2 Corinthians 3:4- 6 “Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant”
This scripture is powerful! This truth is transformational when it is grasped! I was studying up on 2 Corinthians. The longer I spent re-reading the scriptures and reading commentaries on what the Apostle Paul is saying the more humbled and amazed I have become. You see we do not contribute anything to our salvation. In fact we can not contribute anything of eternal value to God’s kingdom on our way. It is all about Christ! It is all about what He has already DONE for us. We can not DO anything. And yet, we can have confidence because our competence comes from God! You see, God is doing in us as believers today, what he did in the lives of Moses, the prophets and all other faithful believers. He is making us competent! Has one commentary quoted, we have “sufficiency-in-spite-of insufficiency-by-the-grace-of- God”.
You see, we are able to be ministers of Christ because it is Christ who is at work in us. Indeed the holy Spirit is the mark of the new covenant. Scott Hafemann (NIV Application Commentary) wrote “The foundation of the covenant is forgiveness, the provision of the covenant is the spirit, the consequence of the covenant is obedience, the promise of the covenant is to be in God’s presence forever as His faithful people.”
This comforts, motivates, and challenges me! Knowing that I am God’s means of making his covenant known to the world gives me purpose and joy that can not be found in anything else in the world. Orphan care is just one of the many ways we can be ministers of Christ. It is truly an honor and privilege to be called to rescue the “least of these” in the name of Jesus!
