THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

This program of Scripture studies is designed to help you in daily honoring God with adoration through Bible study.

We have a great friend in Gary Godard.
He has set up an archive page.
To view ALL the prior Scripture studies by book and chapter, just clik

HERE.

Bruce McGee
P.O. Box 1627
Columbia, LA 71418

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE STUDY
2Corinthians

In the last chapter, we saw where Paul said he was not like "many"
who corrupted the Word of God, but spoke "in Christ" knowing
he was WATCHED by God!

2 Cor 3:1
1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others,
epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

In the last chapter, Paul had been speaking of his sincerity in preaching.
Here, he is asserting that this is not a self-commendation.

In those days (as sometimes now), people traveled with letters of recommendation.
Back then, they mostly had no motels; so they depended upon the hospitality of others.
Those letters helped them to find lodging.
But those letters also helped them by recommendation to the people.

Paul traveled with no such letters.
He depended upon God's Holy Spirit to enable and empower him to
preach the Gospel wherever he went.

He had come to Corinth without recommendation, and he left Corinth
without recommendation from them.

2Cor 3:2-3
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
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.

Paul had a BETTER letter of recommendation!
He had come to Corinth, led people to Christ, and established a church.
This was known abroad, because Corinth was a city of many gods.
But these had come to know the TRUE God!

Their conversion was written on Paul's heart!
It is so with any believer who leads another to Christ.

2Cor 3:4-6 4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
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.

Here's the TRUST Christians have in Christ:
* We are not sufficient in ourselves, but only IN CHRIST;
* It is HE Who has MADE us "able ministers of the new testament;"
* And, HE speaks through us by His SPIRIT of GRACE and not of LAW.

When Christ died to fulfill the law, He fulfilled it for ALL who surrender to Him!!
And, His GIFT to us is His Holy Spirit, Who empowers us to share the Gospel!
When believers speak to others about Christ, God's Holy Spirit ACCOMPANIES that speech,
and brings it to the heart of the hearer!

2Cor 3:7-8
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:
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

God's introduction of the law came by Moses, written in STONE!
And, even that was a "glorious" introduction.
Because Moses' face shone so strongly that the nation of Israel could not "behold" him.
They were stricken with fear and awe at the sight.

Now, the Word of God which brings the testimony of Jesus Christ,
comes with loving grace!
And, it is not written in stone, but on our HEARTS!

The law is tempered with MERCY!
God has PAID the penalty for man's salvation HIMSELF!
Salvation is offered to ALL mankind!

2Cor 3:9-11
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

The UNrighteousness of man is shown by the LAW.
But, the righteousness of God can be PLACED on man by the new testament of GRACE!

The law is still useful to TEACH us, but when we are saved, we are RELEASED from it's condemnation!!
(See Rom. 8:1-2)

The letter of the law brings DEATH by condemnation for our sin.
But, the "spirit" of the law is salvation, by grace, through faith in Christ Jesus!!

2Cor 3:12-14
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

Since then, we have this great "hope" in Christ, we can
speak plainly and boldly of His great love and salvation!

Moses had to put a veil over his face to teach Israel the law.
And, even today, those who do not believe Jesus, are BLINDED when they read the Bible!

But praise God!
When we surrender to Christ, the "veil" is REMOVED!
And we can clearly see God's grace, mercy, love!!

2Cor 3:15-16
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

Obviously these two verses refer to those who have NOT surrendered to Christ.
And, in probability, it refers to those of Jewish faith who still refuse Christ as Lord and Savior.

But ONE DAY!
One GLORIOUS day, God will cause His "remnant" of Israel to SEE CLEARLY!
THEN, that "veil" shall be taken away!!

2Cor 3:17
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

The word "Lord" obviously refers to Jesus.
When one surrenders to Jesus as Lord, that person also receives God's Holy Spirit!!
(See Eph. 1:13)

And when a person receives Jesus as Lord, they also receive LIBERTY!
That liberty is expressed in boldness to speak the Gospel of Christ!!
That liberty endows the believer to speak openly, unashamedly for Christ!

2Cor 3:18
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

When we look, as believers, into the Word of God we see:
God's GLORY reflected as a very bright image such as in a mirror with direct light upon it.

And, if we CONTINUE to look in the Word of God (with belief in Christ)
we shall be CHANGED!!
We'll be changed from the glory we already have, into a person reflecting the image of Christ!

Please note that last phrase, "by the Spirit of the Lord."
As we continue to study the Word of God, His Spirit CHANGES us.
He changes us to reflect Christ!

As believers, we have a duty - to STUDY the Word of God.
But it is God Himself who CHANGES us!