2 Corinthians 3:4-6. 4Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
When you hear the word “minister” what do you think of? Maybe someone wearing a clerical collar, preaching sermons and handing out blessings? But do you think of yourself?
The Bible says that all who are united to Christ are ministers or servants of his New Covenant. When you signed up for the New Covenant, you signed up to be not only a recipient of its promises, but also a minister of its promises as well. God not only rescues us; he invites us to be a part of the rescue team.
I know what you’re probably thinking – I’m not qualified to be a minister. But don’t worry, we are all qualified for the role of minister. How? Because we have all experienced the New Covenant for ourselves. We have all been forgiven. We have all received the new heart. We are all alive from the dead. We are all empowered by the love of the Spirit.
You see, that’s what the New Covenant is – unconditional love, forgiveness, and righteousness. All guaranteed and empowered by Christ’s indwelling life.
For us as Christians the New Covenant is a really big deal. When Jesus died for us he ended the requirements of the Old Covenant of works. And then when he rose from the dead he inaugurated the New Covenant of grace. All of the Old Covenant curses we deserve were taken into Christ on the cross and paid for with his own life. And all of the New Covenant blessings of his perfect life are graciously placed into us by our union with him. The penalty of sin has been forever forgiven. The power of sin has been forever broken. And one day the presence of sin will be forever removed. This is good news!
Now when you think of yourself as a minister, you should think of yourself in Christ. You are God’s minister of the blessings of his New Covenant of unconditional love and grace in Christ Jesus. Yes, we are all completely dependent upon the New Covenant to save us, and at the same time, we are all interdependently made ministers of this covenant, taking its message of new life to a dying world.
Ministers of a New Covenant is now our life’s purpose. This is why we’re still here on earth. This is why God has sent us out into the world. This is our mission. God loves you and he has a wonderful plan for your life. And his plan for us is that we be a part of his plan to rescue the world. This isn’t just an obligation or duty. It is life. It is love. It is joy. It is God inviting us to participate in what the Trinity is doing. The Father wants us to learn the family business – loving, reconciling, sharing life. And now only when we embrace God’s purpose for us as ministers of his New Covenant will we be truly alive.
“To live is Christ” isn’t just something that happens to us, it is an invitation into what God is doing through us. It is the New Covenant being enacted IN our lives and BY our lives. By our faith in the indwelling life of Christ, and our faithful words and deeds, we make the good news of the New Covenant accessible to all that we come in contact with each and every day.
You
Do you see yourself as a minister of the New Covenant of God?
You in Christ
How does your union with Christ empower you to be a loving servant of the New Covenant?
Christ in you
How can you be a minister of God’s New Covenant grace and mercy today? Be specific.
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Playlist: New Covenant
Click Here to listen to the playlist on Spotify!
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To see today’s post from the TLIC Family blog –> Click Here
To Live is Christ 