The Servant, The Law, and The Savior

2 Corinthians 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

In all my days as a born again believer I have had several opportunities to minister in various ways. Some of those ways did not "fit" the talents or abilities I had. However, because I knew it was what God wanted, I did it. What I discovered was that when I obediently served Him, even in areasthat did not "fit" my talents or abilities, God was the One who enabled me, sufficiently, to carry out the tasks (ministries) He called me to. Sadly, to many Christians will allow opportunities to serve pass them by because of fear. The Apostle Paul was saying just that in this portion of Scripture. He was made sufficient to minister the New Covenant, the New Testament, the Gospel. Imagine the resistance he was up against in bringing the message that we were now free from following the Law, God's commandments. Now, before we get all worked up; not having to live by the Law doesn't mean living lawless lives. Jesus set us free from the Law, but He told us to love God with all our being, all that we are, and our neighbor as ourself. That love encompasses the Law. Let me explain. A person can attempt to follow the Law, to the letter, which we know is impossible (God said so). The Law, even though it was glorious when given to Moses, brought death. It showed us how flawed we are, and proved that we are unrighteous, and unable to earn our way into Heaven by our own works. The spirit (the gospel), on the other hand, provides a way to true salvation, the only Way, Jesus Christ. When Jesus came, and died for us, rose from the Tomb, and defeated death and the grave, we were then given the opportunity to truly have life, and be set free from the death sentence imposed by the Law. However, Jesus reminds is, that if we love Him, we will keep His commands; the most important ones being to love God, and love our neighbor. You see, a person can follow the Law, and still be a bitter, unkind, unloving, cold, formal, hypocritical, and proud person. A person who loves God, and others will do their best to avoid injuring others, and will work toward being an obedient follower of Jesus who is kind, loving, and humble; realizing that it is the Holy Spirit working in them to make them that type of person, and making them sufficient to minister the Gospel to others. So, in this respect the Law is good, in that it should cause us to realize how much we fall short, and how much we need a Savior, and a daily Guide. That Savior, Lord, and Guide, is not the Old Testament Law. It is Jesus.