Your Adequacy Is From God [2 Corinthians 3]

4Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit;

In Corinthians 3, Paul contrasted the Old Covenant (testament) with the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was awesome, but it only brought death because no one could live up to God's standard demanded by the law or Old Covenant. The New Covenant, on the other hand, was way more awesome and resulted in life and liberty, not death. This life and liberty came through Jesus Christ.

Paul repeated two words throughout chapter 3. They are glory and ministry. Glory means correct or truthful opinion and ministry means running errands, a waiter or attendant. As I ponder the meaning of this passage, I conclude that through the New Covenant, you and I are called to a ministry (attendants) showing a correct opinion of God in this world. That boggles my mind. How could we possibly  be God's ministers of His glory? Paul answered that question in the verses above. Our confidence is through Christ toward God. We aren't "adequate in ourselves... but our adequacy is from God..." He made you and I servants of the way more awesome New Covenant .

May you be ministers of His amazing love as His servants through His adequacy by His Spirit!
Beth Warlick, 12/23/2008