2 Corinthians 1 - 3

Your Lives Are A Letter

Note: We are a little over three-fourths of the way through the Bible.

Paul writes his second letter to the Corinthians after having visited them and starts by explaining the "comfort" of the Lord, especially after a particularly treacherous trip and punishment he endured.  He encountered trouble in Asia to the point he thought he would die, "But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead." (1:9).  This discussion of comfort and Paul's reliance on Christ reflect the maturity of Paul's experience and the depth of his faith.

Paul's second letter to the Corinthians displays the growth he has seen in that church from his first letter.  In fact, he brags on them stating, "Your lives are a letter written in our hearts." (3:2).  Paul sees the results of his ministry in their lives and states, "This 'letter' is not written with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts."  A clear reference to the tablets Moses received when he was given the law.

Now, the church is under a new covenant, a spiritual covenant that is given by grace.  Where the old covenant resulted in death, the new covenant results in life (3:6).  So even though the giving of the law was glorious to the point that it reflected physically in Moses' face (v.7), the new covenant of grace is even more glorious being reflected in our spirits by the Holy Spirit of God.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.