The Ministration of the Spirit !
The Ministration of the Spirit !
2 Cor 3:3-9
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us,
written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
8 How shall not
the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
This is Paul describing the New Covenant Ministry, its the Ministry of the Spirit's Application of the New Covenant Blessings of the Death of Christ. Remember the Promises of the New Covenant Jer 31:31-34
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
and Ezekiel 36:26-27
26 A new heart also will I give you,
and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And
I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Now to the Corinthians he writes of something being written as in Jer 31:33
2 Cor 3:3
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us,
written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
So what is the Ministration of the Spirit ? Its the New Covenant Ministry, whereby the Spirit applies, makes known to the Chosen of God their Righteousness and Salvation in their Covenant Head the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see, Jesus was not given as a Covenant Head in the New Covenant for only Elect Jews, but also for Elect Gentiles Isa 42:6
6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee,
and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Paul was a New Covenant Minister for the Spiritual Application of its Covenant Mercies to the Gentiles of the Spiritual Seed of Abraham !
The Covenant in Isa 42:6 is the same as the one in 2 Cor 3:6 called Testament !
The word ministration is the greek word Diakonia and means:
service, ministering, esp.
of those who execute the commands of others
of those who by the command of God proclaim and promote religion among men
The Holy Spirit is acting as an Servant within the Covenant to bring the Covenant People to Gospel Obedience through the Preaching of the Apostles, the Ministers of the New Covenant. The Covenant People are the Many for whom He shed His Blood for Matt 26:28
28 For
this is my blood of the new testament, which
is shed for many for the remission of sins.
And Paul and others were made able ministers of that same new testament 2 Cor 3:6
6 Who also hath made us able
ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but
of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but
the spirit giveth life.
To whomever the Spirit giveth life, the New Testament Gospel gives Life, and so the Gospel is to some Life unto Life 2 Cor 2:16
16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death;
and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
The Spirit gives Life to the Covenant People to bring about their evangelic obedience to the Faith Rom 16:25-26
25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and
the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God,
made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Romans 15:16
16 That
I should be the minister [of the New Testament] of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable,
being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
Basically Paul here is acknowledging his New Covenant Ministry unto the Gentiles to bring about their Gospel Obedience attended by the Sanctifying Work of the Spirit unto belief of the Truth or Gospel Obedience 2 Thess 2:13
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
That's the administration of the Spirit, = sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Remember the Parabel where the servant is sent out to complet them to come in Lk 14:23
23 And
the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges,
and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
That compeling them to come in is the administration of the Spirit and the Gospel Minister effectually bring in the Elect from all Nations.
That word compel is the greek word anagkazó:
I force, compel, constrain, urge.
The compelling here does not mean by threats,but by entreaties , and by application
Remember the Apostles call to the reconciled 2 Cor 5:20
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:
we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
What is often overlooked here is that "be ye reconciled to God" is in the passive voice, a imperative. they the subjects are being acted upon by the application of the Spirit actually turning them to God. Acts 26:18
18 To open their eyes,
and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
The Spirit brings about their conversion by force or power of the Gospel Rom 1:16
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
That word power is the word Dunamis:
strength power, ability inherent power,
power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth
power for performing miracles
moral power and excellence of soul
the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth
power and resources arising from numbers
power consisting in or resting upon armies,
forces, hosts
These things define the compeling of the Servant in Lk 14:23
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges,
and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
This designs to tell us that The Servant must exert His Will, Power, His Ability to bring the Called Guest into the Supper !
This is the Administration of the Spirit, the Spiritual Application of the New Covenant that is in the Blood of Christ for the Many, from among the jews and the Gentiles !