11 June - 2 Corinthians 3

Today we’re back in 2 Corinthians, chapter 3. Here are some thoughts:

1. This chapter has some rather confusing stuff in it. Like: ministry of death and ministry of Spirit, stone tablets, shinning faces, and using the word ‘glory’ a lot. So what’s it all about?
2. In verses 7 and 8 we read about the different “ministries,” one of death and one of Spirit. The ‘ministry of death’ is referring to the Old Testament law, which included the Ten Commandments (which were carved on stone, hence the ‘stone tablets’). The ‘ministry of the Spirit’ refers to how Jesus died on the cross, rose again and created a new way to connect with God. The reason Paul talks about the old law as death is because God gave the law so we could realize we couldn’t meet those standards. Since we cannot keep the old law perfectly we know we need someone to save us. This is why Jesus was born, lived, died on the cross and rose again.
3. In verse 8 we read about how the Israelites couldn’t look at the face of Moses. This is talking about what happened to Moses when he was in the presence of God while God was giving him the Ten Commandments. You can read more about it in Exodus 34. Basically, the people couldn’t look at Moses it was because his face was still reflecting the “glory of God” that he had experienced. Moses’ face was said to have ‘glory.’
4. The rest of the chapter Paul is trying to help his audience understand how choosing to follow Jesus and trusting him to forgive your sins is better than trying to earn favor with God by following the old laws. 

One thing Paul says is “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” This is why the way we connect with God now (because of Jesus) is so much better. We now have the Spirit of God available to us when we decide to follow Jesus and it gives us true freedom. 

Have you experienced this freedom in God by choosing to follow Jesus and be baptized? If not, you’re missing out. Many people think following Jesus is about a list of rules of things you can’t do or have to do but that’s not true. That’s how the old law worked but in Jesus we can have freedom; freedom from sin and past failures. If you haven’t chosen to follow Jesus we pray you will soon so you can start living a life of freedom. If you are a follower of Jesus, do you live like a free person and enjoy your relationship with God? Thank God for your freedom and ask him to help you live life in a way that pleases him.