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The Primary Work of the Church: 2 Corinthians #12

This exposition of 2 Corinthians 5:18-6:2 by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, July 8, 2018.

Intro:

We live in interesting times. There is much discussion within the Church about…well, what we are to be about.

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At this years Southern Baptist Convention there was a report from the Evangelism Committee appointed at last year’s meeting. The numbers are not good. We are at a generational low in baptisms. Churches are closing in record numbers, congregations continue to dwindle. “Church Revitalization” is now a thing within the convention. Questions are being asked, studies are being conducted, seminars are being offered but at the center of all of this is the issue - what is the primary work of the Church of Jesus Christ? Is it to shape the culture? To win the culture war? Is it to get the unchurch to attend church? Is it baptism? How we answer this question affects everything. We began a process a year ago to consider what we need to do to reach young families, to increase baptisms, to strengthen evangelism and discipleship. These are good things, necessary things but again the question is, “What is the primary work of the Church?”

To say something is primary is to say it is of chief importance; it is earliest in time or order of development. It is something belonging to or directly derived from the first stage of development or growth. To be primary to be of first importance or foremost. Using this as our definition, I’m going to suggest that…

Thesis: The primary task of the Church is the declaration of the biblical gospel.

Our text this evening is found at the end of chapter 5 and the beginning of chapter 6 in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church.

Let’s review, let’s get a couple of things firmly in our minds. Adam and Eve were the crowning achievement in creation. Man made in the image and likeness of God. Male and female image bearers of God, made to live in fellowship and harmony with the Creator. They enjoyed unhindered access and fellowship with God until that fateful day when the did the very thing God had forbidden. Through the temptation of the Evil One, Eve took and ate of the fruit. The implication of the text is that Adam was right there all along. Eve offered the fruit to Adam who sinned willfully, with his eyes wide open. They were told, “Do not eat of the fruit of the tree least you die.” Eve, by all appearance was doing just fine - she didn’t die. Adam then took the fruit and in knowing rebellion ate the fruit. Immediately the eyes of both were opened and they knew they were naked (Genesis 3:7). They even tried to cover their own nakedness. Adam’s rebellion has been the lot and practice of the entire human race ever since. Our sin is not some minor infraction. It is open rebellion against the Sovereign of the universe. As such the human race, apart from the grace of God, is under divine wrath.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
The wages of sin is death.
Every man, woman, boy and girl outside of Christ is condemned already.
This is the backdrop of our text.
This is not some theoretical test case - this is the condition of every human being.
Sinner - guilty - judged & sentenced - awaiting the application of the sentence.

Aliens, strangers, the object of Divine wrath.
Let those words sink in.
The greatest need of every living person is to be reconciled to God.
Reconciled = to restore friendly relationship/to make peace with.
This is the great text on reconciliation.

There are three things I want to note from this text.

  1. The biblical gospel definitively declares salvation/reconciliation to be the work of God alone. (5:18-19)
  2. The biblical gospel declares the work of Christ our substitute. (5:21)
  3. The biblical gospel must be purposefully embraced lest it be declared in vain. (5:20; 6:1-2)

Conclusion:
It is not enough to hear the gospel proclaimed.
It is not enough to hear the gospel faithfully set forth.
You must believe.
You must trust Christ, you must savingly believe.

Now is the favorable time, today is the day of salvation, I plead with you do not hear the gospel in vain.

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