Paul wants the readers of 2 Corinthians to rejoice in the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus. His goal is that we line up with his ministry and engage with him in this same gospel work. Chapter 3 is the theological heart of Paul’s letter to this troublesome church, where he lays out the key marks of an authentic gospel ministry. In this sermon we explore two of them. A genuine ministry of God brings external transformation as a result of internal regeneration.
This ministry of regeneration
2 Corinthians 3:1-11
Ministers of the New Covenant
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 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.
7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
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Working together with Christ
The Heart of a Gospel Minister Talk + Add to Library View this resource -