How does God grow the Church? - message 4 - God uses Christians sharing their faith

How does God grow the Church?

God uses Christians sharing their Faith

message #4

{Intro:}

Here is a quick reminder of the earlier messages in this series:

#1 – God desires to save people

#2 – God uses the gospel

#3 – God uses justification by faith

#4 – God uses Christians sharing their faith

Last week in the message, “God uses justification by faith” we studied Romans 3:21-26, in which I highlighted 5 key truths:

#1 – Righteousness isn't received through human effort

#2 – God's righteousness is received through faith in Christ's payment for sin on the cross

#3 – Every person is offered God's righteousness through faith in Christ's payment for sin on the cross

#4 – Christ's payment for sin on the cross satisfied God's wrath

#5 – God declares righteous those who place their faith in Christ's payment for sin on the cross

In our 4^th message in this series “How does God grow the Church?” the answer is God uses Christians sharing their faith to grow His Church. I am going to highlight 5 key statements that formulate this reality of God using gospel-proclaiming Christians to grow the Church.

{Message:}

#1 – God has made every true believer a new creation through Christ (16-17)

Paul has just finished discussing what Christ made available for those who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior (cf. v. 15). One of the results of redemption is that born-again believers will live for Christ, not for themselves. As a result of this reality Christians are not to view other Christians merely according to a human point-of-view (16). In many cases we are tempted to evaluate the worth of a person solely based on outward considerations, such as: color, education, wealth, vocabulary, nationality, gender, etc...Christians are to view other believers as God views them.

Paul and others used to have opinions about Christ that were based merely on a human point-of-view. Paul in his unsaved state believed Jesus to be a false teacher. Now, Paul views Christ in an entirely different way. When Paul was born-again his view of Christ transformed radically. Paul now views Christ as Lord and Savior. Redemption, which is accompanied by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the careful study of God's Word change our view of things and people, especially our view of other believers.

This is the state of separation from the world, to which all orders of Christians are called. They must so far renounce all worldly tempers, be so far governed by the things of another life, as to show that they are truly and really crucified, dead, and risen, with Christ. And it is as necessary for all Christians to conform to this great change of spirit, to be thus in Christ new creatures, as it was necessary that Christ should suffer, die, and rise again, for our salvation.—William Law - A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life

As a result of this new view of believers we recognize something amazing about those who are born-again (17). Every person who has repented of his sins and trusted in Christ's payment on the cross for the forgiveness of sins is “in Christ” that is, in spiritual union with Christ. Any person who is in spiritual union with Christ is a new creature. Through salvation in Christ every believer is transformed into an entirely new creature (Eph. 4:17-24). The “old things” refer to our way of life before salvation; who we were, how we thought and acted (Col. 3:1-11). Paul states that believers should “behold/see” that new things have come. When we trusted in Christ's payment on the cross for the forgiveness of sins, at that moment God caused us to be born-again, receive new spiritual life (Col. 1:9-14, 19-23). He made us to be new creatures through Christ (Eph. 2:8-10; Col. 2:13-15). So our view of other believers should be that they are new creatures in Christ; not all of these other external things (color, clothes, wealth, education, gender), or even past identities (liars, thieves, adulterers, lazy, sexually immoral, etc...). How should true believers be viewed? As new creatures in Christ.

#2 – God has reconciled every true believer to Himself through Christ (18)

God is the one who has brought all of this to pass (18). He is the one who chose true believers before the foundation of the world to be saved (Eph. 1:3-8) and He is the one who chose to give Christ as a sacrifice to pay the penalty of man's sin (1 Jn. 4:9-10). God is the one who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, it wasn't our own work or effort (1 Pet. 1:17-21). God not only reconciled us to Himself, but He also gave us the ministry of reconciliation. We will find out all the details of this ministry in a moment.

#3 – God has entrusted every true believer with the message of reconciliation (19)

Paul explains further God's act of reconciliation (19). God presented Christ as a payment for sin on the cross and through faith in Christ's payment for sin people are reconciled to God. As a result of faith in Christ's payment for sin a person's trespasses (sins) are forgiven. God has chosen to use those people who have placed their faith in Christ's payment for sin to be His messengers. God has entrusted the message of reconciliation, the gospel, to all born-again Christians. Wow, what a blessing and treasure!

Any person who understands enough of the plan of salvation to receive Christ as his Saviour knows enough to tell others what happened to him and how they also may be saved. Often, even after you know the Bible very well, the most effective witness you could give would be your own testimony with a few, simple, salvation verses.—Dr. A.R. Stanford - Handbook of Personal Evangelism

#4 – God appeals through every true believer with the lost to be reconciled to Him through Christ (20)

All born-again Christians are ambassadors (personal representatives) of Christ (20). As Christ's ambassadors, it is as though God is appealing to lost people through us. Now that is something astounding! Paul speaks representatively of all Christians and pleads with lost people on behalf of Jesus Christ to be reconciled to God (cf. v. 19). Unbelievers are spiritually dead in their sin and they are under judgment (Jn. 3:18; Eph. 2:1-3). They are enemies of God and condemned (Rom. 5:8-10; 2:5-6).

Peter pleaded with those who were listening to him on the day of Pentecost to turn from their sin to Christ (Acts 2:36-40). He pleaded with others later to be saved from their sin (Acts 3:17-19). Paul asked the Ephesians to pray that God would give him boldness to preach the gospel (Eph. 6:19-20). He even stated that his imprisonment for preaching the gospel actually gave other believers the boldness to preach the gospel (Phil. 1:12-14). Paul told the Colossians that he proclaimed Christ, warning and teaching every man (Col. 1:28-29). He also asked the Colossians to pray that God would give he and his co-workers open doors to preach the gospel clearly (Col. 4:2-4). He even called upon them, the church, to be ready to preach the gospel (Col. 4:5-6).

Learn from this, how we should preach, and how you should hear. We do not come in our own name, but in Christ's. We are to do as the disciples did when they received the bread from Christ. We are to receive our message from him and give it unto you; so, in one sense, it is immaterial to us whether you receive the truth or not.—Robert Murray McCheyne

#5 – God made Christ to be the sin-bearer so that every true believer would receive Christ's righteousness (21)

The concluding statement of the paragraph reiterates what God has provide through Christ's payment for sin (21). God the Father made Christ, who never committed any sin, to become sin for us. Christ took the sins of mankind on Himself on the cross and received God the Father's wrath for sin (1 Pet. 2:22-25; Rom. 3:21-26; Col. 2:13-15). This was done so that all who repent of their sin and place their faith in Christ's payment for sin on the cross would receive Christ's righteousness. Christ took our sin and its punishment, so that through faith in Him we would receive Christ's righteousness credited to our name/account (Rom. 3:21-26; 4:22-25; 5:1-2, 8-11, 18-21).

For what is the sum and substance of these simple words? It is this. Christ is that Fountain of living water which God has graciously provided for thirsting souls. In Him, as our Redeemer and Substitute, crucified for our sins and raised again for our justification, there is an endless supply of all that men can need pardon, absolution, mercy, grace, peace, rest, relief, comfort and hope. This rich provision Christ has bought for us at the price of His own precious blood. To open this wondrous fountain He suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, and bore our sins in His own body on the tree. He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (1 Peter 2:24; 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21). And now He is sealed and appointed to be the Reliever of all who are labouring and heavy laden, and the Giver of living water to all who thirst. It is His office to receive sinners. It is His pleasure to give them pardon, life and peace. And the words of the text are a proclamation He makes to all mankind ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.’ — J.C. Ryle - Holiness

{Conclusion:}

Here is a quick review of the 5 key statements that support the truth of God using gospel-preaching Christians to grow the Church:

#1 – God has made every true believer a new creation through Christ

#2 – God has reconciled every true believer to Himself through Christ

#3 – God has entrusted every true believer with the message of reconciliation

#4 – God appeals through every true believer with the lost to be reconciled to Him through Christ

#5 – God made Christ to be the sin-bearer, so that every true believer would receive Christ's righteousness

So what do you do with this? If you are not reconciled to God through faith in Christ's payment for sin on the cross, then you need to be. If you are already reconciled to God through faith in Christ's payment for sin on the cross, then you are an ambassador for Christ. God has chosen to use born-again Christians like you to share the message of reconciliation (the gospel) wherever you are located, so that He may use that message to save those who believe (1 Cor. 1:21).