From Glory to Greater Glory
Introduction:
Wherever Paul went, he had enemies. In Corinth, his opponents were
trying to lure the Christians into believing that the Law of Moses,
at least in part, was still in effect. Paul assured the Christians
it was not.
Text:
II Corinthians 3:7-11
Body:
I.
Ministry of Death Vs. Ministry of the Spirit
II Corinthians 3:7-8
“But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was
glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at
the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which
glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be
more glorious?”
NKJV
·
Carved in stone – The Law of Moses was given on Mt. Sinai. It was
written by God on tablets of stone. (Exodus
32)
·
The law was holy and good. (Romans
7:12)
“Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and
good.”
(Romans
10:5)
“For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ‘The
man who does those things shall live by them.’ ”
NKJV
It was not designed to bring death. (Deuteronomy
5:33)
“You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has
commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you,
and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall
possess.”
NKJV
It is like a baseball bat, which is not designed to kill, but it can
bring death. About 3,000 Israelites were killed for doing evil on
the day the Law of Moses was given. (Exodus
32)
It is called the “law of sin and death.” (Romans
8:2)
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free
from the law of sin and death.”
NKJV
·
The law of Christ – The New Covenant is called the “ministry of the
Spirit.” The Spirit brought it.
(Acts
2:1-4)
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven,
as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where
they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as
of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the
Spirit gave them utterance.”
NKJV
It is meant to give life. (John
6:63)
“It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The
words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
NKJV
II.
Ministry of Condemnation Vs. Ministry of Righteousness
II Corinthians 3:9
“For it the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of
righteousness exceeds much more in glory.”
NKJV
·
The Law of Moses identified sin and condemned man without hope. (Romans
7:7-11)
“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the
contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I
would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You
shall not covet.’ But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment,
produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law
sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the
commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment,
which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking
occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.”
NKJV
It described what righteousness looked like. It was like a mirror
which showed people their condition. But it was not like a bar of
soap that could cleanse. The Law gave a diagnosis but couldn’t
cure. There was no lasting remission of sins. (Hebrews
10:1-4)
“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not
the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices,
which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach
perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For
the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness
of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every
year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats
could take away sins.”
NKJV
·
The law of Christ is able to bring righteousness to the believer.
It is able to declare someone innocent. (Romans
8:1)
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ
Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the
Spirit.”
NKJV
The “ministry of righteousness” provides a complete satisfaction for
the sins one commits. (Galatians
2:21)
“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes
through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
(Romans
3:21-22)
“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed,
being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness
of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who
believe. For there is no difference;”
NKJV
III.
No Glory Vs. Surpassing Glory
II Corinthians 3:10-11
“For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect,
because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was
glorious, what remains is much more glorious.”
NKJV
·
The Old Covenant had a glorious beginning with thunders, lightnings,
and smoke. (Exodus
19:16-20)
“Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there
were thundering and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain;
and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people
who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of
the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the
mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord
descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a
furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast
of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses
spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then the Lord came down upon
Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses
to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.”
NKJV
When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, his face shone. (Exodus
34:29-33)
“Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two
tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from
the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face
shone while he talked with Him. So when Aaron and all the children
of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they
were afraid to come near him. Then Moses called to them, and Aaron
and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses
talked with them. Afterward all the children of Israel came near,
and he gave them as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with
him on Mount Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking with them,
he put a veil on his face.”
NKJV
But this glory was fading or temporary. Verse 13 It was being
brought to an end. The Law of Moses was never meant to be
permanent. (Jeremiah
31:31-33)
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah – not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day
that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt,
My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says
the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house
of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in
their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God
and they shall be My people.”
NKJV
When its purpose was fulfilled, it was done away with. (Galatians
3:19, 23-25)
“What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of
transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was
made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.
23
But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for
the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was
our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by
faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
NKJV
·
The glory of the new covenant surpasses that of the old in that the
new is permanent. (Hebrews
7:22-25)
“by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death
from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an
unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the
uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives
to make intercession for them.”
NKJV
The old covenant is like a lamp and the new like the sun. When the
sun comes out, there is no need for the lamp.
Conclusion:
Paul’s opponents in Corinth were associating themselves with Moses
and the Law. Paul was showing the Christians that the old covenant
had been fulfilled and was no longer how Jehovah dealt with people.
The new covenant of Jesus Christ had the power to make men righteous
in the sight of God. This is possible through the shed blood of
Christ which washes away sins when one is baptized. (Galatians
3:26-27)
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as
many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
NKJV
Bobby Stafford
February , 2016
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