Etched in Our Hearts
II Corinthians 3:1–11
“Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!”
The Law was given to separate God’s people from the evil nations around them and to define sin (Ezra 10:11), “for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come Rom 5:13–14).” The Law also clearly demonstrated that no human person could purify herself enough to please God, in other words, the Law revealed our need for a Saviour. And that Saviour came and lifted us up from the miry clay, set our feet on a rock and gave a firm place to stand (Psa 40:2). The writer at Gotquestions.org states, “while the Law itself was good, it was weak in that it lacked the power to change a sinful heart (Romans 8:3). Keeping the Law, as interpreted by the Pharisees, had become an oppressive and overwhelming burden (Luke 11:46).” It seems these are what some Corinthians thought of in doubting the Apostle Paul, some paper some documentation that proves Paul’s authority under Christ. Our LORD Himself warned of such pharisaic attitudes, “a wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah” (Matt 16:4). Indeed, there are none so blind as those who will not see, but like Bar-Timaus we pray in earnest, seeking the LORD, shouting for His attention as He passes through the multitudes, the blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see” (Mark 10:51). Our witness is powerful, not because of ourselves but because God makes it so for His purposes and His glory (v. 5). St. Paul highlights the difference in degree only between Law and Grace: Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness (vv. 7–9). Gotquestions.org continues, “there is no conflict between grace and the Law, properly understood. Christ fulfilled the Law on our behalf and offers the power of the Holy Spirit, who motivates a regenerated heart to live in obedience to Him.” May we never take for granted the glorious love that is etched in our hearts by the Holy Spirit in the Blood of Christ. May we let Him lead us from glory to glory and glory that lasts!
“Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!”
The Law was given to separate God’s people from the evil nations around them and to define sin (Ezra 10:11), “for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come Rom 5:13–14).” The Law also clearly demonstrated that no human person could purify herself enough to please God, in other words, the Law revealed our need for a Saviour. And that Saviour came and lifted us up from the miry clay, set our feet on a rock and gave a firm place to stand (Psa 40:2). The writer at Gotquestions.org states, “while the Law itself was good, it was weak in that it lacked the power to change a sinful heart (Romans 8:3). Keeping the Law, as interpreted by the Pharisees, had become an oppressive and overwhelming burden (Luke 11:46).” It seems these are what some Corinthians thought of in doubting the Apostle Paul, some paper some documentation that proves Paul’s authority under Christ. Our LORD Himself warned of such pharisaic attitudes, “a wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah” (Matt 16:4). Indeed, there are none so blind as those who will not see, but like Bar-Timaus we pray in earnest, seeking the LORD, shouting for His attention as He passes through the multitudes, the blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see” (Mark 10:51). Our witness is powerful, not because of ourselves but because God makes it so for His purposes and His glory (v. 5). St. Paul highlights the difference in degree only between Law and Grace: Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness (vv. 7–9). Gotquestions.org continues, “there is no conflict between grace and the Law, properly understood. Christ fulfilled the Law on our behalf and offers the power of the Holy Spirit, who motivates a regenerated heart to live in obedience to Him.” May we never take for granted the glorious love that is etched in our hearts by the Holy Spirit in the Blood of Christ. May we let Him lead us from glory to glory and glory that lasts!
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