The Timothy Conference

T H E T I M O T H Y C O N F E R E N C E

2. The Holy Spirit as pledge and arrabon of the Kingdom in the midst of God’s people.

(Ephesians 1.13, NIV) And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 1.20, NIV) For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. [1.21] Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, [1.22] set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

3. The Church is animated and empowered by the Holy Spirit as the one providing life and direction in the Body of Christ.

a. Provides gifts and endowments, 1 Corinthians 12.3-11.

b. Appoints leaders and elders, Acts 13.1-3 cf. 20.28.

c. Prays with groanings too deep for utterance, Romans 8.26.

C. The Church is the concrete locus of authentic Kingdom Shalom.

1. In the community of believers is the place where God may become known and experienced in the midst of this god-forsaken world.

(Ephesians 2.19, NIV) Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, [2.20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. [2.21] In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. [2.22] And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

2. In the community of believers lives are transformed into wholeness in a broken world.

(1 Corinthians 6.9, NKJV). Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, [6.10] nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God. [6.11] And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

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