“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. - Jeremiah 31:33
As you may recall, at the conclusion of chapter 2 Paul contrasted himself and his colleagues with the false teachers who’d infiltrated the early church. He charged them with peddling the gospel for their own personal gain. On the other hand, he explained that he and his team selflessly preached the gospel with sincere hearts and pure motives solely for the sake of Christ.
In today’s message, Paul will focus less on the character of the preachers (whether himself or his adversaries) and more on the content of his preaching. Prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Jews sought to earn God’s favor and attain salvation by keeping the Law. This works-based approach to salvation was known as the Old Covenant. But by the blood of Christ, a New Covenant had been established based upon God’s grace. The New Covenant offered salvation through faith in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice.
I. YOU ARE THE LETTER (2 Cor. 3:1-6)
Paul asked if he needed to commend himself and his ministry partners again, as he had been doing convincingly in the previous paragraphs. He asked if, perhaps, he needed to present letters of commendation to them or receive such letters from them in order to validate his honesty and integrity. Then he wrote that the Corinthians themselves were his letter of commendation, as they were evidence of his true character and the authenticity of his ministry. Their changed lives spoke much more powerfully than any letter could. Metaphorically speaking, he said that they had not been written in ink but with the Spirit of God, not on tablets of stone but rather on human hearts.
Paul was confident in Christ that God had and would continue to use him and his friends in great ways to advance the gospel in Corinth and beyond. However, their adequacy to accomplish such a great task did not come from themselves, but through God. Paul credited the LORD for making them ministers of the New Covenant, not based upon the letter but instead on the Spirit. He stated that the letter - that is the written Law - kills, while the Spirit gives life.
In these verses, Paul made a beautiful parallel between letters of commendation and the covenants of God. While written letters of commendation for traveling evangelists were good, living letters of commendation displayed by transformed hearts were even better. In like fashion, while the Old Covenant written on tablets of stone was good, the New Covenant written on hearts by the Holy Spirit was much better.
II. A SURPASSING GLORY (2 Cor. 3:7-11)
Even the Old Covenant, typified by the 10 Commandments which were engraved on stone tablets, came with a degree of God’s glory. After he met with God on Mt. Sinai and received a replacement copy of the commandments, Moses’ face shone with the glory of the LORD for many days (Exodus 34:29-32). Though this glory faded over time, still the sons of Israel could not look intently on his face while it was shining brightly.
Paul made the point that if the ministry of condemnation, which he had previously referred to as the ministry of death, possessed sufficient glory to make Moses’ face glow then surely the ministry of righteousness would abound in even more glory. He was contrasting the glory of the Old Covenant with that of the New Covenant. The Old brought about death and condemnation through the Law, while the New brought about forgiveness and redemption by grace through faith in Jesus.
Paul suggested that, though the Old Covenant did have a measure of God’s glory, compared to the all-surpassing glory of the New Covenant it was as though it had none at all. Furthermore, while the glory of the Old Covenant faded away, that of the New Covenant remained unfaded. In every way, the New Covenant of God’s grace excels over the Old Covenant of human works. Its glory is immeasurable and indescribable.
III. UNVEILED FACES AND HEARTS (2 Cor. 3:12-18)
Because of the great hope that Paul and his team had in this New Covenant, they spoke boldly of Christ. While Moses covered his face with a veil, Paul and his friends would not conceal the glory of God in them but rather let it shine for all to see. Centuries earlier during the days of Moses, the Israelites were unable to look upon God’s glory because their hearts were hardened. Even generations later during Paul’s lifetime, whenever the Old Covenant was read among them, they still could not see God’s glory because the veil over their eyes remained unlifted. The only means of removing it was through faith in Christ.
Not only were their faces covered, but their hearts were also. It is only when a person turns to the Lord that the veil is taken away. In other words, the glorious salvation of God is only seen and experienced by those who have trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. When a new believer is indwelt by the presence of the Holy Spirit, they are set free from the curse of sin and death. In Christ the veil is removed and the glory of God is revealed.
Paul declared that our glory as Christians is being transformed into a mirror image of the glory of the Lord. This process is taking place over time, from glory to glory, as the Spirit of God works within us. In theology, we refer to this gradual transformation of the believer into the likeness of Christ as sanctification. Therefore, may we live with unveiled hearts and unveiled faces openly and unashamedly radiating the glory of God in a dark and dying world.
CONCLUSION
Like the apostle Paul, we as Christians today are ministers of a New Covenant. While the Old Covenant was based on works and obedience to the Law as the means of attaining God’s favor, the New Covenant is founded on God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant set forth a standard that no mere person could live up to, and thus all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). However, Jesus, the Son of God, lived a sinless life and fulfilled the requirements of the Law. He gave His life on the cross as a perfect, unblemished sacrifice wholly acceptable to God. When we trust in Him by faith, His righteousness is imputed upon us and we are justified and forgiven in God’s sight. This is the glorious message of the New Covenant, that salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
As born again Christians, the marvelous light of Jesus resides within us. During the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord taught, "No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:15-16). Beloved, may we follow Paul’s example and be unafraid to remove the veils from our faces so that others may behold the glorious light of Christ in us.
As you may recall, at the conclusion of chapter 2 Paul contrasted himself and his colleagues with the false teachers who’d infiltrated the early church. He charged them with peddling the gospel for their own personal gain. On the other hand, he explained that he and his team selflessly preached the gospel with sincere hearts and pure motives solely for the sake of Christ.
In today’s message, Paul will focus less on the character of the preachers (whether himself or his adversaries) and more on the content of his preaching. Prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Jews sought to earn God’s favor and attain salvation by keeping the Law. This works-based approach to salvation was known as the Old Covenant. But by the blood of Christ, a New Covenant had been established based upon God’s grace. The New Covenant offered salvation through faith in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice.
I. YOU ARE THE LETTER (2 Cor. 3:1-6)
Paul asked if he needed to commend himself and his ministry partners again, as he had been doing convincingly in the previous paragraphs. He asked if, perhaps, he needed to present letters of commendation to them or receive such letters from them in order to validate his honesty and integrity. Then he wrote that the Corinthians themselves were his letter of commendation, as they were evidence of his true character and the authenticity of his ministry. Their changed lives spoke much more powerfully than any letter could. Metaphorically speaking, he said that they had not been written in ink but with the Spirit of God, not on tablets of stone but rather on human hearts.
Paul was confident in Christ that God had and would continue to use him and his friends in great ways to advance the gospel in Corinth and beyond. However, their adequacy to accomplish such a great task did not come from themselves, but through God. Paul credited the LORD for making them ministers of the New Covenant, not based upon the letter but instead on the Spirit. He stated that the letter - that is the written Law - kills, while the Spirit gives life.
In these verses, Paul made a beautiful parallel between letters of commendation and the covenants of God. While written letters of commendation for traveling evangelists were good, living letters of commendation displayed by transformed hearts were even better. In like fashion, while the Old Covenant written on tablets of stone was good, the New Covenant written on hearts by the Holy Spirit was much better.
II. A SURPASSING GLORY (2 Cor. 3:7-11)
Even the Old Covenant, typified by the 10 Commandments which were engraved on stone tablets, came with a degree of God’s glory. After he met with God on Mt. Sinai and received a replacement copy of the commandments, Moses’ face shone with the glory of the LORD for many days (Exodus 34:29-32). Though this glory faded over time, still the sons of Israel could not look intently on his face while it was shining brightly.
Paul made the point that if the ministry of condemnation, which he had previously referred to as the ministry of death, possessed sufficient glory to make Moses’ face glow then surely the ministry of righteousness would abound in even more glory. He was contrasting the glory of the Old Covenant with that of the New Covenant. The Old brought about death and condemnation through the Law, while the New brought about forgiveness and redemption by grace through faith in Jesus.
Paul suggested that, though the Old Covenant did have a measure of God’s glory, compared to the all-surpassing glory of the New Covenant it was as though it had none at all. Furthermore, while the glory of the Old Covenant faded away, that of the New Covenant remained unfaded. In every way, the New Covenant of God’s grace excels over the Old Covenant of human works. Its glory is immeasurable and indescribable.
III. UNVEILED FACES AND HEARTS (2 Cor. 3:12-18)
Because of the great hope that Paul and his team had in this New Covenant, they spoke boldly of Christ. While Moses covered his face with a veil, Paul and his friends would not conceal the glory of God in them but rather let it shine for all to see. Centuries earlier during the days of Moses, the Israelites were unable to look upon God’s glory because their hearts were hardened. Even generations later during Paul’s lifetime, whenever the Old Covenant was read among them, they still could not see God’s glory because the veil over their eyes remained unlifted. The only means of removing it was through faith in Christ.
Not only were their faces covered, but their hearts were also. It is only when a person turns to the Lord that the veil is taken away. In other words, the glorious salvation of God is only seen and experienced by those who have trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. When a new believer is indwelt by the presence of the Holy Spirit, they are set free from the curse of sin and death. In Christ the veil is removed and the glory of God is revealed.
Paul declared that our glory as Christians is being transformed into a mirror image of the glory of the Lord. This process is taking place over time, from glory to glory, as the Spirit of God works within us. In theology, we refer to this gradual transformation of the believer into the likeness of Christ as sanctification. Therefore, may we live with unveiled hearts and unveiled faces openly and unashamedly radiating the glory of God in a dark and dying world.
CONCLUSION
Like the apostle Paul, we as Christians today are ministers of a New Covenant. While the Old Covenant was based on works and obedience to the Law as the means of attaining God’s favor, the New Covenant is founded on God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant set forth a standard that no mere person could live up to, and thus all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). However, Jesus, the Son of God, lived a sinless life and fulfilled the requirements of the Law. He gave His life on the cross as a perfect, unblemished sacrifice wholly acceptable to God. When we trust in Him by faith, His righteousness is imputed upon us and we are justified and forgiven in God’s sight. This is the glorious message of the New Covenant, that salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
As born again Christians, the marvelous light of Jesus resides within us. During the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord taught, "No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:15-16). Beloved, may we follow Paul’s example and be unafraid to remove the veils from our faces so that others may behold the glorious light of Christ in us.