2 Corinthians 3

2 Corinthians 3:1-18

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Christ’s Epistle

1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

The Spirit, Not the Letter

4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Glory of the New Covenant

7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 2 Co 3:1-18

• Transcript

  On camera, it was reluctantly joining me but so good to have you for coffee and devotions. Let me make sure we're alive. Over here are great. Well, good afternoon. Good afternoon. Welcome to Coffee and devotions is for every day you and I we get together we get into God's word and we grow in our love for the Lord together. And this year, 2022 Lord willing, we'll make it from the book of Acts to the book of fine Lehman. And today we're at Second Corinthians chapter three. Thanks so much for joining us this afternoon. Well, let's go ahead and pray and we'll get the Lord's word. God, we thank you so much for your word. And we pray that your spirit would teach us this afternoon. We pray that we would follow after you and love you all of our lives in Jesus's name, Amen. Alright, so we're going to go ahead and go into second Corinthians chapter three. And I'll read verses one through three and you can see where the bold is on the verses and that's a paragraph breaks. So do we begin again to commend ourselves or do we need as some others Epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and ready by all men? Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, that is on the heart. So where are we reading? Do you want to read verses 403 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves. But our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the New Covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit for the letter kills but the Spirit gives love. But if the ministry of death written and engraved on stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of His countenance, which glory was passing away. How will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious, for if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the Ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious has no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels for if what is passing away was glorious. What remains is much more glorious. Therefore, since we have such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, unlike Moses who put a veil over his face, so the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away, but their minds were blinded for until this day, the same veil remains unlimited in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. All right, so we need to ask ourselves, a What's this about? Be what's the best verses? summarize this and see, what are we called to do in response to this? So first, a what is this passage about? So I think there's kind of like two or possibly three main parts of this. And so in the first part, what do you think Paul is getting at with this whole epistle are letters stuff that it's like about us not about like, the law. Like it's like our inner heart or something like how he says it's not tablets of stone, but tablets of flesh? Yeah. Alright. So at this time, people would if I was coming to a church, and people didn't know who I was, I would need a letter saying, Hey, here's who this guy is. Here's his credentials. Here's why you should listen to him. And Paul is saying, we don't need a physical letter, you know, written, written with ink. Because you have the Spirit living in you and you're the proof that we're ministers of Christ. And so, this idea that clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh that is on the heart, showing that God's word has been written on your heart. And the proof of that proves Paul's ministry. And so that's where he kind of goes on. So what is his ministry like then? He kind of takes us rabbit trail with them on kind of the difference between his ministry and the Ministry of say, a synagogue teacher. And so in verse six, what does he say? He's a minister of the New Covenant, New Covenant, right? So he's a servant of the new covenant. And that's where you were wanting to jump into and seven through 18. What's the comparing and contrasting here? The veil versus not the veil? Yeah. What What's the veil? What What's he What's he getting that like the valence temple? Okay, so there's the veil in the temple that would keep the people from the hope from the most holy place here. I think it's actually talking. I guess that could be true, but I think what he's talking about is actually the veil that was put over Moses his face. Yeah. So when Moses goes up to Mount Sinai, do you remember that story? And what are the people what's what's, what do the people make? Moses do? Put a veil over his face because He's shining too much. Why? Because he just seemed geez, or one God, I guess. Yeah. Because he's been face to face communicating with God. Right. So God's been communicating to Him. God's been teaching him about this covenant. And so it comes down people like whoa, you know, they gotta cover their faces. But what does he say is different about the new covenant? That there's not a veil? Yeah. Like, you don't have to have a veil. Yeah, there's no I mean, you don't. Moses wouldn't have to have a veil. Yeah, right. There's no more hiding the glory. Right. But now. Nevertheless, when we, when one turns the Lord the veil is taken away right now we see the glory of God. We see the glory of God because He's poured out His Holy Spirit now. And so interesting. I think it's interesting what he says you hear about. If you go to a synagogue today, and somebody picks up the Torah Scroll do they see the glory of God? Why not? Well, yeah, maybe. Yeah. Because it's his law. Okay, it says law, but that's the law they're receiving. teaches them death. And that's what Romans chapter three says. When they're giving the law comes death. So but it's still the glory of the Lord. Okay, you're right it is glorious. Book in the law save anyone know. So it's a law under condemnation. Yeah. So, where's the glory letter kills it says here. Well, it shows us our sinfulness and shows how glorious Yes, but you can't know that unless you have the New Testament. You can't have the new but even if we can know our own sinfulness and his his, his gloriousness so what that doesn't save, you know, but it's serious. Its glory. Okay, so what's better than just showing his glory? Saving you? Yeah, that's what he's like. Here's right. The better covenant is the one he's a minister of one or the one that brings a Holy Spirit and tells people you want to know the glory of God. Right tell you about the exact image of his being. I'm gonna tell you about Jesus. Christ. I'm going to tell you about the one who did keep the law and save you from your sins. And so that's what he's saying here is he's saying, but we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image for the glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. Right. So this Holy Spirit who is not working in his people and revealing the amazing gloriousness of God, and so that's where there's this huge difference between going to a synagogue and learning about the law, which is good and coming to a church and hearing the Apostle Paul read, because he teaches us Christ, and we're filled with the Spirit. It's kind of a difficult passage to work through. What would you say, is the best verse that you would underline here for the whole passage the whole passage? What do you think you might I cheat here? I often underline multiple things. Don't tell them. But what would you underline as what you think gets at the heart? Of this passage? Maybe five, okay. Yeah, I was I was thinking, five, six. This is where I'm saying I cheat. 5689 Or that's, I think those those verses really get at it. You know, verse, especially verse eight, nine, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious, for the ministry of condemnation had glory the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. But what would you guys choose in your Bibles? What would you underline as the best verse to summarize this? Well, let's let's talk about practical application, see calling what are we called to do? And responses after reading this passage talking about it thinking about it underlining your favorite verse? How does it change your life? I mean, just reminding you of Jesus in the Gospel. Okay. I don't know. Practically. No, I don't know. I think that's a huge application. Remember Jesus Christ in the gospel? I think a big thing to take away from this even from our conversation about it is remembering that we we love you know how I love your Lord is my meditation all the day. But the law isn't a means and ends to itself. Right shows us our sins and drives us to Christ. I think that's a big thing for me to remember. You know, especially as a pastor, you know, God gives us the word but if we're just going to the especially the Old Testament law, and we're trying to find salvation, we're going to the wrong covenant. Right now. The Covenant in Sinai was part of the covenant of grace, right? It was gracious of God and glorious for Lord, but ultimately didn't save anyone. And so I'm very thankful. I think that's another part of it is just cultivating this heart of thankfulness. That God does save. And I'm thankful. You know, when I you see this in the church, I think more than some other people because you're the pastor's wife, but when things are going wrong in people's lives, and I'm trying to counsel people, and it's like, they, they hear the Lord's word. They know what the Spirit would have them to do, but they don't do it. How does that affect me? Yeah, I don't know what you mean, as a pastor as a minister, right? You're the pastor's wife. You see this right? When there are people in the church and they've heard what God has to say. They know what the Spirit would have them do but they don't do it. How does that affect me as a pastor? I mean, am I fun to come home Do do you think oh, Brian, just gonna be filled with joy. There's gonna be wonderful. It frustrates you. Yeah, like sometimes I get downright depressed. Yeah, right. But what happens when somebody hears the gospel and responds, here's the Lord's word and follows what does that do? For me and for our home? You're more joyful and excited and happy. Yeah, I think that's what Paul is getting out here. Right, that first part where he's saying, like, what happened in your life? What was inscribed in your heart? That shows the reality of my ministry? I think he's honestly as Pastor Paul, you know, like, genuinely excited about the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. And so I think he's, like you were pointing out reminding them of the grace that God gave them how glorious it was when they received Christ. So remembering that work that God's done in our hearts, I think is a big thing. So Well, thanks so much for joining us today. Why don't we go ahead and pray and then we'll sign off. God we thank you so much for Your Word. We thank you for the work of Your Holy Spirit. And we pray that as we live our lives, that we would behold your glory that we would know the depths of your grace and the vastness of your mercy. In Jesus's name, Amen. Well, May the joy and peace of Jesus Christ wash over your soul. May you love the Lord, and enjoy him always. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai