2 CORINTHIANS 3
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. – 2 Corinthians 3:1-6
2 CORINTHIANS 3 SUFFICIENCY FROM GOD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When we believe in Jesus Christ, we do not depend on ourselves
We draw strength and power only from our heavenly Father
The world gets their power from being independent from God
They do not recognize that without God, they are nothing
Sufficiency from God enables all his children to build up each other
Dependence on the “self” makes one inept to have true power.
In this letter, Paul addresses the aftermath of living a life independent from God. He reminds them that God has written in our hearts God’s letter of recommendation. In other words, the Lord has equipped us to declare and speak the truth to others as well as to those who have not heard of the gospel. Paul says that we do not need any other recommendation from any human being because God has granted it to all those who belong to him. Paul also reminds them that not any of them should take credit for anything since God made all things and even our abilities to say “yes” to him also originate from him. So, there is no reason to boast of anything.
In the world, self-sufficiency is the norm. Humans are taught to be independent and rely on themselves heavily or they will be judged. Since they do not acknowledge a higher power, they can not fathom what it means to depend on God.
REFLECTION
- What are some automated ways we rely on ourselves instead of on God?
