“…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. (2 Corinthians 3:6, NKJV)

Some of the teachers who came to Corinth brought with them letters of recommendation from their home churches, and claimed that these letters gave them authority to teach. Paul carried no such letter, with result that his opponents suggested he had no right to teach. Paul replies that pieces of paper do not guarantee the truth of people’s ministry. A better means of judging is by the fruit of their work. The Corinthian church, which is the fruit of Paul’s work in Corinth, is all the recommendation he needs. This is the work of the Spirit of God, and is far greater recommendation than a mere letter.

The letter is synonymous with the law as an external standard before which all people, because they are lawbreakers, stand guilty and condemned to death. On the other hand, The Spirit who gives life is the “Spirit of the living God” who, in fulfillment of the promise of the new covenant, writes that same law inwardly. He thus provides the believer with love for God’s law, which previously he had hated, and with power to keep it, which previously he had not possessed.

Therefore, what changes people is the gospel, not any personal ability one might have. It is designed to impart life and comfort to the soul. It speaks peace. It comes not to condemn but to save. It opens a way of mercy, and it invites all to partake and live.

Sources:

Zondervan NASB Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1999.

MySword for Android. Riversoft Ministry, 2011-2019.

Olive Tree Bible Software, 1998-2020.

http://www.biblegateway.com

Published by Pastorbluejeans Unplugged

Friend of a Jewish Carpenter. View all posts by Pastorbluejeans Unplugged