2 Corinthians 3
Today’s Passage: 2 Corinthians 3
Paul asks the Corinthians rhetorical questions about how they would gauge the authenticity of his ministry. What letter of recommendation does Paul need to validate that he is a minister of the true gospel?
The Corinthians are the letter Paul refers to. The Corinthians have shown a change of heart, validating Paul’s ministry, but they point to something more. The Corinthians’ change of heart is not meant to bolster Paul’s ministry but meant to ultimately point to Christ who has caused the change of heart through the power of the Holy Spirit.
“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
Any change of heart, any confidence we have to represent Christ to this world can not be built on us. Only through God are we made sufficient. This means that to be an accurate witness to this world, we first have to acknowledge our own insufficiency.
This means turning from clinging to sin to cling to the one who died to pay for our sin. No one can approach God with confidence unless it is through Christ. Have you done this? If not, what is holding you back from turning to Chris today? If you have, how have you clung to your own sufficiency? How do you need to turn back to Christ’s sufficiency today?
When we choose to live in the confidence that we have through Christ, we can be ministers of the new covenant. What is this New Covenant? This is the promise that every Old Testament prophecy pointed to: that we can have a relationship with God through Jesus.
The law in the Old Testament presented God’s just standard to live in relationship with Him and with others. Since none of us can follow the law perfectly in action or in heart, we are condemned by the law. The law exposes that we are sinful. Even if we tried to hide it we can not, we are thoroughly guilty.
Jesus however, could and did follow the law perfectly. He fulfilled the law and did so on our behalf. Within the New Covenant, we can come into a relationship with God, and God the Spirit can dwell in us.
The Spirit does not throw away or replace what the Old Testament says, but the Spirit empowers us to live out the law in our thoughts, actions, and desires.
Written By: Paulette Black
Paul asks the Corinthians rhetorical questions about how they would gauge the authenticity of his ministry. What letter of recommendation does Paul need to validate that he is a minister of the true gospel?
The Corinthians are the letter Paul refers to. The Corinthians have shown a change of heart, validating Paul’s ministry, but they point to something more. The Corinthians’ change of heart is not meant to bolster Paul’s ministry but meant to ultimately point to Christ who has caused the change of heart through the power of the Holy Spirit.
“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
Any change of heart, any confidence we have to represent Christ to this world can not be built on us. Only through God are we made sufficient. This means that to be an accurate witness to this world, we first have to acknowledge our own insufficiency.
This means turning from clinging to sin to cling to the one who died to pay for our sin. No one can approach God with confidence unless it is through Christ. Have you done this? If not, what is holding you back from turning to Chris today? If you have, how have you clung to your own sufficiency? How do you need to turn back to Christ’s sufficiency today?
When we choose to live in the confidence that we have through Christ, we can be ministers of the new covenant. What is this New Covenant? This is the promise that every Old Testament prophecy pointed to: that we can have a relationship with God through Jesus.
The law in the Old Testament presented God’s just standard to live in relationship with Him and with others. Since none of us can follow the law perfectly in action or in heart, we are condemned by the law. The law exposes that we are sinful. Even if we tried to hide it we can not, we are thoroughly guilty.
Jesus however, could and did follow the law perfectly. He fulfilled the law and did so on our behalf. Within the New Covenant, we can come into a relationship with God, and God the Spirit can dwell in us.
The Spirit does not throw away or replace what the Old Testament says, but the Spirit empowers us to live out the law in our thoughts, actions, and desires.
Written By: Paulette Black
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