"Able Ministers of the New Covenant" (2 Cor 3-4:2)

The message of God’s glory is the saving message of the gospel.  The law is His glory to condemn the sinner, demanding PERFECTION equal to His character. But, in the GOSPEL, He sets forth Christ crucified for sinners, so that He gives us life eternal, perpetually cleansing and pardoning us, being faithful in love, in spite of our sins.

Paul commends himself to the Corinthians, not by letters of their approval, but by the fact they know Christ through his teaching.  He is God’s instrument in the new covenant, used to preach Christ in love.  He, like all God-sent preachers is graced by God, so that he is the “able minister of the new covenant” -  “Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?  You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;  clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.  And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,  who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (vs1-6)

The law’s glory is done away.  It is good to tell men of God’s standard and promise them wrath for not repenting, but the gospel’s glory is so far greater than the law, that it is like the sun to the moon, so that once risen, the other cannot be seen - “But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.  For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.  For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.” (vs7-11)

We approach God and live with Him, not by what I deserve by my promises and merit, but by what God has promised and Christ has earned for me.  And, this gospel of a “top down” God saving sinners is so hopeful that we use great plainness of speech.  If we tried to manipulate men and hide the truth, it wouldn’t help. But, we openly preach mercy to sinners because God uses mercy preached to bestow mercy and change people, manifestly revealing them as His, approved of and saved by Christ - “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech: and not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished” (vs12-13).

The law’s glory is hidden by preachers, and Satan strives to assure men they aren’t as bad as scripture says… that God can be appeased by their best efforts. Yet, this VEILING of the law’s glory only shuts the door, so that people can’t trust Christ. As long as you think yourself anything more than hell-deserving and helpless, you will not turn to Christ.  But, when you do turn, then He will receive you, no matter the past -  “But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.  But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. “ (vs13-16)

The gospel’s glory isn’t merely God, but it is also God revealing Himself in a changing way, so that as we see Him gracious in Christ, we’re changed into His likeness.  As we see Him GIVING us eternal life, we become gracious people. As He FREELY forgives, just by  receiving the GIFT of eternal life, we become forgivers and lovers of men - “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.   But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.   Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.  But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor 3:17-4:2)

The gospel’s glory is Jesus Christ Himself who saves us by the Spirit, conforming us into His wonderful image.  We’re made faithful, manifesting ourselves as of God by what and how we preach, by the impact of holiness visible.

Which covenant are you under?  Are you under the gospel that gives you life, makes you righteous, and blesses you repeatedly and eternally?  Or, are you under the law, cursed of God, with no way out except the Savior?

Jesus Only (Matt 17:1-21)

“While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear you him… And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only (vs5, 8).”

Seeing God in His glory is seeing “Jesus only” in the salvation of sinners. Other than this, there is wrath. If we’d know God gracious, then we will not see the law and the prophets, but they will point us to Christ. We will not see preachers and brothers, but we will see Jesus only. And, seeing Jesus is OBEYING the gospel by His merit unto conformity to His will.

The gospel of God’s grace is “Jesus only”, and the more of Him, the better.

First, Hear Jesus only, not a mixture of law and grace, and not a moral sermon, but the unfolding of the scriptures in the Light of Jesus (Matt 17:3-5). If Christ is not preached, then the glory of the text has not been preached. The law is good, but there is NO WAY to holiness, except by God’s grace through Jesus’ blood. Take out or even mix Christ, and you corrupt the gospel, so that it cannot save – “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace” (Gal 5:4).

Second, even though you and I are sinners, even though you have blasphemed God, short changed Jesus Christ, and done every foolish thing imaginable after being exalted by Him, you are still saved by grace – “And Jesus came and touched them, and said, “Arise, and be not afraid” (Matt 17:6-7). You were never on merit; you were always saved upon the basis of Christ’s accomplishments, and He has returned to teach you to serve Him better. Take no salvation by merit, and take no salvation without works of faith and love being wrought in us by faith in Christ.

Thirdly, we are hateful sinners by nature, the worst in the world: haters of God, “But I say unto you, That Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they willed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them” (Matt 17:10-12). Do not judge a man by what he does BEFORE he hears Christ, for he doesn’t know the grace of God. But, to HEAR and not repent, when so great a grace is preached, when a way so easy is opened, and when God is GRACIOUS through Christ, exposes the hate of man towards holiness.

Men act confused, but they are not. They merely make excuses not to believe, doing away with Christ. Even believers, in our sin, can silence God’s messengers unto our own hurt and pain. We are wise to repent of every false way in us and be turned from all wickedness, because it leads to fruitlessness and so much needless pain. Obedience is the path of the believer, and Christ’s death JUSTIFIES God to walk with us hand and hand, not condemning but TEACHING His children. Don’t reject the Christ, for you expose hate towards God that shall be punished, even as these men were slow to hear, and the unbelievers were moved to murder.

Lastly, the only way the worst demons are cast out is by bringing it to Jesus only – “Howbeit this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matt 17:14-21). We must be emptied of all strength, and the fasting comes because the failure is known. The prayer comes because the sin is repeated. But, in due time, the Lord Jesus unfolds the Lord Jesus is the reason that the Lord Jesus is going to conform you into the image of the Lord Jesus, “Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him here to me” (vs17). The gospel is bringing everything to Christ, and PRAYER and FASTING is the way. We rely on Him before God, even though we’re sinners, entirely by faith, desiring what God gives. God makes us WANT salvation, so that we ASK Him to save, and then He saves the man He humbled.