14.15 The true minister of the New Covenant
As believers, it benefits us to know what our inheritance is. What exhortation do we have for ministers? Paul calls himself a minister of the new Covenant. Likewise, we are also ministers of the New Covenant. Do you know that you are a minister of the New Covenant?
A minister of the New Covenant is contrasted by a minister of the Old Covenant. There is a big difference. Let us show you from the scriptures the way Paul contrasts it:
(2 Cor 3:3-9)
5 Not that we are SUFFICIENT OF OURSELVES to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our SUFFIFIENCY IS FROM GOD, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the LETTER [law engraved on stones] but of the SPIRIT; for the LETTER KILLS, but the SPIRIT GIVES LIFE.
7 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, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
1) Sufficiency of ourselves (under law) vs. sufficient from God (grace)
2) Minister of the letter (law) vs. minister of the Spirit (grace)
3) Ministry of condemnation (under law) vs. ministry of righteousness (justification under grace)
4) Ministry of death (under law) vs. ministry of life (under grace)
For example, we can have a New Covenant prophet vs. an Old Covenant Prophet. An Old Covenant prophet brings forth sins to remembrance and brings forth condemnation. A New Covenant brings forth edification, comfort and edification through the finished work of Christ. Once, a person went forward to a prophet to pray for healing. The prophet told him that he was sick because of his sins. The man was placed under condemnation. In the New Covenant, it works differently. When the paralytic was brought to Jesus, Jesus declared that his sins were forgiven. The man received his healing. We must be able to tell an Old Covenant prophet apart from a New Covenant prophet.
We can also have a teacher of the Law vs. a teacher of the New Covenant. The teacher of law focuses on the system where you have to keep the works of the law to get the blessings. The focus is on your sufficiency. But the teacher of the New Covenant unveils Christ and the finished work. The focus is on the sufficiency of Jesus. This is clear in the Bible. Paul declared in Galatians that anyone who preaches any other gospel apart from the gospel of grace shall be accursed (Gal 1:6-9). We must know the difference.
A minister of the New Covenant is contrasted by a minister of the Old Covenant. There is a big difference. Let us show you from the scriptures the way Paul contrasts it:
(2 Cor 3:3-9)
5 Not that we are SUFFICIENT OF OURSELVES to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our SUFFIFIENCY IS FROM GOD, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the LETTER [law engraved on stones] but of the SPIRIT; for the LETTER KILLS, but the SPIRIT GIVES LIFE.
7 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, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
1) Sufficiency of ourselves (under law) vs. sufficient from God (grace)
2) Minister of the letter (law) vs. minister of the Spirit (grace)
3) Ministry of condemnation (under law) vs. ministry of righteousness (justification under grace)
4) Ministry of death (under law) vs. ministry of life (under grace)
For example, we can have a New Covenant prophet vs. an Old Covenant Prophet. An Old Covenant prophet brings forth sins to remembrance and brings forth condemnation. A New Covenant brings forth edification, comfort and edification through the finished work of Christ. Once, a person went forward to a prophet to pray for healing. The prophet told him that he was sick because of his sins. The man was placed under condemnation. In the New Covenant, it works differently. When the paralytic was brought to Jesus, Jesus declared that his sins were forgiven. The man received his healing. We must be able to tell an Old Covenant prophet apart from a New Covenant prophet.
We can also have a teacher of the Law vs. a teacher of the New Covenant. The teacher of law focuses on the system where you have to keep the works of the law to get the blessings. The focus is on your sufficiency. But the teacher of the New Covenant unveils Christ and the finished work. The focus is on the sufficiency of Jesus. This is clear in the Bible. Paul declared in Galatians that anyone who preaches any other gospel apart from the gospel of grace shall be accursed (Gal 1:6-9). We must know the difference.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 11:37 PM
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