A Church Supports the New Life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15-21)
Gary McManus, 10/12/2014Part of the Life With Jesus is Better series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
You and I have received new life.
It happens again today. Our affirmations of faith,
the worship, and our new lives are all tied together.
Until recently, many Christians have believed that
the society or culture supports the Christian.
That is changing. Our culture no longer supports
the Christian faith or the Christian lifestyle.
It is going to get harder and harder to be a Christian
without the church because there will be no support
outside the church.
In the example of modern marriage, the differences
may be easier to see. [Our culture does not support
marriage, let alone Christian marriage.]
We followers of Jesus are called to live in a
Christian marriage.
We are to do what is pleasing to the Lord
(Ephesians 5:10, Colossians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:1).
Some use Colossians 3:20 in order to get obedience
forgetting entirely the verses that call us to love.
We talk about “wives submit to your husbands.”
But don’t talk about “husbands love your wives.”
(Ephesians 5:25)
We are called to a NEW way to live life in Jesus Christ.
Can’t a Christian make a mistake or have an error in
judgment or even lose it in the heat of the moment?
Yes AND I would direct you to more verses from today’s God’s Word.
There is such a thing as Christian marriage but some
today don’t even get married!
The church has mistakenly reduced life in Christ to a
few rules. That isn’t life in Christ.
(Many non-Christians can quote some of the rules and
yet know nothing about Jesus or His words.)
Jesus did not die on the cross so that we could live by the rules.
Jesus died on the cross so we could live for Jesus.
Martin Luther said, “Love God and do what you like.”
The Bible says there are no laws against doing the right
thing. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Where is the love in following rules?
How do you encourage someone to follow rules?
How do you grow in grace by following rules (2 Peter 3:18)?
How do you increase your love (1 Thess 3:12) or your
gentleness in following rules (Colossians 3:12, 1 Timothy 6:11,
Philippians 4:5)? Love God!
Life in Christ IS different.
15 And Jesus died for all, that those who live should no
longer live for themselves but for him who died for them
and was raised again.
More rules? (More examples)
REAL examples of living for Jesus Christ and living
WITH Jesus is very very different than living without Jesus.
Amen.
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