Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

 (2Co 3:7) “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:”  “Which glory was to be done away”, yes, speaks of Moses’ death; but it also speaks of the end of the law to those “in” Christ Jesus. The Lord Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly. He then as our substitute took our judgment (death) for breaking that same law. The saved now live by grace and mercy received from our Holy Lord.

(2Co 3:7) “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:”  Moses wore for the rest of his life the reflected glory of God, It was the picture of the glory of the law, for its glory is the reflection of holiness, the perfection of the Person Who give it.

(2Co 3:7) “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:”  “ministration of death”: the standard of which sinful man cannot reach. Therefore death, physical, spiritual, and eternal is the sentence upon each of us. Only repentance of life and faith in Jesus’ blood can save us from such a sentence.

(2Co 3:6) “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”   The “letter killeth” – period.  It is so important to understand fully that salvation was never, and can never even “in” salvation give or keep it. The standard is not “try”. The standard is “keep without fail” (James 2:10). It is all of God; the blood of the sinless Jesus that covers our sin.

(2Co 3:6) “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”   The New Testament is the name of the new “will” brought about by the death of the will-maker, the Lord Jesus Christ. He died paying our sin debt of death. The inheritance is eternal life, spiritual life – spirit life, “the spirit giveth life”. By the way, Jesus rose again alive from the dead!

(2Co 3:6) “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”  The “letter” could be referring to the Old Testament, the Law, of which men stumbled over. You see, instead of seeing the law was meant to reveal to hearts their sinfulness and thus turn to the sacrifice; men instead sought to merit eternal life through their keeping the letter (Rom 3:19-25).

(2Co 3:5) “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;”  Self reliance is from the blindness of the old nature. Have you power to make yourself well when sick? The believers looks to God alone for help. The believer clings to the goodness of God.

(2Co 3:3) “…ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ…written…with the Spirit of the living God;…in fleshy tables of the heart. (4) And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:”  In other words, Paul is believing they are what they profess to be – born again made children of God. Many profess, but their actions say few possess. He believes these would prove the claim by responding rightly.

(2Co 3:3) “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”   Notice that the second  half of this verse fulfills Ezekiel 11:19 and 36;36. Under the New Covenant, the New Testament, you and I, spiritual Jews by adoption paid by blood, are included.

(2Co 3:3) “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”  Every believer is to so walk in the teachings of the New Testament that their life reveals those Words.