Bible Study - Something More (3) - I Am a Minister - 2 Corinthians 3:4-12 - February 4, 2018

Bible Study – Something More (3) – I Am a Minister – February 4, 2018

This lesson three (3) in our series entitled “Made for Something More.”

Our focus scripture is 2 Corinthians 3:4-12.

GOD works through us to make a difference.

We who know the truth are qualified to pass truth to others. Satan attempts to make Christians feel inadequate to pass the truth of salvation through faith in JESUS to those seeking or needing this truth. Let’s explore!

The city of Corinth had been leveled in 146 B.C. and was uninhabited for more than 100 years. The Romans recognized Corinth as an excellent location for shipping and trade. So they rebuilt Corinth as a Roman city about 44 B.C. Although Corinth was located in Greece it was very Roman. Corinth became a commercial center for the Roman Empire. Because it was a hub for commerce, the Apostle Paul saw Corinth as an ideal location for launching the gospel of JESUS and selling the tents he made to support ministry. Paul’s passion was leading others to a saving knowledge of JESUS and the joy of seeing them freed from the bondage of sin and the joy of living as free citizens and Ambassadors in the Kingdom of GOD.

Satan attempts to rob Christians of the unspeakable joy of living as a child of GOD in the Kingdom of GOD here upon earth and ministering to others as the Holy Spirit gives opportunity.

Most Christians do not look at themselves as ministers. Paul was clear that all Christians are put in specific places to minister.

After Paul left Corinth, false teachers began to move in and challenged Paul’s authority and message of salvation through faith in JESUS. These challenges resulted in four letters from Paul to the Christians in Corinth. Two of the letters we read today e.g. 1 and 2 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 5:9, Paul wrote: “I wrote to you a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.”This letter no longer exists. What we know as 2 Corinthians is likely the fourth letter Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth. In 2 Corinthians 2:3-4, Paul wrote:

3 I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn't have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy is yours.

4 For out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart I wrote to you with many tears-not that you should be hurt, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.

This letter no longer exists. This is FYI.

In 2 Corinthians, The Apostle Paul confirmed his calling as a minister of the truth. He challenged fellow believers to respond to their calling to live their lives as obedient followers of JESUS and minister to those walking in the darkness of the pagan world. All Christians are called to ministry and to minister where GOD plants them.

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 3:1-3: (Lead-in)

Living Letters

1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or like some, do we need letters of recommendation to you or from you?

Do we need credentials to come to you again in the name of JESUS our Savior? Do we need letters of introduction? The expected reply was NO!

As we studied in last week’s lesson, the Judaizers had moved in and were preaching and teaching that a Christian needed more than faith in JESUS to have the right relationship with GOD. Of course, Paul’s reply is a resounding “Faith in JESUS is all a person needs!” That is because GOD was in CHRIST reconciling the world to Him. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21:

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.

18 Now everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

19 that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

Once a person places his or her faith in JESUS, his or her sins are washed away and he or she is washed clean by the shed blood of JESUS!

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God."

This qualifies every Christian to present this truth to those seeking or in need of salvation.

21 He (GOD) made the One (JESUS) who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

The miracle of reconciliation could never come about by the law. 

Reconciliation with GOD requires a personal relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS and HIS passion and resurrection. It must be a living, dynamic, ongoing relationship with the person of GOD accomplished by a person’s faith relationship in JESUS as the promised Messiah.

Paul continued in verse 2:

2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, recognized and read by everyone,

Since Paul had already been to Corinth earlier and many accepted JESUS by faith as their Savior and knew the truth, there was the common bond and witness of the Holy Spirit among Christians that others could witness.

3 since it is plain that you are Christ's letter, produced by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not on stone tablets but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.

Paul reminded them that they had witnessed the truth of changed lives once JESUS forgave them for their sins and entered their lives through the miracle of Spiritual rebirth. This witness was not the result of obeying the law but it was Spiritual and confirmed in the “eyes of their hearts,” where nothing or anyone can snatch it from accepting JESUS as their Savior.  

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 3:4-6:

Paul's Competence

4 We have this kind of confidence toward God through Christ:

5 not that we are competent in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God.

6 He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.

Some in the Corinthian congregation questioned Paul’s authority to be a leader. Paul, in essence, asked those questioning his authority to simply look around and consider the number of people led to GOD through faith in JESUS by his ministry. All who had accepted JESUS as their Savior and made JESUS the LORD of their lives were witnesses to the power of the message, ministry of Paul and indwelling Holy Spirit.

Paul’s confidence in their salvation came from GOD. Their confidence was based upon the fact that it was GOD’S message of salvation through faith for all who placed their faith in JESUS’ birth as 100% human, HIS sinless life, HIS physical death upon the cross, HIS burial, HIS resurrection, HIS ascension into Heaven, taking HIS seat at the right hand of GOD, HIS Father, which was the signal for GOD to send The Holy Spirit to indwell every believer’s heart. 

The indwelling Holy Spirit is every Christian’s confirmation, assurance and guarantee that he or she has been redeemed from sin and its consequence of eternal death and he or she has been born Spiritually into the family of GOD!

JESUS fulfilled the old covenant by keeping the letter and the Spirit of the law. 

Because of HIS sinless life, which HE freely gave, the old covenant was fulfilled and JESUS established the new covenant of faith in HIM by HIS shed blood. The old covenant was ruled by the law and all under the law were under the weight of the law. The law was impersonal and stoic. How does a person build a personal relationship with the law? The law revealed when a person stepped outside of it but it was left to the person to know how to live under the law. The law had no power to help to help a person to conquer it. The law was his or her master and not GOD. GOD changed that by sending HIS only Son, JESUS to become sin for all who will place their faith in HIM.

The new covenant ushered in by JESUS’ passion and HIS resurrection is confirmed and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The indwelling Holy Spirit empowers Christians live, minister and be a witness to others in obedience to GOD.

The letter of the law or the old covenant kills because a person cannot build a personal relationship with it whereas the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit produces life. The Holy Spirit gave life to the human egg of the Virgin Mary which resulted in JESUS. This same life giving Holy Spirit gives eternal life to all who place their faith in JESUS. The result is being born into GOD’S family as HIS Son or Daughter. This, in turn, established the relationship GOD desires with each Christian and is the beginning of building the right, personal, intimate relationship with HIM as our Father. Precious! GOD loves you!

The Spirit filled Christian is alive and it is exciting to be alive in the Kingdom of GOD upon earth and to be GOD’S witness to truth as he or she obediently serves GOD.

As recorded in John 14:6 – 6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 10:10 - 10 A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.

GOD’S desire is for every Christian to experience the abundant life with HIM upon earth. Are you experiencing that abundant life with HIM? If not, why not? Is it a trust factor? Whatever it is, tell GOD and ask HIM to help you work through it. Truth is the hallmark of a genuine relationship with GOD.

The Apostle Paul

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 3:7-10:

New Covenant Ministry

7 Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look directly at Moses' face because of the glory from his face-a fading [glory]-

8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?

9 For if the ministry of condemnation (Law) had glory, the ministry of righteousness (Grace) overflows with even more glory.

10 In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious (Old Covenant/Law) in this case because of the glory (Faith in JESUS results in the miracle of rebirth and GOD’S Grace) that surpasses it.

The Apostle Paul continued to address the law versus GOD’S grace through faith in HIS only Son JESUS. The Law is rigid and absolute, whereas faith in JESUS results immediately in forgiveness of sin, cleansing and restoration as GOD’S child through the miracle of rebirth.

First Corinthians 15:3b – CHRIST died for our sins according to the scriptures.

We find in Exodus 34:29-35: (This is the event Paul had in his mind when he wrote about Moses’ face having to be covered after he had been in the presence of GOD when GOD gave him the laws. But Moses’ glory faded over time. Which was better: to have temporary glory or permanent Glory through the new covenant of faith in JESUS?)

Moses' Radiant Face

29 As Moses descended from Mount Sinai-with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands as he descended the mountain-he did not realize that the skin of his face shone as a result of his speaking with the Lord.

30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone! They were afraid to come near him.

31 But Moses called out to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community returned to him, and Moses spoke to them.

32 Afterwards all the Israelites came near, and he commanded them everything the Lord had told him on Mount Sinai.

33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

34 But whenever Moses went before the Lord to speak with Him, he would remove the veil until he came out. After he came out, he would tell the Israelites what he had been commanded,

35 and the Israelites would see that Moses' face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil over his face again until he went to speak with the Lord.

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 3:11-12:

11 For if what was fading away was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.

When a person considers GOD’S law versus GOD’S Grace, GOD’S Grace far exceeds being under the Law. Both have glory but the glory of the law fades where as the glory of faith in JESUS is everlasting.

The Law shows a person that he or she violated the law but fails to remove the condemnation it brings until the person can get to the temple and pay the price for that sin. In contrast to the old covenant, JESUS paid it all through the shedding of HIS blood and establishes a personal, intimate relationship with GOD, which will never change. Once a Christian is born into GOD’S family, he or she will never be unborn! Now that is something to shout about!

The law is still a Christian’s guide and reveals when we miss the mark. The Good News is when we realize that we have sinned, we confess our sin, GO forgives us for our sins. The indwelling Holy Spirit gives us the ability to examine why we sinned and help us to do something about it in the strength and power of GOD.  

12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness-

Faith in JESUS results in GOD’S Grace being bestowed upon every Christian which guarantees eternal life. Life can be tough but as Christians journey through life, their hope, confidence and assurance is in their faith in JESUS, which is confirmed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Paul was writing that this blessed hope resulted in giving him boldness to speak truth because he had experienced the results of GOD’S power working in his life and in the lives of those who placed their faith in JESUS.

2 Corinthians 3:13-18:

13 not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel could not look at the end of what was fading away.

Paul was writing that the new covenant, that is faith in JESUS with the indwelling Holy Spirit, resulted in a permanent Glory that does not fade.

14 But their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside [only] in Christ.

JESUS established the new covenant of GOD’S Grace.

15 However, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts,

16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

18 We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Christians do not have to cover their faces because they reflect the “Glory of the LORD.”

Christians must keep in mind who we reflect. All Christians are ministers and are to share the Good News of salvation through faith in JESUS. Blessings!!!