they brought, but they didn't bring the gospel to us. No, sir. No, sir. No, sir. I don't want to tell you what the missionaries brought. You can find that out in your school.

We were custodians of the gospel. It went from Africa to Rome, from Rome to the Western civilization. Then they package and brought it back to Africa for a purpose, along with schools and hospitals. May God give you understanding.

No exclusion, no inclusion, that whosoever believes in Him. So, the predestination was predicated on foreknowledge. The predestination was predicated on foreknowledge. "For those He foreknew, He predestinated." He didn't predestinate to foreknow. No, He foreknew out of foreknowledge, He predestinated.

"Those He predestinated, He called. Those He called, He justified. Those He justified, He glorified." So, the predestined one is not anybody. The predestined one is Christ. God's predestination is Christ handed over to us today as a message called the gospel of Christ. Handed over to us today as a message that is called the gospel of Christ.

So, the notion that God decreed how things will go for each person before they came into the world, who will be saved or not, is not supported by the scripture. Psalm 2:7 says, "Ask of me the uttermost part of the earth for your possession." Anywhere the Bible use "decree" in the Old Testament, it refers to the resurrection of Jesus. The word "decree." And of course, there are other uses of "decree" that have nothing to do with salvation, but the major uses of "decree" has to do with the resurrection.

Now, let's look a bit into creation. Genesis chapter 1, verse 1 and 2.

Guest (Male): In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Dr. Abel Damina: The word "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." And the earth was Tohu Bohu. Or Tohua Bohua. Nothing. Nothing. Indicating God created from nothing. Barashit Elohim Barat. Et hashamaims letar aret. That word Bara. Bara. It means created from nothing. Bara.

Of course, angels were created in time. They were not created out of time, they were created in time. Colossians 1:16 says it. You can read at home. Job 38:7, angels were created in time. Isaiah 24:21. Revelation chapter 4, verse 6 to 8. Jude verse 9. Revelation 5:11. I go over it again. Colossians 1:16, Job 38:7, Isaiah 24:21, Revelation 4:6-8, Jude 9, Revelation 5:11, Revelation 12:7. Their ministry is man-ward. The ministry of angels is man-ward. In fact, Hebrews 1:14, "Are these not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation?"

So, God created out of nothing. Man be, man was. Yeah. Man took his body from the earth. Man came out of God's breath as a living soul, hit the ground, and took a body. Because God couldn't have created a body before putting the breath. That would be a dead body. That would mean that God is responsible for death, because He created a dead body. God didn't create a dead body. The same way God called Adam to be is the same way Adam called the animals to be.

Oh, you thought Adam now molded clay, clay, clay, clay, clay, and filled the whole of Eden with clay and say, "Monkey"? Lion? Giraffe? Mosquito? You think that's what Adam did? Molding, molding. You know how many years it'll take him to mold all the animals on the planet? No. Adam just said, "Lion!" It came out of his mouth, hit the ground and formed a lion. Giraffe. The same way, creation. He called the things that be not as though they were, so they came forth. He called them out. Whatever Adam called them was their name. It was a calling. He called them. Are we teaching here? He called them.

So, let's look at humanity and free will. That phrase "Let us" in Genesis 1:26. "Let us make man." "Let us" refers to the pluralistic Elohim, the Godhead. Not God and angels. No, "Let us." That is, out of deity, man come forth. Out of deity, man come forth. "Let us make man."

And the Old Testament writers couldn't find that man. Because when they looked at Adam, he was frail. He doesn't look like the man in charge. Huh? Which kind of Adam that everything is kicking him around? So they all started shouting, "What is man that Thou art mindful of? What is man that Thou art mindful of?" All of them were inquiring.

And the answer came forth in the book of Hebrews, because the New Testament is the revelation of the Old Testament. The New Testament is Jesus concealed, I mean the Old Testament is Jesus concealed, the New Testament is Jesus revealed. So the answers to the queries of the Old Testament will be found in the New Testament. That's why the New Testament is the rightly divided word of truth. So the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 2, verse 6.

Guest (Male): But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?

Dr. Abel Damina: What is this man that You're mindful of? What is this man that You're visiting? All through the scriptures, man, man, what is man? Next verse.

Guest (Male): Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Dr. Abel Damina: The man we're talking about is the man You made a little lower than the angels. So it cannot be Adam. It's the man You crowned with glory and honor. It's the man You set over the works of Your hands. Next verse.

Guest (Male): Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.

Dr. Abel Damina: So the man we're talking about, everything is under him. But when we look at Adam, everything is not under Adam. Adam is under everything. So this man cannot be Adam. "But now we see not yet all things put under him." Next verse.

Guest (Male): But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Dr. Abel Damina: So the man of Genesis 1:26 is Jesus. It's Jesus. "Let us make man," meaning out of deity let a man come forth. That was God's redemptive plan, that a man will come out of the Godhead to save man. That was the plan. It was not an afterthought, it was the thought. Man out of the Godhead. Out of the Godhead, a man came forth.

And if you observe, He says "image." "Let us make man in our image." The word Salam. T-S-E-L-E-M. Eikon in the Greek. Salam in the Hebrew. "Let us make man in our Salam" or "in our Eikon." Image. So if you study the New Testament, you won't see "image" used for Adam. So where do we see "image" in the New Testament? Colossians 1:15.

Guest (Male): Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Dr. Abel Damina: For by Him were all things created. Will this be God? Will this be God? Talk to me, church, will this be God? By Him, how many things? All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light. There's no death in Him, only life.

All things were created by Him. Him who? Him the image of God. Go back to the previous verse, verse 15. "Who is the image of the invisible God." Of course, you know in English language, when you have image, it is no more invisible. It is invisible without an image, but the moment you attach an image to invisible, invisible ceases to be invisible.

So Jesus gives visibility to the invisible. Jesus is the invisible manifestation of the invisible God. He's the firstborn, the prototokos of all creature. Watch, watch, who is this image? Who is this image? Next verse. "For by Him were all things created." You know some people who are not well-tutored in scripture, "Hey, Dr. Damina said the man in Genesis 1:26 is God." So God, God now says—God says, "Let us God make man." And they are laughing.

They think they're laughing at me. They are laughing at their foolishness. Because the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit, neither can he know them. Because they are spiritually discerned. You think you are laughing, you are just laughing at your foolishness. You are blind. No matter what, you show light to a blind man, he will keep saying, "Where? Where? Where is the light? Where is the light?"

And we're on a mission to make all men see. To make how many people see? To make all men see. "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." For this image of the invisible God that Genesis is talking about, "For by Him," put up, "all things were created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible, invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created for Him, by Him and for Him." This is deity. Next verse.

"And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist." So deity said, out of deity let a man come. And the man that came out of deity is deity. "The Lord said to my Lord. The Lord said to my Lord. Jehovah said to Yahweh. Adonai said to Yahweh. Let us, out of deity, make a man." So this man is God who became a man. This man is not Adam. This man is the second Adam, because the second Adam is the Lord from heaven. The first Adam is of the earth earthy. He's from the earth. The second Adam is the Lord from heaven.

Am I teaching good? Give me that scripture, it's in First Corinthians 15. First man, the first man is of the earth earthy, the first Adam. First Corinthians 15, quickly, quickly, studio. Walk with me, stay with me. He's of the earth earthy. He's the Lord from heaven. "The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven." The first man.

Somebody say Adam is not the first man. And he's seeing clearly the first man. Does he need glasses to read? The first man is of the earth earthy. And the second man is the Lord from heaven. So there is the Lord from heaven called man. So even though He's man, He's the Lord. He's the Lord of Glory. The Great I Am, is the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End. His name is Wonderful, the Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father through all eternity.

Oh yeah, He's the Lord from heaven. That man of Genesis 1:26 is the Lord from heaven. "Let us make man." Out of deity let a man come. And this man is the image of the invisible God. And this same man is called in Hebrews 1:3. Hebrews 1:3, this same man is called, read for me.

Guest (Male): Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Dr. Abel Damina: He's the express image of His person. This person who Himself purged our sins, sat down, is the express image of God. Who purged our sins? Who sat down? So who is the image of God? Jesus.

So man is not created in God's image. Man is created in the image of his parents. There's no wahala. Genesis 5:2. Read for me.

Guest (Male): Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

Dr. Abel Damina: Every one of you is born after the image of your parents. No, man is not the image of God. Man is created after the image of his parents. So after whose image was Adam created? He was neither created in the image of God nor not in the image of God, pending his choice. It was his choice of Christ that would have made him the image of God, because Jesus is the image. So if he had accepted Christ, he would have become God's image. But he rejected Christ, so he had his own human image of the fallen man and started producing children in the image of the fallen man.

Now today, when you receive the gospel, you become the image of Christ. I feel like I'm preaching here. That's why if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold, all things are new and all things are of God. Glory to God. Glory to God.

Please you can be seated. Man created in the image of God is the man in Christ. Is the man who has accepted—see, when God formed Adam of the dust of the earth, God didn't choose for Adam. That's why Adam was neither mortal nor immortal, pending when he would choose. And that is why children that are born today are born innocent until they make the choice.

No child is born a sinner. Some say but David say, "I was conceived in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me." That is David. He didn't say "we were conceived." He say "I was." Why are you generalizing what is personalized? He said, "I was conceived in iniquity and in sin my mother bore me." That's a unique case. And if you check the history of David and his parents, you will see that there was promiscuity somewhere. So that means there was controversy as to the birth of David because of the way the mother behaved.

We were not conceived in iniquity. I showed you the scripture, right? Did I show you? Romans 7:9. Let's read together, everybody. Romans chapter 7, verse 9. I want us read very loud and I want you to wear your thinking caps as we read. Let's go. "For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died."

When was I alive? When I was a baby and I had not known good and bad. No law. But when I became accountable and I understood good and bad and I rejected the gospel, I died. I died. You are innocent until the age of accountability. If at the age of accountability you now say no to the gospel, then you die. Now in need of hearing the gospel to be saved. And there are children that never die. They never die. From the innocence they get born again. No death. There are children like that.

That's why we start disciplining children from children. Don't give them choreography to come and stand in the church and be flying like flying angels. Teach them gospel. From a child, thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. Flying all over.

God breathed the breath of life, Ruach Hayyim, into him, making him a living nephesh. A living nephesh or a living hayyah in the Hebrew, a living soul. Now this distinguishes man from animals, endowing man with a unique spirit, a unique personality, a unique identity. Now man has a will, has emotions and intellect. Man was a living being and not a sinner when he sinned. He was a living being and not a sinner when he sinned.

And then the fall. And then the fall. God gave Adam free will. That's why Adam named all the animals, because God respected man's choice. And the moment God made man a creature of choice, God freed Himself from anything that will go wrong. The moment God made man a creature of choice and handed this earth to man, and by law removed Himself, man became responsible for his choices, his decisions and the outcome of them. God is no more involved.

So say, if God is really sovereign, then why are children dying? No, the death of children is not as a result of God's sovereignty, it's as a result of man's management. It's not God. Why are there wars? It can't be God. Wars are as a result of human greed and selfishness and desire for dominance. Desire for what? That's what produces wars.

All of a sudden, one country like that that has military might will look at another country like that that doesn't have military might but has treasures, treasures, treasures. Then that country will create a crime that does not exist and plaster it on them and start giving them sanctions. Before you know they will move in. They move in and create all kinds of drama. And after the drama, they will help one country to win another. Then the one they helped to win has the treasures. They now say pay us back. Then they will collect what they spent times one million from this country to enrich their country.

It's greed and desire for dominance. It's part of the nature of a fallen man. It was not so from the beginning. You all went to school, right? Except you didn't read your history well. That's why you're looking at me funny. Many of you didn't do history. You were looking for going to Mars and you never went even till today. If you had done history, at least you would understand what I'm saying. At the end of all of us that want to go to Mars, it's only Elon that has gone with his boys. Solar science.

That's the truth. God created this world and put everything for all of mankind. But the fallen nature of man is greed, oppression. It's in the fallen nature. So the more you get, the more you want to get. The more you get, you keep getting. The more you keep getting, the more you want to get. Then at the end of the day, you want to oppress everybody and be in charge. It's in fallen man.

That's why when they wanted to make Jesus a king, He escaped. He said, "My kingdom is not this type." It's not this type. When they insisted, He knelt down, carried towel, and started washing their leg. He say, "In my kingdom, I am the servant. In your own governments, you are the bosses. So my kingdom is not of this world." Glory to God.

Then He said you want to know my kingdom? Righteousness, peace, joy where? In the Holy Ghost. That is the kingdom of God. Stand on your feet, let's go home tonight. Turn to your neighbor, say, "Hey neighbor, I'm a member of the kingdom. I belong to the kingdom of kings and priests. And in our kingdom, we are servants. We are servant kings. We serve one another. That's our kingdom. We do not oppress. We do not manipulate. We just serve one another by the love of God."

Oh, glory to God. That's our kingdom. We serve one another in our kingdom. Glory to God. Father, we thank You tonight for Your Word. Thank You that Your character is being revealed to us as we keep studying the pages of scripture. And more and more, Your character is becoming clear to us. We know the light from the darkness. We know You from the confusion. We have clear understanding.

So we pray that this light continues to shine. Thank You that Your Word is coming alive in our hearts. And I pray for everybody tonight that is sick. I command sickness and disease terminated. Sick bodies be healed. Sick bodies be healed. Sick bodies be healed.

Thank You for the blessing that is upon this family of God. And thank You for revelation knowledge that keeps growing in our hearts. And we rejoice tonight that the victory belongs to us. In Jesus' name we pray, and every believer says that amen on a note of finality. Well, go ahead and celebrate God's Word in this building tonight.

Hallelujah. Grab your honor offerings, let's give tonight as we get ready for "Ask the Counselor" in two minutes. TV, the banking details are scrolling online. The banking details are scrolling. Father, we pray tonight that as we give, our offerings are a sweet smell for Your glory. In Jesus' name we pray, every believer says a powerful amen. Glory. Please you can be seated. The baskets will go round as we give our offerings with joy tonight in this house. Glory, glory, glory.