2 Corinthians 3:7-8 But if the ministry of death, written [and] engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which [glory] was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
After a nice spring break, we resumed for another great bible study with Pastor Prince on the righteousness of God which is a gift to every believer in Jesus Christ. We learned some very important things. First, in 2 Corinthians 3:7-8, the Apostle Paul explains that the Old Covenant teaching of righteousness was based on man's fulfillment of the law which, ironically, brought condemnation, the curse, and death instead of life. Even though there was some glory in that ministry, it was a glory that was fading away, and after the cross, it became obsolete. Now after the cross, we are under a New Covenant of the Spirit where righteousness is a GIFT received by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. If the ministry of the law had a glory that was fading away, how much more does the ministry of the Spirit exceed in glory--and it is a glory that will never fade or pass away!
When we looked at the nation of Israel in the desert, we saw that they were technically under the dispensation of grace from the moment they fled Egypt to the time the law was given. During that time, no one died, everyone remained strong and healthy and was protected and well provided for. But the moment the people claimed they could keep all of God's commands (without even knowing what they were!), God separated Himself from them and their boastful ways and gave them His holy law. On the day of Pentecost, they were required to consecrate themselves and stay clear of God's holy mountain, Mt. Sinai, or they would die. Only Moses could go up the mountain and receive the law and when he came down later, the people were already in sin, worshipping a golden calf. Very soon after that, 3000 of them died. Once the law came, sin reared its ugly head, the curse came and death reigned.
Flash forward thousands of years later to the day of Pentecost when the church was born. In the second chapter of the book of Acts, when the day of Pentecost had fully come (which was about 9 in the morning), the Spirit came rushing in like a mighty wind, filling all the disciples in the upper room so that they all spoke in other tongues, declaring the mighty and wondrous works of God. Later that day, on Mount Zion, 3000 people were saved! God showed that He had moved the ministry of righteousness from Mt. Sinai to Mt. Zion. His righteousness no longer comes from keeping the law and doing good deeds, but by receiving God's gift of the Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ!
If you are a teacher or preacher of the Gospel, have you moved mountains too? Or are you still stuck on Mt. Sinai, preaching and teaching a mixture of grace and law, which Paul says in Galatians is really a different gospel, if it even can be called a gospel. Change mountains, get over on Mt. Zion where God is, and walk in the fullness of the free gift of God's righteousness. Through Christ, you are as right and as perfect in God's eyes as Jesus! Now that's Good News!
