4-6 We couldn’t be more sure of ourselves in this—that you, written by Christ himself for God, are our letter of recommendation. We wouldn’t think of writing this kind of letter about ourselves. Only God can write such a letter. His letter authorizes us to help carry out this new plan of action. The plan wasn’t written out with ink on paper, with pages and pages of legal footnotes, killing your spirit. It’s written with Spirit on spirit, his life on our lives!

Lifting the Veil

7-8 The Government of Death, its constitution chiseled on stone tablets, had a dazzling inaugural. Moses’ face as he delivered the tablets was so bright that day (even though it would fade soon enough) that the people of Israel could no more look right at him than stare into the sun. How much more dazzling, then, the Government of Living Spirit?

Read full chapter

Not that we are competent in ourselves(A) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.(B) He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant(C)—not of the letter(D) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.(E)

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

Now if the ministry that brought death,(F) which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,(G) transitory though it was,

Read full chapter