4 Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Tina Bogg

As Paul is writing to the Corinthians, he does not want them to think that he is ministering to them by his own ability or competence. He wants them to know that he is speaking to them by the power and competence of the Holy Spirit. He has taught them about the new covenant – about God’s promise to forgive their sin through trust in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Paul has been able to teach them about this, not because he is so brilliant, but because God has given him the competence through the Spirit, and this truth gives life.

In verse 6, I think Paul is emphasizing the contrast between the new covenant, which gives life through the Spirit, and the “letter” of the old covenant law. If we try to abide by the law by our own strength, or if we think that our effort and obedience to the law will save us, we are doomed to fail. But when we trust in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, he gives us the gift of the Spirit who cleanses us from all sin and makes us God’s children.

I found this passage a bit tricky to think through its practical application, but what stood out to me was the beauty of the three persons of the Trinity working together in helping us to minister God’s Word. We have confidence in God through Christ, and our sufficiency is from God through the Spirit. Paul seems to keep himself in a right perspective before God. He remembers how small he, and so he focuses on who God is and how God does His work through us, by His Spirit not our greatness. Pray with me that we will keep focusing on how big God is as He does His work, and that as we do, God will quench our fears and worries about what to say or how to say it. Pray that he will help us to remember that His Spirit is the one who works through us to give words of life to those God has already chosen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tina is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.