Ministers of a New Covenant

Ministers of a New Covenant

The apostle Paul testifies in 2 Corinthians 3:6 that he and several with him had been made sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant. This ministry is much more glorious than the ministry of the old covenant—which was also glorious. Ministers of a new covenant are ministers of the Spirit, and not of the letter.

In Hebrews 8:10 we read the following about the new covenant: “‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ says the Lord: ‘I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts . . . .’” Divine laws written on heart and mind! Imagine being a servant of such a covenant! Then we need to have a heart connection with our fellow men. Then we must serve the hearts! God’s laws were to be written there—in their hearts! It is not a new covenant if God’s commandments are not written in people’s hearts.

There is joy and blessing in this ministry. It is a ministry from heart to heart. Paul says about this ministry, “But [we] are fellow workers for your joy.” 2 Cor. 1:24. If father and mother are Jesus’ disciples, they will be sufficient to be servants of a new covenant for their children. Their exhortations to their children are then given in this spirit: We are fellow workers for your joy.

If an exhortation is more of a reproach than an exhortation, the children will certainly not be convinced that father and mother are fellow workers for their joy. The same applies to exhortations from the older ones to the young people. On the other hand, even the young people can be fellow workers for the joy of the older ones. How blessed it is when all of us are working for each other’s joy!

All in all, it is an inconceivable blessing that the laws of the kingdom of God can be written in our inner man. They are not written there if we are not keenly interested in them. If we, from our side, prove “what is acceptable to the Lord” (Eph. 5:10), then God can write His laws on the tablets of our hearts. These are those good, acceptable, and perfect laws that give us wisdom in life’s situations, and wisdom to be co-workers of Christ in all eternity. Being ministers of the new covenant in this age of lawlessness, having the laws of the kingdom of God written in heart and mind, is great riches.

Paul had to use bold and sharp words in his epistles. But in 2 Corinthians 2:4 he says that he wrote out of much affliction and anguish of heart. He was a minister of the new covenant and he wanted to reach their hearts and be a fellow worker for their joy. He wanted them to know that he loved them. His was a ministry to their hearts, not just a ministry that convinced their understanding and human reasoning.

May all of us be sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant that consists of laws and commandments—heavenly laws and commandments—but is written in heart and mind!