We Are A Letter From Jesus

This morning I have been reading through Paul's letters to the Corinthians. I like to take time to read larger chunks of scripture, as I pick up a different perspective when reading it en masse, rather than focusing on a single passage. I find that it helps me to gain a better understanding of the writer's mindset and the flow of his thought. I also will see things that I hadn't seen or thought much on before, when reading a larger amount. This morning I came across these five verses - 2 Corinthians 3:2-6 NIV:

[2] "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. [3] You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

[4] Such confidence we have through Christ before God. [5] Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. [6] He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant---not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

I really like verse 3, where Paul talks about the Corinthians as being a letter from Christ. That is a very interesting image to think on, that we are a letter to those around us from Jesus. There is the old saying that 'we might be the only bible some people ever read', or the only Christian some people ever know, and while that is often used to spur us to evangelism in all cases, I think its roots are here in Paul's letter.

We are supposed to be changed in a way that is visible, the Holy Spirit writing upon our hearts brings change to us. We, as members of the Body of Christ are part of His letter to all mankind. This helps me to consider my actions and my words and wonder if they would represent the very words of Jesus? Unfortunately, more often than not I don't think I am a good representation, but I am trying to become better and to make myself available to be shaped and changed.

Secondly, I am encouraged by verse 6, for the competence and confidence that Paul has comes from a realization that it was Christ Jesus who made him a minister. It is Jesus who trains us, who gives us direction and guidance and who pours out the Holy Spirit on us. He makes us competent ministers of the New Covenant. He is not requiring us to be ministers of the word, but rather of the Spirit. So let us entrust ourselves to our teacher and learn of the Spirit, and learn to become competent ministers of the New Covenant.

Amen!