OK, let's start our time together. Let's look to our God in prayer. Father, thank you so much for your mercy to us each day. We thank you that we can gather. We thank you that we can study your word. We thank you, Lord, that we can continue to learn. We never will find out all there is to know. So profound is your word, Holy Spirit, that you would teach us this day. May it be, O Lord, that you would bless it to our hearts. In your name, amen. We'll be concluding our study on the doctrine of the church this morning and in the hour to come. And coming to the conclusion, I want to make a cautionary note, an application to principle six that we have already considered in part. The principle that we looked at is that the local church, that in the local church, that is, all members are useful, active, essential, a vehicle for growth and increase of love among the brethren. The main passage that we used for this principle is Ephesians chapter 4, let me read it, in verse 16 where Paul says, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effect of working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. I want to make an application to this principle this morning. Within this verse, there are three things that I would draw your attention Paul says, from the whole body. And then he goes on to say, every joint supplies. And then he speaks in the very last words, edifying of itself in love. So you have the whole body, every joint supplies, edifying as key terms within this particular verse. The caution that I would give this morning is this. There are churches where the men of the congregation as well as pastors demean and put down the women of the congregation as to their knowledge, wisdom, abilities to edify all members, which, of course, would include the men. So often you hear among the men, as they disregard the wisdom of sisters in Christ, they say, well, you're just a woman. What do you know? That's a very sinful attitude crippling to the growth of the church. For we understand that there are different roles in the church, certainly, different ministries, certainly. But there is not different grace. Grace is the same, whether you are a man or a woman in Christ. The pivotal verse is found in Galatians chapter three. In Galatians chapter three, In verse 28, this is what Paul says. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There's neither slave nor free. There's neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Back in verse 26, he says, for you are all, all sons of God, including male and female, through faith in Christ Jesus. All believers without exception, regardless of gender, are ones who have the Lord Jesus Christ in all of his benefits, and have the Lord Jesus Christ in all of his gifts, in all that he bestows upon us alike. It is that which Paul makes clear here in this passage. So when he prays for the saints, this is what he prays for in Ephesians chapter 1. verse 16 of that chapter. He says, Do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of you understanding being enlightened, the hope of his calling what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints. Now when Paul gives this prayer He speaks in terms and addresses them as you, meaning all believers. He's addressed it in chapter one and verse one to the saints. He makes no distinction between male and female, but all believers without exception. This is what he prays. And as he prays, he knows that this is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to give wisdom revelation and knowledge of him so that all believers will possess these graces. All believers will have that in Christ, the eyes of their understanding that will be enlightened and they will begin to know more of that hope. He includes all saints without exception. And in this context, then, we want to notice, first of all, that wisdom and knowledge is absolutely essential in carrying out church responsibilities, which would include both men and women in those responsibilities. Look at what Paul says in 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians. chapter 5 and verse 14. He says, now we exhort you brethren, and when he speaks of brethren he's speaking of brothers and sisters in Christ alike. And he says to them, here is their responsibility to warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. This is the responsibility of members one to another. Therefore, sisters in Christ are given likewise. that they are to warn the unruly. Well, to warn the unruly, you must understand what is unruly. You must understand what are the principles that would address that issue, comforting the faint-hearted. You must be able to enter in to the affliction of those who indeed are faint-hearted. to be able to give a comfort biblically to them, upholding the weak, being patient with all. And therefore that takes wisdom, that takes understanding. Listen to what the Hebrew writer says in another responsibility, Hebrews chapter three and verse 12. He says, beware, brethren. You see, when the apostles, when the writers of Holy Scripture is addressing the church, they address the church in its entirety. So he says, beware, brethren. That means all believers, all brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. Here's the responsibility, but exhort one another daily, for it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Exhorting one another daily, for it is called today, so that sisters in Christ are exhorting brothers in Christ, the women who are in Christ are given that responsibility to come to the men of the congregation as well as other sisters in Christ and exhort, bring to bear the word of God, to warn them regarding a departing from the living God. To warn them regarding the hardening of the heart, deceitfulness of sin, all of that takes understanding. You see, we cannot, as it were, look in categories, as some do, as though the women could not fulfill any of these responsibilities, these are just given and to the men because they have more knowledge and more wisdom. But that isn't the way the preacher here brings this responsibility. He talks to them as brethren. No distinction as to male and female. And as we saw, there isn't in the area of grace in Galatians 3 and verse 28. Listen. Again, what Paul mentions regarding the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 8, the Holy Spirit grants this gift. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit. What Paul does say when he describes these gifts is that they are gifts that are given by the Holy Spirit, not something that you yourself create within yourself. It is that which the Spirit of God gives. And when he gives a word of wisdom, what he means is that there are those in the congregation who excel in wisdom, who have much wisdom. and they excel in knowledge, and it's all by the Spirit of God. God has given one member of a congregation more understanding in their study. There are degrees by which the Spirit of God blesses believers. All believers have wisdom, all believers have knowledge, but there are certain ones with a real gift. Well, Paul doesn't say here any categories. He doesn't say any distinctions or give any distinctions. So a sister in Christ could very well be one who has a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, where she is so blessed that she exceeds, at times, the wisdom and understanding of the men of the congregation and other members of the congregation. And she is one who is used mightily by the Spirit of God with this gift for the increase. Paul does not mention at all male or female. Galatians chapter 6. Listen to another responsibility that Paul gives. Galatians 6 and verse 1. Brethren, if a man, that is if a person, is overtaken in any trespass, you You, that is among all of the believers within the congregation, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. It very well can be. that you have a sister who's walking in the Lord in such a way that she is mature and spiritual, spiritually mature in grace, and it would be her responsibility to go to a brother that's been overtaken in any trust path and to restore, to exhort, to encourage, to instruct all that's involved with the spirit of gentleness. This would involve that. 1 Corinthians chapter 5. 1 Corinthians chapter 5. When Paul deals with a man who is involved in sin, not repenting of it, which needs to be removed from the congregation. This is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5 and verse 12. What I have to do with judging those also who are outside, do you not judge those who are inside? Those who are outside God judges, therefore put away from yourselves collectively as a body of believers, the evil person. You, both men and women, brothers and sisters, listen. You should be able to judge, and this is your responsibility to do so. You should see how this man is conducting himself. You should see the need for repentance. You should have gone to him. Action should have been taken. You should put him out. This is something that should come within the body, and all of God's people are responsible. He doesn't give a pass to anyone. Why do I quote all of these verses this morning? I do so to show you a variety of different responsibilities that are given to the church, to the brethren, to brothers and sisters in Christ. and to show that the women as well as the men are given the grace by the Spirit of God to fulfill their responsibility, which would entail that of wisdom and knowledge where they would understand, be able to discern, and bring forth that which is extremely profitable to the edification of the church. So they are part of every joint. They are part of the whole body. and they have been given by God through grace of the Spirit of God the abilities to so conduct themselves and fulfill their responsibilities. And all of these responsibilities, whether it's in Thessalonians, whether it's in Hebrews, whether it is in Galatians, take a lot of wisdom, a lot of understanding, a lot of work spiritually, as it were. Be able to discern what is before them, to be able to assess things aright. And that is not given simply to men. But that has been the attitude among not only men in congregations, but pastors as well. They will listen to a man. But pastors will not listen to a woman because simply they are a woman. And that is wrong. And that is contrary to the spirit of grace. And it must not be. We should esteem each other alike. Well, that brings us to the second part of our addressing this issue. And it is this. to demean a fellow believer, whether it is a brother or sister, as to their knowledge and understanding is to belittle the work of the Holy Spirit himself. Listen to what the Lord says in John the 14th chapter. Now in the 14th chapter, These verses that we read, let me read them and then make the comment. He says in verse 15 of John 14, he says, the Lord Jesus Christ, keep my commandments and I pray the Father and he will give you another helper that he may abide with you forever. the spirit of truth. You see, the spirit only conducts all of his work in the context of truth, of course, because he is truth, whom the world cannot receive because neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you. So you have the Holy Spirit being granted by God to indwell every believer. He is within you. Now with that, go down to verse 26. He says in verse 26, but the helper, that is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will said in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." So now the Lord speaks of not only the Holy Spirit being in you, but the ministry of the Holy Spirit, what will be the work of the Holy Spirit, and that is to teach, to give understanding. Now granted, when The Lord speaks these words, he is primarily speaking to his disciples that he is sending out, but it is that general principle of all believers, without exception, the ministry of the Spirit within. We all have, if we are in Christ, the Spirit within, and part of his work is to teach us and to bring us to remembrance both men and women within the congregation. Chapter 16 you have the same scenario in verse 13 of John chapter 16. However, when he the spirit of truth has come he will guide you in all truth For he will not speak of his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak, and he will tell you things to come. Again, the Lord Jesus Christ addresses the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth. And because he is so, his ministry will involve in every heart to guide you into all truth. speaking of his disciples primarily, but that which would refer to all believers without exception as they went forward to proclaim the gospel. It is that ministry of the Holy Spirit which the Lord Jesus Christ is bringing out in this passage. And then, of course, John, in 1 John chapter 2, speaks this way. He says in 1 John chapter 2 and verse 20 of that chapter, he says, for if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, I'm in the wrong book. Let me get the right book here. Chapter 2 and verse 20. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth." Again, John is speaking of the anointing, the work of the Holy One, the Holy Spirit. that brings truth to the people of God. And they know the truth. And there is no lie within the truth. It is that ministry that has been given by the Spirit of God. So this is what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 regarding the work of the spirit. He says in 1st Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 10, but God has revealed them to us through his spirit. For the spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of a man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God except the spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. that we might know, he says. Actually, no. The Spirit's work will not fail. The Spirit's work will be manifested in the hearts of his people. And when he speaks, again, he speaks collectively to all believers. Without exception, men and women, the spirit of God is within, the spirit of God is teaching, and the spirit of God will make known. Will make known. Not just might, but will make known the things that have been freely given to us by God. In Colossians. chapter 1, listen again to the Apostle in Colossians chapter 1 in verse 9 of that chapter. For this reason we also since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you and ask that you be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom, spiritual understanding, that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might according to His glorious power for all patience and longsuffering, with joy. Now what is the prayer of the apostle? He prays without ceasing that they be filled with the knowledge of his will. Is he praying just regarding the men? Is he not praying regarding the women in the congregation? Of course, of course he is. He is praying for all, that they would have wisdom, that they would have spiritual understanding. Why? It is only the men that he desires to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him? No, it is all believers without exception, women and men together, that they are in Christ, they are the saints, they are the brethren. And this is a prayer that he prays to God. And the Holy Spirit is that one who applies the word to the heart and mind of all of God's people, granting understanding, granting to them knowledge of holy scripture. Look how Paul treats ones in the congregation. In Romans chapter 16, in Romans the 16th chapter, Paul speaks of Phoebe. And as he speaks of Phoebe, this is what he says regarding the sister in Christ. in verse two, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of saints, assist her in whatever business she have need of. For indeed, she has been a helper of many, of myself also. What tremendous regard the apostle had for this sister, woman in the congregation. Treat her with honor. Treat her with respect. Assist her. Men, you assist her. Men, you ask her what is it that she needs regarding her business. And she has been a tremendous helper to me and to myself personally, so that the apostle was blessed by this sister in Christ. That was something that was very much a part of the testimony of the apostle. And then in chapter 15, in chapter 15 and verse 14, this Again, notice how the apostle speaks regarding men and women alike within the congregation. Brethren, he says, now I myself am confident concerning you. I'm confident that you men can do this. I'm confident that you women can do this. You are brethren. I'm confident that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. I'm confident of that. You have truth. You have the Word of God. The Spirit has taught you. You are walking in Him. You are mature, both men and women. And I have confidence so that the women have the knowledge and able to admonish one another. And admonishing one another would involve, at times, women admonishing men, as it were. the high regard that the Apostle had. The bottom line application is this, is when we look upon the women of the congregation as if they cannot discern, as if they have very little or no wisdom, as if they have no knowledge, then what we are doing, in essence, is demeaning the work of the Spirit of God and saying that the Spirit of God has failed because the Spirit of God has only given knowledge to the men of the congregation, only given wisdom to the men of the congregation, but not to the women, so what can they say? And so as a man, I do not have to take whatever a woman says within the congregation. I don't have to take their exhortations, for what do they know? I don't have to take their wisdom in a business meeting. I don't have to listen to the sisters in Christ as they sit and they seek to contribute as to whether certain actions are biblical or not or wise or not. I don't have to listen to them. And there have been pastors who have discounted and thrown aside anything that would come from a woman in the congregation. And so often when you look and assess the whole situation, you find out that a dear sister in Christ giving her understanding of the situation and what the scripture says was very spot on and could have saved the congregation much grief and division if she was listened to. We cannot, we cannot, and we must not distinguish between men and women when it comes to the area of grace, because we all, without exception, have the Spirit of God. We all, without exception, have the same benefits in Christ, and we all have that which he works within us by his grace. May it be that God would give us high esteem for one another. For this is what the scripture says, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there's neither male nor female, for you are all without exception all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. This division within congregations, I have seen it myself, has caused great, great grief and has broken to pieces the unity of the congregation and the oneness and the spirit and the edification. It must not be, but we must have great esteem for one another. Shall we pray? Our father, we thank you that as the head of the church, you have given us clear direction. We plead Lord that We would esteem each other highly. We would take each other seriously. That no matter if we are a man or a woman, that Lord being in you, taught by you, oh blessed Holy Spirit, we would carefully weigh and receive what you have granted to each of us. in the gifts that you have called us to. We plead, Lord, that you would be sanctifying us more and more and bring us more into a oneness. In your precious name, amen.