2 Corinthians 3:4-18 (NRSV)
Read 2 Corinthians 3:4-18 on biblegateway.com
Verse 4Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Verse 5Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God,
Verse 6who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Verse 7Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses' face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside, Verse 8how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory? Verse 9For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, much more does the ministry of justification abound in glory! Verse 10Indeed, what once had glory has lost its glory because of the greater glory; Verse 11for if what was set aside came through glory, much more has the permanent come in glory!
Verse 12Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, Verse 13not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. Verse 14But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Verse 15Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; Verse 16but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Verse 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Verse 18And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
Devotion
“Not that we are competent to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant.” Imagine that! The competence to preach, teach, forgive, minister, baptize and bury comes not from our degrees or from our skills or even our relationships. It is a gift of God. And if God has given it, nobody can take it away.
Prayer
Lord, call us to follow your way, send us to do your will, keep us with your Holy Spirit, and preserve in us all that is perfect and pleasing to you. Amen.