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Introduction: As an apostle of
Jesus Christ who was as one untimely born (I
Corinthians 15:8), Paul seemingly faced some criticism
regarding whether or not he was truly an apostle. In Galatians
1, Paul goes out of his way to defend his apostleship.
Attacks against his apostleship really left him in a no-win
situation. If he did not respond, it would make the attacks appear
true. If he did respond, it would make him appear arrogant. Thus,
it put Paul in a precarious situation to defend his apostleship.
One place of defense, II
Corinthians 3, provides some great insight into
Christianity. Discussion: I. Paul’s letter. A.
It was
common in the first century for someone who was commissioned with
some task to carry letters demonstrating the commission. This was
the case even outside the church. Remember on the trip to
Damascus, before Paul’s conversion, he carried letters from the
high priest demonstrating his authority to imprison Christians (Acts
9:1-2). It is evident that something similar was done in
the church. When Apollos left Ephesus and went into Achaia, the
Ephesians wrote letters to the Achaians encouraging them to accept
Apollos (Acts
18:27). In I
Corinthians 16:3, Paul declared he would send whomever the
Corinthians chose with letters to Jerusalem carrying their gift to
them. These letters were essentially the same thing we do when an
employer asks for references to call on an application. B.
Paul’s
question in II
Corinthians 3:1 is, “Do I need letters of commendation
for you to listen to me?” His answer is, “No!” The mere fact
that the Corinthian church existed was a letter of his sincerity
and work in the Lord (II
Corinthians 3:2-3). Every Christian in Corinth was a
testimony to his apostleship. In fact, in I
Corinthians 9:2, Paul claimed the Corinthians were his
seal of apostleship. Paul didn’t need letters of commendation.
His work was evident to all. The simple point that they were his
letter is good, but making this point springboards Paul into a
discussion ripe with understanding and application for us about
this letter. II.
Christ’s
letter. A.
Though Paul
referred to the Corinthians as his letter, he says in II
Corinthians 3:3 that they were a letter of Christ, written
by the Spirit of God on tablets of human hearts. He then clearly
points out that he, as a minister, is not adequate to produce
Christians out of these people. His adequacy is from God. The
point of all this is similar to Paul’s statement in I
Corinthians 3:5-9. He is a servant who worked where God
gave opportunity, but it God gave the increase. It was Christ who
saved the people. Thus, the lives they lived, while being a
testimony to Paul’s sincerity, were more so letters about who
Christ is. B.
This chapter
speaks of two letters. The first letter was one which was engraved
on stones, the Law of Moses, with specific reference to the 10
commandments (Exodus
31:18; 34:1). The second letter is us. Paul is actually
alluding to Jeremiah
31:31-34, demonstrating its fulfillment in Christians. We,
as Christ’s “New Letter”, are far superior to the “Old
Letter”, because we represent a ministry of life. The Old Law
was a ministry of death. Romans
7:7-11 demonstrates that the Law of Moses produced death,
because, despite its guidance, it defined and produced awareness
of sin in men, killing them spiritually. Paul again writes in Galatians
3:10-11, that justification cannot come through the Law,
only a curse. Finally, Hebrews
10:1-4 teaches even the sacrifices of the Old Covenant did
not produce life. If they had, they would not need repeating.
There was no life in the Old Law, no wonder Peter was stunned that
the Jews would strive to make Gentiles submit to the requirements
of the Law in Acts
15:10. No wonder Paul was amazed that the Galatians had
turned to a hybrid of the Old and New Covenants (Galatians
1:6; 5:2-4). C.
Unlike the
Law of Moses, the letter of the Spirit and of Christ is a ministry
of life. We must recognize that we have died to the Law of Moses
and been made alive through Christ (Romans
7:1-6). Romans
6:3-4 says when we were baptized we were raised from that
watery grave to walk in newness of life. Through Christ, we have
received the promise of the Spirit, redemption from the curse of
Moses’ law (Galatians
3:13-14). Why would anyone continue to submit to the Old
Law as authority when it cannot produce life and Jesus can and has
through His sacrifice (Hebrews
10:5-14). D.
All this
being the case, in II
Corinthians 3, Paul points out that we, as a letter of
Christ, are much more glorious than that letter which was written
by the finger of God on tablets of stone, because we are part of
the ministry of the Spirit. Consider this for a moment, Paul
describes the glory of that first letter in II
Corinthians 3:7. That glory was so bright and amazing that
Moses had to veil his glowing face so the sons of Israel could
look upon him. Yet, we, every one of us Christians, are more
glorious than that. But because of our hope and its unfading
glory, we do not veil ourselves, we boldly proclaim our message
from Christ (II
Corinthians 3:12-13). Additionally, having accepted that
Jesus is the Messiah, the fulfillment of scripture, we have
removed the veil from the word of God, seeing it in its full glory
(II
Corinthians 3:15-16). E.
Finally,
regarding the comparison, Paul demonstrates the law of Moses is
not in effect, mirroring the statement of Hebrews
8:13 (II
Corinthians 3:10-11). It has faded away and become
obsolete. Granted, we know we can learn from it (Romans
15:4). However, we are now part of a more glorious
covenant and refuse to accept Moses’ law as our guide, lest we
be severed from Christ (Galatians
5:4). III.
Two
questions of application this text brings to mind. A.
Am I a
letter of Christ? 1.
When people
see me, do they see a letter of Christ? Do they see the working of
the Spirit in my life as it has changed me and renewed me? Romans
12:1-2 says we are to be different from the world. When
people look at our lives, can they tell a difference? Or do they
see that essentially we are the same, with the same goals,
pleasures, entertainment, etc. 2.
Matthew
10:32-33
says we are to confess Jesus before men. This is more than just in
word alone, but also in deed. Our lives must exude the life of
Christ, doing nothing in word or deed to deny Jesus as our Savior
and Lord. 3.
What kind of
letter am I? B.
Do I have a
letter as Paul did? 1.
Remember,
this whole chapter began by Paul defending his service to God as
being more than just peddling Gospel. Not only were the
Corinthians a letter for Christ, but Paul first said they were his
letters. The fact that the Corinthians were Christians at all and
the work Paul had done with the Corinthians demonstrated his
sincerity in serving Christ. 2.
So, we ask,
do I have a letter? To what can we turn and say, “See this, this
is my recommendation. This demonstrates my sincerity in Christ.”
I understand we are not apostles, nor are we all evangelists who
can travel and establish churches. But is there something that we
have done, someone we have worked with, something that we do which
demonstrates our sincerity. What can we point to and say, "I
don’t need a letter of commendation, this is my letter.” 3.
Who have we
helped become a Christian? Who have we helped grow in Christ? Who
have we encouraged? What work do we do? 4.
Do I have a
letter as Paul did? Conclusion: These last two questions must be on our minds constantly. But, neither can apply to us unless we are Christ’s. Unless we have submitted to Him in baptism (Galatians 3:26-29). Why not become His now and be a living letter for Jesus.
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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