What Ministry Is All About, Part 4
In our message, GOD’S LIVING LETTERS (2 Cor. 3:1-18), we continued to look at Paul defending himself before the “false apostles” who attacked the truth of the Bible (2 Cor. 11:12-15; Gen. 3:1, etc.). These men not only used Paul’s changed plans on visiting Corinth to attack him, but they also brought “letters of commendation” to “commend” themselves as they argued Paul possessed no such documentation and should be ignored (2 Cor. 3:1). There is nothing wrong with bringing documentation of one’s credentials (Acts 9:2; 22:5, etc.), but in Corinth, Paul stated the Corinthians themselves were his letters “known and read by all men”- validating his ministry as a true apostle from God (2 Cor. 1:1; 3:2). What’s more, they were GOD’s LIVING LETTERS “written… by the Spirit of the living God” Himself AND not under the Mosaic Law- which the false apostles advocated was necessary for salvation (2 Cor. 3:3; Acts 15:11, etc.). God’s law was instead written on their hearts by grace through faith in fulfillment of the New Covenant (2 Cor. 3:3b; Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 11:19; 36:26, etc.). The false apostles’ commendation was human and motivated by greed (2 Cor. 2:17-3:1; Jude 3-4, 12-13, etc.); Paul’s was divine (Acts 9:15-16; 1 Pet. 5:2, etc.).
Paul explained, however, his trust and confidence for being a minister of the New Covenant was solely in “Christ” alone (2 Cor. 3:4). Indeed, this is true for all of us as Christians- “our sufficiency is from God!” (2 Cor. 3:5). He has made us fit, capable, and qualified in every way to share the good news of the everlasting Gospel with the world around us- having forgiven us of sin through His death at Calvary making us into God’s children forever (2 Cor. 3:6; 5:21; John 1:12-13, etc.).
The false apostles advocated a way to heaven of works that seems right to people but in the end leads to death (i.e. “the letter kills” 2 Cor. 3:6b; Prov. 14:12, etc.). Indeed, all religions, apart from the truth of Christianity, try to earn their way into heaven by overlooking God’s Son, but such works and efforts to be made right with one’s Creator can never take away sin and will utterly fail (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 2; Prov. 16:25; Acts 4:12; John 14:6, etc.). Legalism is a counterfeit looking good to people on the outside but is rotten at the core as it inflates egos of its adherents (Gal. 2:16; 3:2, 5, 17-18, etc.).
Paul uses the rest of this chapter to contrast the difference between this false way of works (Gal. 3:11-12, 21, 23-24, etc.) versus the truth of God’s grace in the New Covenant (Eph. 2:8-9, etc.). While the Old/Mosaic Covenant was glorious in that the Law spoke to God’s transcendence and holiness, the New Covenant is even more glorious in that it is eternal and without end (2 Cor. 3:7-11; Gal. 3:19 vs. Jer. 32:40, etc.). As ministers of the New Covenant, sealed with the Holy Spirit, we are called to have “great boldness” because our sins are forgiven and we have access to the holy of holies (2 Cor. 3:12; Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16-18, 25, etc.). For more information on the glories of the New Covenant- which does not pass away or fade, please watch SBFC’s February 23, 2025 message above.