Hope in the New Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:12-18

Introduction:

Last week we focused on some of the ministries of the Holy Spirit

1. He changes lives

2. He causes us to grow and mature

3. He makes us experience the glory of God

This week we want to continue in 2 Cor. 3 by looking at what we have in Jesus Christ.

1. We have a hope and boldness that the Law could not give

2. We have eyes that are opened to see the truth

3. We have freedom that does not come from keeping the Law

4. We have a Savior who changes us into His likeness

I. We have a hope and boldness that the Law could not give vv. 7-13

1. The contrast between the Law and Christ

In these verses there is a contrast between the Law under Moses and what we have in Christ

Law	Christ
ð Glory under Law was fading ð Led to condemnation	ð Glory under Christ never fadesð Leads to hope (12)

How does Law lead to condemnation?

It is a list of rules. A list of things that people “cannot” do

Anytime we have a list of rules, we are going to break them

*Saying: “Rules are made to be broken.”

*There is some truth in that

Purpose of the Law was not to provide salvation or way to God

When the Law was given the Jews were already God’s people

Romans 3:19-20 “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

This is in direct contrast to what so many seem to think today. Most seem to think that they have hope by doing their best to keep the 10 commandments.

**That does not bring hope, only condemnation

**Especially when you add to it what Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28

In contrast to the Law faith in Christ leads to hope!!

All through the OT the Prophets did not look back to the Law for hope they looked ahead to the coming Messiah or Savior

In the NT it was faith in Christ (New Covenant) that brought hope

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Paul though out the book of Acts is preaching hope to the Jews. Paul had lived his whole life studying and attempting to obey the Law, yet when he came to Christ that was when he began to preach true hope.

*He point everyone to this hope in Jesus

In 1 Cor. 15 he shared that his hope was in a living Savior.

Romans 5:6-11

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

When we were condemned under the Law Jesus came and died that we might have hope!!

Along with that hope Paul says that he has boldness v. 12

He was not ashamed to stand up and speak the truth!!

II. We have eyes that are opened to see the truth vv. 14-16

1. Many of the Jews to whom Paul preached continued to look back at the Old Testament (Law). As a result they were unable to see the truth.

They were unwilling to look and see how Christ was their hope.

2. It is Jesus who is able to give us eyes to see what the truth is, to understand spiritual things

Important point: Those who have not come to Christ cannot understand spiritual truth or spiritual things.

*We get frustrated at times that the world does not see things the same way that we do

*The only way their eyes are opened is through the preaching and ministry of the Gospel of Christ

Matthew 13:14-15 Jesus

And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears Bare hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’

1 Peter 2 says that to those who believe Jesus is precious, but to those who refuse to believe He is offensive.

As I have told you before, I have explained the Christian life and mentality to people who have not been able to understand, only to have them come back later and explain that now they know Christ and it now makes perfect sense!! Their eyes were opened in Christ!!

III. We have a freedom that does not come from keeping the Law v. 17

1. Freedom from the burden of trying to keep the Law

To anyone trying to live under the Law there is the constant burden of:

*Am I being good enough?

*Have I messed up and not realized it?

*Does my good outweigh my bad?

The freedom in Christ eliminates that:

His Spirit directs us in the correct path

His Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we are His children (no guessing or wondering).

My responsibility today is not to strive to live under the Law but under the ministry of the Holy Spirit. What freedom that brings!!

2. Freedom from the condemnation of sin

If we strive to live by the Law there is the constant condemnation from falling short

In Christ we are set free from that

3. Freedom from the power of sin:

Romans 3 gives us great detail into the fact that we can say no to sin!!

4. Freedom from the fear of death and dying

“For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

None of this freedom comes from keeping the Law, all comes from faith in Christ!!

IV. We have a Savior who changes us into His likeness v. 18

Usually we look into a mirror to see what we do not like so that we can make the appropriate changes. Here we look into the mirror of Jesus Christ to see what needs to be changed in our lives.

Not to become better people, but to become like the Lord Jesus Christ.

We begin to ask ourselves in every situation, “What would Jesus do?” and then strive to do the same!!