Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  2024  Day 355

December 18;      2 Corinthians 3:2;         ‘Epistle of the Heart’

2 Corinthians 3:2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;

As a minister myself, this verse from Paul has such great meaning. Let’s lay the background first. In verse 1 Paul says that he was not like ‘ministers’ who needed a letter of introduction or recommendation to the church. Paul founded the church in Corinth and he dearly loved the congregation. His love for the congregation made them ‘an epistle written in his heart.’ It had to be a ‘love letter.’ Surely this church was excessive in the Holy Spirit almost to the point of error (I Corinthans 1:7). They were divided in their loyalty, ‘some following Paul, some Apollos, some Cephas and some Christ’ (I Corinthians 1:12). They would get drunk during communion (I Corinthians 11:21). On and on it goes. Paul spent a great deal of time in Corinth, teaching this church and how proud, in a good, biblical sense, he must have been to see these exuberant believers grow in the Word of God and change. Paul tells us in this verse that the Christians in the church in Corinth were easily identified as believers by what others knew and ‘read’ of them. Through the ministry of Paul, the gospel and the consequent change in the lives of the converts read like a beautiful letter. What a joy and privilege it is to see how the Word of God, prayer and consistent church attendance does in the life of a sincere Christian. They may be a little ‘wild’ when they first find out how wonderful Jesus is and the power of the Holy Spirit available to them. With good teaching, patience, loving correction and strong leadership any church can become the spiritual ‘powerhouse’ the Lord needs it to be to change and area for God.