Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the Living-God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. (2 Corinthians 3:3)
Whether we choose it or not, when we become saved and begin walking out the image of God in our lives, living by grace, we become living letters of Christ. This is an inevitable consequence to being a true follower of Jesus.
"You are an epistle of Christ." The Lord wants to turn our lives into a walking and talking letter of Him a billboard advertising Jesus. He wants to make us a living explanation of who Christ is, His character, His nature, and all that He offers.
As we go about our daily responsibilities and activities, people are watching us, but if our lives are living epistles then in a greater and more accurate sense they are reading our lives.
We might ascribe to old beliefs that I don’t care, or it doesn't bother me as to what people think of me, or what people think of me really doesn't matter, but it does if we want to call ourselves followers of Christ because while others are observing us, they can actually be learning of the truth and love of our Lord Jesus, as He is working in and through our lives.
The Lord declares in His word that this process can become very clear to those who are watching us, He says, "Clearly you are.” Clearly is defined as to allow easy and accurate perception or interpretation. The ability to see clearly, to be plainly recognized. We ought to be plainly recognized as an epistle of Christ in the minds of all the people we interact with or just cross our paths in life. They see clearly, and they should plainly recognize something different about us. We shound not be perceived to be like everyone else.
This is what happens to those who accept Christ as their savior and live by the grace of God. This is something that God does in us, it is not something we need to manufacture for Him.
When we become fully engaged in a relationship with Jesus by humbly and dependently seeking after Him who wants to work in us we are disciples of Him. And, we are discipled by other believers who get involved by ministering to us and in turn we who are ministered to, minister to others, disciples make disciples.
Paul had ministered God's truth to the saints at Corinth. Yet, these living letters of Christ were not being written by ink, as ordinary letters would be. "Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God." God's Holy Spirit was at work writing the letters that their lives were becoming.
Notice where the Lord was inscribing these living letters, "not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart."
The old covenant message of law was written on stones. The new covenant message of grace is written on the hearts of all who walk in humble dependence upon God, being completely supported by Him for everything.
This work of the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, changes us from the inside out, making us living letters of Christ!
This is why the Spirit of God is immensely important to our daily walk. Praying in the Spirit, operating in the Spirit, seeking out the Spirit in worship, in study, is the way His character and nature is written on our hearts.
Lord Jesus I humbly admit that I need to be more and more changed into a living letter of you. So then, those who read me never see me, they only see you.
I ask You in faith to inscribe your character and nature upon my heart, so that others may see you in my daily walk.
Amen.
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