2 Corinthians 3.4-6 says,...
Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 3:4-6, which read,
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.
Paul has had some opposition come in to the church in the Corinth and they are trying to discredit him and the message of the gospel that he shared with them. Paul has been pointing the Christians in Corinth to his motive and actions and words that directed them to see what was shared was not about him but about the Lord. His actions were just the opposite of the false teachers who have an agenda, actions, and attitude that is all about themselves.
Paul has "confidence" and that word has a flavor of the concept "to win." Paul's confidence is that what has been shared with the Christians in Corinth will win out through the gospel of grace given by Christ.
Paul is confident in the message of Christ winning but he is also humble that he is just the messenger and therefore not adequate to carry it out, only Christ was adequate to do that. We are only adequate to even share the message of Christ because He makes us adequate through a salvation given by Him. The only reason Paul is doing what he is doing and saying what he is saying is because of gift given to him by Christ's life, death, and resurrection. He was made adequate by God and through God and for God to share with others about the love of God.
Paul was given the opportunity to share with others a new covenant. Paul's life prior to Christ was one of following the law to the letter and he thought he was right with God by his observance of the laws. On the road to Damascus, Paul came face to face with Christ and the fact that following the law to the letter was not enough. Paul had to acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Following the law to the letter would lead to death but following the Spirit that was given by the Lord Jesus Christ to His true followers leads to life and gives life.
Paul was carrying the new covenant that Jesus introduced to His disciples in the upper room at the Lord's Supper. The new covenant is the accepting of Jesus as Lord and Messiah proclaimed and prophesied in the old covenant. The old covenant pointed to Jesus and the new covenant is the accepting of Him as the only Savior of the world. Paul and we are adequate servants of this message that was given to us and given for us.
"Lord, may our confidence not be in ourselves but in You. May we be so thankful that our adequacy is from You because it leads to life rather than our adequacy that only leads to death. Keep us humble to the fact that we have been given so much from You and through You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.
Paul has had some opposition come in to the church in the Corinth and they are trying to discredit him and the message of the gospel that he shared with them. Paul has been pointing the Christians in Corinth to his motive and actions and words that directed them to see what was shared was not about him but about the Lord. His actions were just the opposite of the false teachers who have an agenda, actions, and attitude that is all about themselves.
Paul has "confidence" and that word has a flavor of the concept "to win." Paul's confidence is that what has been shared with the Christians in Corinth will win out through the gospel of grace given by Christ.
Paul is confident in the message of Christ winning but he is also humble that he is just the messenger and therefore not adequate to carry it out, only Christ was adequate to do that. We are only adequate to even share the message of Christ because He makes us adequate through a salvation given by Him. The only reason Paul is doing what he is doing and saying what he is saying is because of gift given to him by Christ's life, death, and resurrection. He was made adequate by God and through God and for God to share with others about the love of God.
Paul was given the opportunity to share with others a new covenant. Paul's life prior to Christ was one of following the law to the letter and he thought he was right with God by his observance of the laws. On the road to Damascus, Paul came face to face with Christ and the fact that following the law to the letter was not enough. Paul had to acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Following the law to the letter would lead to death but following the Spirit that was given by the Lord Jesus Christ to His true followers leads to life and gives life.
Paul was carrying the new covenant that Jesus introduced to His disciples in the upper room at the Lord's Supper. The new covenant is the accepting of Jesus as Lord and Messiah proclaimed and prophesied in the old covenant. The old covenant pointed to Jesus and the new covenant is the accepting of Him as the only Savior of the world. Paul and we are adequate servants of this message that was given to us and given for us.
"Lord, may our confidence not be in ourselves but in You. May we be so thankful that our adequacy is from You because it leads to life rather than our adequacy that only leads to death. Keep us humble to the fact that we have been given so much from You and through You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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