2 Corinthians: Living in God's Presence

Sermon Outline for March 19, 2023
2 CORINTHIANS: Living in God’s Presence

2 Corinthians 6:3 – 7:1

Implications of the church being God’s temple:
#1 – The place of God’s dwelling is not in a building but in a people.
#2 – The Old Testament prophecies about God coming and dwelling with people are now realized.
#3 – We must therefore live holy, righteous, obedient lives, not indulging in the sins of the world.

John 17:14-19, “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the
world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but
that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify
them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the
world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”

Application: Questions to ask regarding our relationships
• Is this relationship leading me away from God’s desire and expectation for my life?
• Am I involved in this relationship out of Christian love, for the sake of and the good of the other
person? Or do I just love being around them because their worldliness?
• Who is another Christian I can be yoked with that will help me endure in Christian faith and
living?

Questions for Discussion:
• Is there a relationship you have with a nonbeliever that you feel is currently pulling you away
from the path and destination God desires for you?
• Is the fact that you are part of “the temple of the living God” (v. 16) a part of your identity? Is this
truth impacting how you live? How might we grow in this identity?
• In vv. 16-18 Paul cites several prophecies from the Old Testament that a day would come when
God will dwell with his people. Paul applies these passages to the New Testament church. What
implications does this have for your life today?
• If you were to catalogue the events of your life that demonstrate your love and concern for others
to know the truth of God, what events would be included in your list?