Made Able Ministers 2 Corinthians 3:6

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth that he and his companions were not, “sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God:”, and in chapter three and verse six of Second Corinthians, Paul told the church members how God has,“made us able ministers”, where we read:

Who also has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter,

but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.

The verse begins, “Who also has made us able ministers of the new testament;” Paul began with the words, “Who also” which means “who even and indeed” “has made us” or “has fashioned, equipped and rendered Paul and his companions” “able ministers” which means “sufficient, fit and meet servants who have adequate power to perform duties of one” “of the new” or “recently made fresh, unused and unworn” “testament” which means “compact and covenant”. Paul gave credit to God for he and his companions being “made” “sufficient and fit” “servants” of God's “recent and fresh covenant” with people.

The verse goes on to say, “ not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.” Paul added the words, “not of the letter” which means “in no way pertaining to the writing, document or record of sacred writing”, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “of the spirit” which refers to “the simple essence that is devoid of all or at least all grosser matter and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting”: “for the letter” or “because the writing, document or record of sacred writing” “kills” which means “extinguishes, abolishes, inflicts mortal death and deprives of spiritual life”, “but” or “however, nevertheless or nonetheless” “the spirit” or “the simple essence that is devoid of all or at least all grosser matter and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting” “gives life” which means “produces, begets, invigorates and restores living”. Paul knew the “legalism of the letter of the law” would “kill”, but that which pertains to the “spirit” produces “life” within people.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see how he gave “glory” to God for being “capable servants” of His “New Covenant”. This was not done through the “letter of the law”, but rather through God's Spirit. He went on to declare that the “spirit” gave “life” to those who believe and not death. Jesus Christ desires for people to know Him in a personal way, and afterwards, He calls them to “servanthood” within His kingdom. Those who are wise know where to give “credit” for them both, and “to God be the glory” has become their theme.

Next time Paul shares with the church members concerning, “the ministration of death”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.