Servants of the New Covenant

Summary Paul expresses confidence toward God through Christ, emphasizing that his adequacy comes from God, not from himself. God made him and his coworkers competent ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit - because the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. He contrasts the old covenant, associated with the ministry of death engraved in letters on stone and accompanied by fading glory, with the new covenant, which is a ministry of the Spirit that comes with far greater and lasting glory. If the former came with glory, Paul argues, the ministry that brings righteousness has even more glory and surpasses the old in splendor.   Teaching: The new covenant is the same covenant as the gospel. The fulfillment of the old covenant is the new covenant - it is good news, the gospel. Therefore, ministers of the new covenant are ministers of the gospel. It is a ministry of the Spirit of God, and the ministry of the Spirit is a ministry of righteousness. The gospel we proclaim is a ministry of righteousness that turns sinners into the righteous. The ministry of the flesh proclaims the Law, revealing sin through letters written on stone tablets or on paper, as in the Law of Moses. For this reason, it is a ministry of condemnation. Church workers are servants - messengers of God. To be sent by God is also what it means to be an apostle. In this sense, all church workers carry an apostolic ministry: they deliver the Word inspired by the Spirit of God to people, leading them to salvation. The work of the church is the work of gaining people. It is the work of gospel ministers and ministers of the new covenant who lead people to salvation. To carry out this work, we ourselves must be saved, filled and moved by the Holy Spirit, and have hearts full of God’s power. Like Paul, we too must have confidence in this ministry toward God through Christ. Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, Dec 19, 2025 2 Corinthian 3:4-11