A New Covenant Congregation

2 Corinthians 2:12-3:18

2 Corinthians 2:12–3:18 NET 2nd ed.

12 Now when I arrived in Troas to proclaim the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord had opened a door of opportunity for me, 13 I had no relief in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and set out for Macedonia. 14 But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and who makes known through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place. 15 For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing— 16 to the latter an odor from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? 17 For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God. 1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, 3 revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry that produced death—carved in letters on stone tablets—came with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective), 8 how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation, how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness excel in glory! 10 For indeed, what had been glorious now has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it. 11 For if what was made ineffective came with glory, how much more has what remains come in glory! 12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we behave with great boldness, 13 and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from staring at the result of the glory that was made ineffective. 14 But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds, 16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Covenant

Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology (The Idea of Covenant)

The Idea of Covenant. The term “covenant” is of Latin origin (con venire), meaning a coming together. It presupposes two or more parties who come together to make a contract, agreeing on promises, stipulations, privileges, and responsibilities.

Old Testament appearance 280 times/New Testament appearance 33

Examination

A detailed inspection or study, with a formal test of knowledge and proficiency of application in a subject, talent, or skill, involving investigative questioning, witnessing, and testimony.

We begin the New Covenant with a self examination

3 major judgments of the Bible

National

Religious

Government

Treatment of Israel

Congregational/Ekklesia

Religious

Headship/Lordship of Christ

Equipping/Teaching

Serving

Political

Socially

Publicly

Treatment of the Jews

Individually

Religious

Submission and Surrender

Serving

Commitment to His glory

An Absolute Standard

Absolute

Totalitarian, not subject to any limitation, not comparative or relative, final

Death

Death is the absence or the withdrawal of breath

Expire

A Separation from life, body, and/or soul

Life

The common reality of breath given by God in/by creation and through/by redemption

Blood

Glory to and of God