APRIL 7, 2024 TEXT 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-7:1
BAPTIST Distinctives:
Bible is the Sole Authority for Faith and Practice
Autonomy of Individual Biblical Churches
Priesthood of the True Believer in Jesus Christ
Two Ordinances of Biblical Churches; Baptism and the Lord’s Table
Individual Soul Liberty of the Born-again Believer in Jesus Christ
Separation of Biblical Churches from the world, from the government, from unbiblical churches
Two Offices of Biblical Churches; Pastors and Deacons
Introduction: Matthew 11:28-30; Acts 7:37-38
I. God calls us to come out of the lost world when we are saved (vv. 15-16; II Cor. 5:17-19)
A. From being lost in sin to being saved in Christ
B. From being enemies of Christ to being joint heirs with Christ
C. From being spiritually dead to spiritually alive
D. From being in Satan’s family to entering His beloved family
E. From being headed to Hell to being headed to Heaven
II. God calls us to live life differently from the world as saved people in the world (vv. 17-7:1)
A. We are not be of the world even though we are in the world (v. 17; John 15:18-20; 17:9-21)
B. We are to resemble our Father as the world resembles their father (v. 16)
1. Wickedness resembles Satan, holiness resembles God (John 8:44)
2. Loving what God loves resembles God, loving what Satan loves does not (I John 2:15-17)
3. Living in the power of God through His Spirit causes us to look like Him (II Timothy 3:1-5)
C. We are not to be influenced by the world so we can be an influence on it (7:1a; Romans 12:1-2; 8:28; 14:13)
III. God call us to be separate from unbiblical churches teaching false doctrines (7:1)
A. He calls His followers to separate from the pagan religions of the world in all ages
B. He called His Jewish followers to separate from the religion of the Pharisees
C. He calls all of His saved children to separate from all of the manmade religions
1. Religions that teach Salvation in any other person than Christ
2. Religions that teach works salvation (Titus 3:4-7)
3. Religions that link salvation to a certain church denomination
4. Religions that add anything to Salvation beyond what the Bible teaches (Ephesians 2:8-9; II John 9-11)
IV. God does not want His churches uniting with the authority of the government of man (7:1)
A. The church should never be tied to the government
B. The church members ought to speak truth to those in public office
C. The church members ought to be willing to serve in public office