The Believer's Sufficiency

We have seen the fallibility of the most powerful minds, under the most favorable circumstances, and in their moments of highest confidence. After making due allowance for the influence of education, the tenacity of prejudice, the proneness to error, and the inherent weakness of the flesh, we continue to have a sufficiency to guide us. The inspired Paul had the answer when he wrote to the Corinthians—“Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for 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. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (II Cor. 3:1-18).

The gospel of God became the gospel of the apostles, the puritans, and the reprints of the last days. There was no room for the co-existence between truth and error in the times of the apostles and puritans, and none should exist today without opposition from those who are reprinters. “Living letters” are superior to the “dead letters,” and they are as unpopular as the “written letters” of Scripture in apostolic times. Paul did not teach that old desires and inclinations are completely taken away in the new birth (Rom. 7:14-25). Christ alone could say, “I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (John 14:30). Although the Christian is saved from the guilt, penalty, and reigning power of sin, he is not saved from evil thoughts, wicked desires, and worldly lusts. However, Paul was an overcomer, because he was inspired to write, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (I Cor. 10:13).

II Corinthians contains more of Paul’s personal history than any other of his Epistles. It is a revelation of Paul himself. It manifests the depth and strength of his love, and the secret is found in II Corinthians 5:14-17—“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

Christ’s “holiness” and His being “made sin” are inseparably connected. If Christ could have sinned, then He would not have been absolutely holy. Furthermore, if the Son of God had not been absolutely holy, He could not have provided the redemption which was necessary for the elect to be reconciled to God.

All those for whom Christ died are or will be new creations. Their sins will not be counted against them, and they become the righteousness of God in Christ. This is subjective reconciliation. Power is not in the message apart from the Holy Spirit. That is why Paul said, “Knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake” (I Thess. 1:4-5).

The antithetical view of prophecy kindles in the dispensationalists a zeal to persecute the Law as the Hagar of the Christian Church. Listen to Paul’s letter to the Galatians: “Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the Son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, she is our mother. For it is written, Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; for more numerous are the children of the desolate than of the one who has a husband. And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also, But what does the Scripture say? Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman” (Gal. 4:21-31).

Paul was more vehement condemning false doctrine than he was in condemning the false living of believers. The completed work of Christ cannot be supplemented by human works. In other words, Christ’s righteousness cannot be reinforced with man’s righteousness (Phil. 3:1-9). Paul predicts, exposes, and approves the eternal punishment of false teachers.

Beginning with Genesis 22:18, the Gentiles came on the scene—“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Abraham’s separation was from everything but God. Obedience to God brings rich blessing even to the natural things of life. Was Abraham’s faith irrational? Was it contrary to the moral sense of man? The moral sense of man must be found in “thus says the Lord.” The sovereign will of God is the source of that which is right and that which is wrong. Was not Christ literally put to death by the elect of God? It was our sins that crucified Christ. Was not Abraham’s faith irrational—a leap into the dark? No. It was the highest form of clear logic. Abraham had learned that God “…by one offering He has perfected [perfect active indicative of teleioo, meaning completed action with continuing results] for all time those who are sanctified” (Heb. 10:14). The once-offered Christ has settled the sin question for the elect. Therefore, God will never punish again those who have been punished.

The theological conclusion of the fifth gospel is Hebrews 10:1-18. Sacrifices of the old covenant were a faint outline of good things destined to come (vv. 1-4). Animal sacrifices could not take away sins (vv. 5-10). The work of the high priests was never completed (vv. 11-14). The work was finished by Christ once for all, by the great High Priest (vv. 15-18). Christ’s “disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for Your house will consume me. The Jews then said to Him, What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things? Jesus answered them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:17-19).

The temple of Christ’s body is the appointed place where chosen sinners meet God in mercy. In the verses just quoted, Christ said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). This temple was like the tabernacle of Israel; it was more glorious within than without. As the priests beheld the beauty from within, only the regenerated behold Christ’s beauty from within. What did the religious mob see in Jesus Christ? What does the religious mob that go to religious gatherings on the Lord’s Day get out of their meetings? Compare Nehemiah 8 with Ezekiel 33.

Who is it that manifests the grace of God? The only people who can are those who have been regenerated by the Spirit of God and given the ability to believe the gospel, which is a conversion experience, and then go forth in the power of the Holy Spirit praising the Lord for what He has done.

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The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.