THE CONTEXT REVEALS THE GREATER GLORY WAITING FOR US
First we should look at this verse and see why it is easily misunderstood. People reading the Bible, centuries later, after having inherited some false concepts of grace can easily be misled.
2 Corinthians 3:7 NKJV 7 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,
One might assume that having the death penalty as part of the administration of the law makes the law bad and should be replaced. Is the law bad and in need replacing with grace? Is grace being misused as a license to sin? If so that is wrong! See Romans 3:5-8.
2 Corinthians 3:8-9 NKJV 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
Paul is clearly STATING THAT THE OLD COVENANT IS WONDERFUL but the New Covenant is even more wonderful. Believers are moving to a higher plane or level even beyond the wonderful starting level of the OLD COVENANT. This is the only meaning that fits all of Paul's words.
2 Corinthians 3:10-11 NKJV 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
Paul is saying that we must use the more glorious method now-instead of trying to gain salvation through works alone which is futile. No one can be perfect. The extreme Judaizers are mistaken in their over emphasis on law and regulations - yet the law is glorious. The Judaizers could not even understand the glory that was in the laws Moses received from God.
2 Corinthians 3:14-15 NKJV 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
Needless to say if they could not even appreciate the glorious foundation Moses delivered in no way will they perceive the next higher step in spiritual growth, unless called by Christ. People in general, cannot fully understand the Bible unless called by God. Paul goes further in the context of this verse to explain that the New Covenant carved that great law into our hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:3 NKJV 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with in but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
The higher step of the New Covenant is to put the glorious law inside us.
PUTTING TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS INSIDE BELIEVERS
What is the goal of the New Covenant? It is to place the locus of control inside the believer. We then are internally becoming truly more righteous. Wow! Is the law being done away or replaced? No! It is internalized and expanded. We hopefully are becoming more like Christ.
Hebrews 10:16-17 NKJV 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," 17 then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
God had planned all along for the law to become internalized and for law and grace to work together.
Jeremiah 31:31-33 NKJV 31 "Behold, the days are coming,...I will make a new covenant...My covenant which they broke,...after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts;... and they shall be My people.
What is the purpose of the moral law the ten commandments? It is to define goodness and right and wrong. The law is what works for a fulfilled life. It keeps us out of trouble.
Matthew 22:36-39 NKJV 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is the first and great commandment. 39 "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
Clearly Paul knows all this and would never imply that the law is done away or been replaced by grace. Law and grace work together.
Romans 3:30-31 NKJV 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
Romans 6:1-2 NKJV 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
JESUS DIRECTS US TOWARD DEEP SPIRITUAL OBEDIENCE AND INSIGHT
Christ in his Mount of Olives sermon describes for believers the deeper richer spiritual meaning of the Law of God. Not only does Jesus not replace the laws of God he magnifies them. Christ is the Being who gave the law to Moses to begin with and God is never wrong!
Matthew 5:17-18 NKJV 17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
We are not to even think or teach that the law has been replaced or done away. Since the Earth is still present in it's natural form the law still applies. Possibly when all are spirit beings and the goodness of the law is fully internal then we will no longer need laws that say 'thou shall not”.
Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV 27 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matthew 5:36-37 NKJV 36 "Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Jesus requires believers to be so honest that our simple Yes or No is solid. We must even resist coveting things in our heart, no less acting on them. This is deep spiritual obedience. Law and grace work as a team. Paul was explaining to the Corinthians that they should reject the Judaizers approach of earning your salvation through law keeping alone. The believer should reject their over regulating. Believers must have cycles of repentance, grace and obedience - and relying on help from our high priest Jesus Christ to help us overcome sin. We must keep resisting our human nature and then Jesus will lead us to a wonderful salvation.
Romans 7:24 - 8:2 NKJV 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
