PM: “I AM A CHILD OF GOD BECAUSE OF ‘I AM'”

TEXT:   II Corinthians 6:11-7:1

Introduction:

2Corinthians 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Corinthians 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

I. We often constrict God’s blessings on our lives by our sin      2 Corinthians 6:11-13

  1. Paul’s love for them had not changed 
    1. He was still speaking truth to them in love
      1. He is not holding back truth from to hinder them spiritually
      2. He is concealing God’s message from them
      3. He is not keeping important information that they need to have God’s blessings
    2. He was still growing in his love for them
    3. He is still caring for them like the day they trusted Christ
    4. God’s love for them had not changed either and He sent His servant to confront them in love
  1. The Corinthian believers had hindered themselves 
    1. They had stopped listening to Paul
    2. They had distanced themselves from Paul
    3. They had hindered their own benefit from Paul and from God by their sin
  1. They needed to continue changing their heart toward God 
    1. They had made many improvements since his first letter, but they needed to continue doing so
      1. They needed to continue growing in change from where they had been before
      2. They needed to continue growing in loving Paul like he loved them
      3. They needed to continue growing in loving God with the love He had for them
      4. They needed to continue growing in loving one another with God’s love for them

II. We hinder our experience of God as our Father by our sin      2 Corinthians 6:14-18

  1. Our sin of becoming one with lost sinners and the world vs. 14
  1. Our sin of agreeing with Satan instead of God vss. 15-16a
  1. Our sin of making ourselves unholy when we have been made holy vss. 17-18
  1. Hindering our connection of intimacy with God
  2. Hindering our benefitting from God in a positive way
  3. Hindering the power of God experienced in our lives for our help
  4. Hindering the experience God wants for His children who are in the world     Psalm 1:1-2, John 17:14-20

III. We can enjoy the greatness of God’s blessings    2 Corinthians 7:1

  1. With the help of His promises in His Word “Having therefore these promises”
  1. God’s Word will help us live to God’s glory and enjoy God’s blessings
  2. God’s truth will help us to trust God for great things in our lives
  3. God’s promises will build our faith in God to see His will done in our lives
  1. With the help of His family of believers “dearly beloved”
  1. Believers need to help each other live to God’s glory
  2. Children of God should speak truth to each other to encourage living God’s way
  3. Church families need to gather together to motivate one another to love and good workers for God’s glory in their church
  1. With the help of the Holy Spirit living to God’s glory “let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
  1. Our only hope to live life to God’s glory is the help of the Holy Spirit
  2. Our only hope to be cleansed and live a life clean for God’s glory is with the power of the Holy Spirit working in us
  3. Our only hope to have our spirit right with God is with the help of the Holy Spirit

D. With the help of growing in God’s holiness to honor God “perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

  1. Maturing in our faith by yielding to God in our lives
  2. Growing in living life in obedience to God’s will
  3. Living life in honor of God by obeying His Word