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Sermon #5775

Christians: Living Epistles Written by Christ

A Sermon on 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

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Scripture

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 ESV KJV
You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on …

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Sermon Description

Christians are letters of recommendation – living epistles - for the Lord Jesus. To truly impact those outside the church, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that the Christian must start within the church. Listen to this sermon on 2 Corinthians 3:2–3 and learn that the people of Christ are to be a letter so plainly written that anyone could read its message and understand the gospel of Christ. Each person is either in Christ or out – there has always been a great division. The hand holding the pen and writing such words is not the one holding the power; the power is the hand of God. Salvation happens in the fleshly parts of the heart, and morality is not merely the outside. This gospel is not merely an improvement, but a radical transformation; a profound intellectual change occurs in the believer. A great distinction between the unbeliever and the believer is their understanding of the primacy of the human soul. Unbelievers are blinded by a veil of sin, but the Christian can see truly through Christ’s sacrifice. The Son sets humanity free. The more one looks at Christ, the more they will look like Him – people will be able to look at a Christian’s face and see the difference.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The Christian is meant to be a living epistle, a letter of recommendation for Christ, known and read of all men.
  2. The first thing to consider about a letter is whether it can be read at all. The Christian life should be clear and legible to all.
  3. The second thing to consider is who wrote the letter. The author of the Christian life is Christ, not any man. Ministers like Paul simply deliver the letter.
  4. The letter is written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God on the fleshy tables of the heart, not on tables of stone. True Christianity is a work of the Spirit in the heart, not outward morality or good works.
  5. The letter proclaims an intellectual change in the Christian. The veil has been removed so they can see the truth. Unbelievers are blinded, not lacking intelligence.
  6. The letter proclaims a moral change in the Christian. They have been set free from sin and walk in newness of life by the Spirit.
  7. The secret of the change in the Christian is beholding the glory of Christ. As we behold Him, we are changed into His image by the Spirit.
  8. Moses' face shone after being in God's presence, reflecting His glory, though Moses was unaware of it. In the same way, as Christians behold Christ, His glory is reflected in them.

Itinerant Preaching

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.