Overflowing with the Greater Glory of Righteousness
John Son
2 Corinthians 3:1-11
Introduction
How many of you have ever felt like you're not enough? - Not productive enough at work. Not successful enough compared to your peers. Not spiritual enough at church. Not a good enough mom or dad to my kids. Not a good enough husband or wife to my spouse?
It’s like the voice in your head keeps a running tally of where you fall short, and the scorecard never seems to balance.
Isn’t this the air that we breathe, especially living in a city like Toronto? We live in a city that thrives on credentials, accomplishments, and measurable success. Your résumé, your LinkedIn profile, your education, and your accomplishments— these things become your letters of recommendation. They tell the world and ourselves that we are enough.
And if those letters are strong, we feel secure. But if they’re weak or if we feel like we’re falling behind— We feel inadequate, we feel like we don’t measure up – and condemnation begins to creep in.
And if you're honest, even in our faith, we can fall into the same trap. We measure our spiritual lives by what we do: how much we serve, how often we pray, how well we resist temptation, how effectively we share our faith. And when we inevitably fall short? Condemnation rushes in.
Now, Paul is writing to a church in Corinth that was caught in this very tension. False teachers had come in questioning Paul's authority, demanding credentials, comparing ministries like résumés.
And in the middle of this comparison culture, Paul does something remarkable. He doesn't play their game. Instead, he points them, and us - to something infinitely greater - that the Christian life is not built on letters of recommendation written by human hands, but it is built on the work of the Spirit written on human hearts. And through Christ, we are no longer living under a ministry of condemnation—but under a ministry of righteousness.
You see, the question Paul is answering in this passage is not just about his apostolic authority. It’s about the very nature of the new covenant God has made with us through Jesus Christ. And the answer transforms everything - It transforms how we see ourselves. It transforms how we relate to God. And it transforms how we live as His people in the world.
And so, as we look at this passage, Paul’s words reveal two main truths about the overflowing grace of God:
We are living letters of Christ’s work
The ministry of righteousness far surpasses the fading glory of the old covenant
So let’s begin by exploring the first truth:
We are Living Letters of Christ’s Work (vv. 1–6)
Paul begins by addressing the question of credibility. In v.1 he asks - “Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?”
In Paul’s days, letters of recommendation were essential. They functioned like reference letters or ministry resumes that proved their authority, their legitimacy, and their worth. And apparently, some false teachers in Corinth were leaning on these letters. They were presenting their credentials, trying to establish their superiority, and playing the comparison game.
But Paul, instead of trying to prove his worth by their standards, redirects their attention to the evidence of God’s work in their lives using their own language. So he says in V.2 - “You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.”
In other words, Paul is saying: I don’t need a letter of recommendation to prove my ministry. I don’t need someone else’s stamp of approval that my ministry is legitimate—because you are the letter. Your lives—your conversion, your growth, your transformed hearts—are the evidence that Christ has been at work among you.
And notice where Paul says this letter is written—it’s not on paper, it’s not by ink, but It’s written on their hearts. In other words, he’s saying: You and I both know in our hearts how the Lord has been at work through our ministry.
And Paul goes even further in verse 3 - “And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”
Here Paul is making a connection that would have been obvious to his audience: when he says “tablets of stone,” he’s thinking of the law given through Moses at Mount Sinai. That law was written down, external, authoritative—it communicated God’s standards but remained outside the people’s hearts. That’s why Paul calls it “the letter”—a written law that instructs from the outside.
By contrast, the new covenant is written on human hearts—which is internal, personal, and Spirit-driven. And this wasn’t a new idea; God had promised it long before through the prophet Jeremiah 31:33:“I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.”
So Paul is showing that God’s work is now internal. It’s not about following rules on the outside—it’s about transformation on the inside, showing that God is truly at work in our hearts.
And as a result of that, he says - Your life is now a letter written by Christ! When people see how much you’ve truly changed, not just outwardly, but inwardly… when they see your repentance… when they see your faith…your love…your perseverance— they are reading a letter authored by Jesus.
And I’m sure many of us here today can attest to that – that if some of your friends from the back in the days saw the way you are now in the Lord, they’d see a completely different person. Because Christ has written his letter on hearts to change us from within.
And so based on this truth, Paul speaks with confidence in verses 4–6.
He says in verse 4: “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.” Paul’s confidence is not in himself. It’s not in how impressive his ministry seems or how many credentials he has. His confidence comes through Christ.
So Paul continues in verses 5 and 6 - “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit.”
Paul is reminding us: the transformed life—the changed heart—the living letter that Christ is writing—is not something we produce on our own. It’s not because we are impressive. It’s not because we are spiritually strong. It’s not because we are naturally qualified – but It’s because God Himself has made us sufficient.
And notice what He has made us sufficient for: to be ministers of a new covenant.
Now, I know when you hear the word minister, some of you might be thinking, “Wait, I’m not a pastor… I’m not a missionary… I can’t be a minister.” And that’s a natural reaction. Words like minister can make this calling feel distant, irrelevant to your everyday life.
But here’s the truth Paul is pointing to - that this ministry of the new covenant is not about a title, a position, or formal training.
You don’t have to be a pastor or missionary to be part of God’s work. Your life—your work, your family, your friendships, your daily choices—is exactly where God wants to write His story. He has made you sufficient through His Spirit to participate in His new covenant work right where you are.
Your life is now a letter written by Christ. That means your life is now meant to carry and communicate the reality of Christ. Even as much as we want to be private in our lives, my brothers and sisters, your life is meant to be read. And your life is meant to point people to Him.
When people see the way you makes decisions in your life, when they see the way you faithfully live out your faith, when they see the things that you love, when they see the way you persevere through difficulties — they’re not just reading about you, they’re seeing Christ who is at work. Ministry isn’t something distant or intimidating; it’s something real and present, something already happening through you every day.
And because Your life is a letter that Christ Himself is writing, he becomes your sufficiency – so that people will see the wonders of God’s power and greatness that is more than able to accomplish what He promises.
But beyond just the truth that we are living letters of Christ, Paul now points us to the glory of the new covenant itself—what this ministry is really about and why it far surpasses what came before.
And this brings us to the next point:
The Ministry of Righteousness Far Surpasses the Fading Glory of the Old Covenant (vv. 7–11)
So Beginning in verse 7, Paul takes us back to the time of Moses. He writes: “Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end…”
Here, Paul calls the old covenant “the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone.” And when he says this, he’s referring to the Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai—the Ten Commandments, written on tablets of stone.
But even as he calls this old covenant, the ministry of death, he begins by acknowledging that this ministry came with glory. As we see in Exodus 34, when Moses came down from the mountain, his face was shining because he had been in the presence of God. The glory of God was reflected on him so visibly that the people couldn’t even look directly at his face.
So let’s be clear: Paul isn’t saying that the Law was not bad. The Law was in fact glorious. It revealed God’s holiness. It revealed His righteousness. It revealed His perfect standards.
But here’s the problem: while the Law revealed righteousness, it could not produce righteousness. It showed people what was right—but it could not make them right. It exposed sin—but it could not remove sin. It revealed the standard—but it could not change the heart.
That’s why Paul calls it the ministry of death - not because the law was evil, but because sinful people, when confronted with a holy law, are condemned by it.
And Paul adds something else. He says that glory “was being brought to an end.” It was fading. Just as the glory on Moses’ face was temporary, It didn’t last.
And that’s Paul’s point: If that ministry—the ministry that exposes sin, the ministry written on stone, the ministry that ultimately brings condemnation — came with glory…
He says in Verse 8: “Will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?”
In other words, if the old covenant was glorious, how much more glorious is the new covenant.
Because the new covenant doesn’t just expose sin—it forgives sin.
It doesn’t just command righteousness—it gives righteousness.
It doesn’t just point to life—it produces life.
And so Paul continues in verse 9 - “For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.”
So Notice the contrast:
The old covenant declared you guilty / the new covenant declares you righteous in Christ.
The old covenant reveals to you what you failed to do / the new covenant reveals to you what Christ has already done for you.
The old covenant showed you your sin / the new covenant gives you His righteousness.
The old covenant was ministry of condemnation / the new covenant is ministry of righteousness.
And thus, Paul says this ministry of righteousness far exceeds the old in glory.
Verse 10 - “Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.”
Paul is using strong language here. He’s not saying the old covenant had no glory. He already said it did. But compared to the new covenant, it’s like comparing the light of a candle to the light of the sun: The candle is real but once the sun rises, the candle feels insignificant by comparison.
The old covenant had its glory. But the glory of new covenant is so great, so overwhelming, so life-giving, that it surpasses the old entirely.
And finally, in verse 11 Paul shows the key difference between the old and new covenant. He says - “For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.”
This is the key difference between the old and new covenant is that- the old covenant was temporary. But the new covenant is permanent. It will never fade. It will never diminish. It will never be replaced. Because the righteousness we have now is not based on our performance—it’s based on Christ’s finished work.
And this changes everything. Because:
In Christ Jesus, we are no longer living under condemnation, but we are living under His righteousness.
In Christ Jesus, we are no longer defined by our failure but we are defined by His grace.
In Christ Jesus, we are no longer standing before God with fading glory but we are standing in a glory that will never fade.
And this is why the gospel is such good news. Because the ministry we now belong to is not one of condemnation—but of righteousness.
Not one of death—but of life. Not one of fading glory—but of surpassing, permanent glory.
Application
So then, what does this mean for us? How does it translate to our immediate lives?
For those who do not yet know Christ, this message is a declaration of hope. The law, the old covenant, could only point out what was wrong—it showed humanity’s sin and our inability to fix ourselves. But the new covenant in Christ does not leave you condemned. It offers forgiveness, righteousness, and life that is permanent.
So today, I want to warmly invite you to respond with God’s gift of repentance—to turn away from trusting in your own efforts, from the ways you’ve tried to earn His favor, and turn to Jesus. Repentance is a gift because it opens the door for you to experience His mercy, receive His forgiveness, and step into the new life He offers. Through this gift, you can enter into the covenant Jesus has won for you—a covenant of grace, righteousness, and permanent life.
So whether you’ve never met Christ or you’ve wandered away, Jesus is inviting you at this moment to step into this covenant with Him - “Come to me. Let me take your guilt. Let me write my law on your heart. Let me give you life that will never fade.”
And for those of us who already follow Christ, this message is a profound reminder: our identity, our confidence, and our mission are rooted in Him—not in our performance, our credentials, or how well we measure up.
I know how easy it is to look at your life and feel like you’re falling short. Maybe you feel like you’re not loving enough, not patient enough, not consistent enough. Maybe you compare yourself to others and wonder if you’re really making a difference.
But here’s the truth: you are already enough—not because of what you’ve done, but because of what Christ has done in you. You don’t have to carry the weight of condemnation. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. You can live free, confident that you are already accepted, already forgiven, and already righteous in His sight.
Conclusion
So, my brothers and sisters, let us live each day fully in the reality of this good news—resting in His grace, walking in His mercy, and allowing His Spirit to guide us.
We are the living letters of Christ’s work. So in every word we speak, every choice we make, and every act of love and faithfulness, may the world catch a glimpse of His glory at work in and through us. And as we rely on the Spirit who gives life, may our hearts continually testify to the hope and life we have in the new covenant—so that our lives overflow with the glory of His righteousness, reflecting the transforming power of Christ in all that we do. Amen
Reflection and Response
At this time, let’s take a moment to reflect and respond to the message today.
As we pay attention to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, let’s ask ourselves:
Where in my life am I struggling with feelings of insufficiency, condemnation, or not being enough—and how does the truth that I am already righteous in Christ speak into that place?
In what ways might Christ be seeking to make His glory visible through my life as His living letter—in my home, my workplace, my school, and my relationships?
Are there areas where I have been relying on my own strength, performance, or credentials instead of depending on the Spirit who gives life?
And for those of you sensing God’s invitation to repentance,
What would it look like for you to receive that gift today and step more fully into the freedom and life of the new covenant?
Let’s take a moment in silence to reflect on these questions and respond in our prayer.
