Theological term
Benediction
2 sermons · All terms
A Trinitarian Blessing
What does it mean for a church letter full of conflict, rebuke, and difficult confrontation to close with a sweeping word of blessing? Paul's benediction in 2 Corinthians 13:14 — the most elevated Trinitarian affirmation in the New Testament — does exactly that, pronouncing grace, love, and communion upon a fractious and sinning congregation without exception. The sermon distinguishes the benediction (a word of blessing descending from heaven to God's people) from the doxology (praise ascending from earth to God), tracing how each element of the Trinitarian blessing — the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit — flows downward from the triune God as spiritual reality, not mere concept. The application is pointed: whatever the believer's besetting sin, weakness of assurance, or relational difficulty, the remedy begins not with human effort but with receiving the grace, love, and fellowship that the triune God lavishes upon his people.
Free Grace Baptist Church - February 14, 2016 PM
The Apostle Paul concludes his most confrontational letter with the fullest Trinitarian benediction in the New Testament — the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14). This sermon works through each phrase of that blessing, showing why Paul orders the persons of the Trinity as Son, Father, and Spirit: it is only by the grace of Christ that believers may enter into the love of the Father and receive the communion of the Spirit. The benediction is not a reward for good behaviour but a word of gospel pronounced upon an entire fractious congregation, demonstrating that the life of the church must be grounded not in moral resolve but in the being and acts of the Triune God.