2 Corinthians 3

Intro:

Bad letters of recommendation

1. An authentic ministry

—>Question: What is the purpose of a letter of recommendation?

establish credibility

help make an unknown known

helps validate the legitimacy of claims someone is making about themselves

Paul seems to be responding to some challenge from the false teachers in Corinth

a letter of recommendation was common practice

it seemed others were bringing letters as they challenged the ministry of Paul—so why shouldn’t he be expected to produce one?

—> Question: Doesn’t it seem crazy that the 1st century church would be questioning the ministry of one of the apostles (whose ministry was affirmed by the other apostles), as though he had to prove his theological bona fides like an unknown commodity?

—> Yet consider that there is probably no single human author in the N.T. that secular Christianity is more concerned with undermining today than the writing of the Apostle Paul.

On marriage (complentarianism)

On sexuality (Paul very clear on homosexuality)

On divorce

On roles in the church

On justification

You name it, the liberal movement in Christianity has a problem with it when it comes to the Apostle Paul.

>So, then, as now, we find the Apostle Paul testifying to the authenticity, the validity of his ministry.

Bottom Line: The Corinthian church stands as Paul’s letter of recommendation authenticating his ministry.

a. His heart for the church reveals the sincerity of his ministry

-you look at the Corinthian church, you see the heart of Paul

-he spent 18 months founding this church

-he has encouraged, rebuked, exhorted, pled, admonished, instructed, and praised them

-he has wept bitterly over them and suffered greatly for them

-therefore in the Corinthian chruch everyone can see the love and care of Paul, his sincerity

(Ex: Aunt Debbie & Uncle Tim)

b. The Corinthian believer’s hearts reveal the authenticity of his ministry

ex: a statement from a church vs. the genuine fruit of faith.

Old Covenant vs. New Covenant

Old Covenant

Question: What was the purpose of the law?

Romans 3:19–20 ESV

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

> as Paul says in , the law came that “sin might shown to be sin”

Paul here refers to the old covenant ministry as:

the ministry of the letter

the ministry of death

the ministry of condemnation

Application: The danger of self-righteousness

New Covenant

Question: What is the new covenant?

The new covenant ministry is

the ministry of the Spirit

the ministry of life

the ministry of righteousnes

—>the New Covenant ministry, the gospel ministry accomplishes something that the law never could, nor was ever designed to accomplish!

therefore the law did not fail

its passing glory was always to point to a coming greater glory—that of Christ!

Application: What does this mean for us?