The Significance Of A New Creation-19 Series

‘The Significance Of A New Creation’--XIX—2Corinthians 5:9--6:10...

14. The PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY-B—2Corinthians 6:3-10...

Part B of point 14 in the series.

Attention:

No matter what we do for a living or how we worship together corporately, much more is required to bring about the actuality than may be considered/grasped by the receivers of such.

A true Christian receives a new nature.

Need:

*The key to our verses is 2Cor. 5:17—“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Paul clarified the significance of being a new creation in Christ to the Corinthian church.

There is great significance to being a new creation in Christ.

14 significations/signifiers of being a new creation in Christ.

Previously we have found that A new creation is significant in its New...

1. PLEASUREs(5:9)

2. RECEPTION(5:10)

3. PERSUASION(5:11)

4. OPPORTUNITY(5:12)

5. SOUND INSANITY(5:13)Risk

6. LOVE(5:14-15)

7. CONSIDERATIONS(5:16)

8. NEWNESS/Creativeness(5:17)

9. RELATIONSHIP--Reconciliation(5:18-19)

10. INSTRUMENTATION/Mediation(5:20)

11. RIGHTEOUSNESS(5:21)

12. VIEW Of VANITY(6:1)

13. URGENCY(6:2)

We have seen that Paul & Timothy commended apostolic ministry to the Corinthian church thru a list of Practical Realities within which they operated.

The significance of how being a new creation in Christ is played out in the Practical Realities of Ministry.

We are going to examine the significance of these Practical Realities one-by-one in their manifestation as Commenders of God-ordained Ministry.

14—A new creation is significant in the...

PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY-B(6:3-10)

So far we have looked at the role of...

A. OFFENSE & BLAME(6:3)...as well as...

B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(6:4ff.)(CONT...)

i. Patience(6:4)—cheerful endurance & constancy

ii. Tribulations—pressures

iii. Needs—forced subsistence

iv. Distresses—narrowed circumstances

v. Stripes(6:5)—officially sanctioned punishment

vi. Imprisonments—officially sanctioned removal from society

vii. Tumults—chaotic/unstable lifestyle

viii. Labors—physically/mentally taxing work

ix. Sleeplessness

x. Fastings—prayer & fasting

xi. Purity(6:6)—living uprightly

xii. Knowledge—personal, of God & His way

xiii. Longsuffering—refrain from wrath/revenge/vengeance

xiv. Kindness—Useful moral goodness

xv. the Holy Spirit—

xvi. Sincere Love—Unhypocritical

Continuing our look at MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS we find a 17th commendation....

14—A new creation is significant in the...

PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY--B(6:3-10)

B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(CONT...)

6:7—“by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand & on the left,”

“He[Paul] did not battle spiritual foes with the powerless weapons of human ideas, wisdom, & ingenuity, but with the invincible truth of the Word of God.”—MNTC

A 17th Commendation as ministers of God...

“by the word of truth”

Comes in/“by” “the word of truth.” i.e., A Commendable Ministry is delivered in/by the package of “the word of truth.”

Truth prevails over any lying untruth/evil. It may not prevent our own demise, but it will always prevail because it is from God. God’s word will not return unto Him without causing to prosper that for which it was sent(Isa. 55:11). This encompasses all of which God has set forth regarding every universal aspect of His creation—including man, animals, rocks, time, space, etc.!

The truth shall set you free, therefore the Son of God is the only One who can set you free!

Jn. 8:31-32, 36—Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, & the truth shall make you free.”.....“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

That is why the preaching of the word of God(truth) rather than placebo-like spirituality is so vital to a church & to humanity! That is the very reason why over half the budget of a small church is spent to employ a man to faithfully preach God’s word!

Eph. 6:10-20—“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord & in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh & blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, & having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, & having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, & the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer & supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance & supplication for all the saints-- & for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”