If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! (2 Corinthians 3:9)
We have been given a ministry in Jesus Christ. It is not a ministry of condemnation. The Old Testament law is what condemns. It judges us and lets us know that we are all sinners.
When we read the Ten Commandments, we should not be happy if we think we have obeyed 8 out of 10 (and are pretty sure that our neighbor has only got 3 out of 10). God does not grade on a curve. If we have broken the law at one point, we are guilty of the whole law (James 2:10). We are lawbreakers. We have violated the eternal law of God. We have fallen short of His righteousness. For instance, when we stand in traffic court, the judge is not impressed if we say, “Your honor, in my driving history, on average, I have stopped at 96.7 of 100 red lights. Therefore, I think you should ignore this ticket and rather praise me for my high compliance average.” The law doesn’t work that way. When you break it at one point, you are guilty. And if running a red light is enough to make us stand before a judge and pay a fine, then imagine the penalty for violating even one of the Ten Commandments of the Holy and Righteous God.
But our ministry is not standing on the streets and yelling at people, “You are sinners!” Yes, acknowledging one’s sin is the first step in salvation…just as acknowledging one is an addict is the first step in recovery. But recovery ministries don’t yell at people, “You drunkard!” Rather they confront a person lovingly, knowing their own weakness as well, and then point them to the cure.
We have a ministry that brings righteousness. We have a ministry that points to the only cure for sin, Jesus Christ.
It is a glorious ministry. Later, Paul will call it the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19-21). We implore people in love, “Be reconciled to God!”
It is the ministry of freedom. We proclaim true freedom. Not political freedom but spiritual freedom. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Freedom from the penalty of sin. Freedom from the power of sin. Freedom from guilt, self-condemnation, excuses, self-righteousness, performance-based religion. Freedom to be loved in Christ and to love God and others in return.
It is the ministry of hope…and since we have this hope, we are bold to share it to others. “Freedom is here. Grace is available. So please come to Christ.”