A Devotion By Nicky Gumbel

READ: 2 Corinthians 3:1

How can you bring life to others? In this passage, Paul describes himself as a minister of a ‘new covenant – not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life’ (3:6).

1) Through you, people smell the sweet scent of Christ

‘Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance’ (2:14b, MSG). Paul describes his ministry as being like that of a ‘perpetual victory parade’ (v.14a, MSG). When a king or general had won a notable victory, the whole city would turn out to welcome them home. They would bring with them the prisoners they had taken. It might well be accompanied by the ‘sweet smell of incense’.

For some (the prisoners) it was ‘the smell of death’ (v.16a). For others (the victors) it was the ‘fragrance of life’ (v.16b). Similarly, ‘We give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognised by those on the way of salvation… But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse’ (vv.14–15, MSG).

2) Through you, people read about Jesus

The only Bible some people will read is your life. Paul writes to the Corinthians, ‘Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it – not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiselled into stone, but carved into human lives – and we publish it’ (3:1b–3, MSG).

Not everyone can or will read books – but everyone you encounter can, and will, read your life.

3) Through you, people hear about a relationship with Jesus

You should never say, ‘I am useless’, ‘I can do nothing’. You are able, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to bring the good news of Jesus to others. This should give you great confidence – not self-confidence but God-confidence.

‘Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God’ (vv.4–5).

The Holy Spirit gives you not just a new start in life, but also a new life to start with. The old covenant was the one made by God through Moses, but it did not have the power to make the people everything that God longed for them to be.

Because the people could not keep the law that was written on tablets of stone, ultimately it brought death – ‘the letter kills’ (v.6). On the other hand, the ministry of the Holy Spirit –written in your heart – is a ministry that ‘gives life’ (v.6).

The Holy Spirit brings a change in human nature. Never say, ‘I can’t change’. With the Holy Spirit you can change.

It is the difference between a religion of rules and regulations (which ultimately none of us are able to keep) and a relationship with God through Jesus, which brings life, and life in all its fullness (John 10:10).

PRAYER

“Lord, thank you so much that time and again we see the Spirit giving life to people who were spiritually dead. We agree for spiritual life to awaken in our region. Help us to speak life into the people around us, as your representatives, and by the power of your Spirit, to be life-giving in everything we do.”