Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God, who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
Saint Paul’s talk of qualification should sound familiar to anyone remotely acquainted with government or business bureaucracies. They also understand his attitude: “the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.”
Some individuals have “the letter” but no spirit. We’ve met MBAs who cannot manage their way out of a paper bag. The best schools sometimes graduate persons who are fundamentally incompetent. In every profession from priesthood to police, there are people that you wonder, “How on earth did they get through the system?” And yet they have the credentials -- the death-dealing letter of the law -- and remain!
Saint Paul had all the credentials with his solid education – albeit pharisaic -- in Jewish beliefs, customs, and traditions. But, until he had the Spirit of Jesus, he was anything but helpful in doing God’s work.
The Spirit comes from God, and so the Apostle can say, “our qualification comes from God…” We should understand, however, that it costs dearly. There is much anguish in living in the spirit, as well as confidence and freedom. Spirited people sometimes appear to move impulsively, and others wonder why they have done this. Anxiety abides in that general confusion, an anxiety which is alleviated only in prayer, and usually with much time in prayer. The sign of an unwise, uninspired fool is their cocksure attitude that they can do nothing wrong. They give little evidence of a prayerful spirit.
As they embrace the anxiety of choosing and acting, inspired people know confidence and freedom. They cannot guarantee anyone, “This will all come out right.” Their confidence is like that of Saint Paul; he was sure God had qualified him as a minister of a new covenant. His conversations with fellow apostles and his debates with Jewish opponents made him all the more confident.
Even when the Spirit told him there is trouble ahead, as it did when he left Miletus, he knew he was doing God’s will.
But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there I do not know, except that in one city after another the Holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me.
Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the gospel of God’s grace. (Acts 20:22ff)
Saint Paul lives among us still because he had no fear of death; his abode was in God's eternal spirit.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.