Letters of Christ

Introduction: Have you considered how the redeemed of God are identified in Scripture?

Two Specific Ideas:

1. Credentials vs. Changed Lives (v. 1-3).

• Paul begins this chapter of 2 Corinthians with two ___________:

• Are we beginning to commend ourselves again?
• Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you (v. 1)?

• The Judaizers, or false teachers, _______________ about their credentials, their letters of _____________________ from prominent, important people within the Jerusalem church.
• These letters were used to introduce and ____________ teachers to the first century churches.
• The ________________ lives of the Corinthian believers were Paul’s letters of credentials.
• The Corinthians were the writings of Christ.” Paul points it all to ________.
• YOU are the letter of Christ.

1. Self-Confidence vs. Grace of God (v. 4-6).

• Pauls confidence was not in ____________, but in His Lord.
• We are guilty of keeping God at arms length until we ________ need Him.
• We are more often ______-_________ than we are grace dependent.
• Paul recognized that _________ was the source of His confidence in his ministry.
• The New Covenant is that covenant which provides forgiveness of sins through the ____________ of ____________.
• The Old Covenant was a written revelation of the righteousness God asked of Israel. The covenant was ratified with an oath of ______________ and a blood of sacrifice.
• The letter shows us our ______________ need for Jesus.
• It is the __________ which gives life.

Your Response: There has never been a standard that can change your life. Resist the temptation to put your confidence in yourself. Only God's grace, ministered by the Spirit of God, can change lost and wayward sinners into letters of Christ.