Introduction: This past week I attended a camp meeting! I had been invited to speak on religious liberty at a religious liberty conference. But the organizers decided to broaden it into several days of presentations about religious liberty and the gospel. Thus it became a “camp meeting.” The viewpoints of several of the speakers brought me back to my youth when I would regularly attend camp meetings that focused on personal holiness. This caused me to contemplate, once again, the faith versus works debate. Although I come down firmly on the faith side, it is always good for me to remain open to the possibility that my view needs correction. Because so many people read these lessons, getting this balance right matters. With that mindset, it hit me hard when Paul called the Ten Commandments “the ministry of death.” 2 Corinthians 3:7. Let’s plunge into our discussion of Paul’s letter to see if we can get this right!
I. Ministry of Death
A. Read 2 Corinthians 3:2-3. What does Paul mean when he says that Christ’s letter is written on “tablets of human hearts?” And why does he compare that to “tablets of stone?” (Paul writes that believers are “a letter from Christ” to others. That letter is reflected in their hearts. It is not written in stone.)
B. Read 2 Corinthians 3:5-6. Paul compares “letters” to the “Spirit.” What does he mean by this? (Letters refers to the letters that compose the Ten Commandments. Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit.)
C. Read 2 Corinthians 3:7-8. Paul calls the Ten Commandments, which were carved in stone, “the ministry of death.” I have been told that the Ten Commandments are the transcript of God’s character. Was I wrongly taught? How do you understand Paul’s words?
D. To better understand this, read Jeremiah 31:31-34. Are the Ten Commandments dead? Are their contents irrelevant? (The new covenant, according to Jeremiah, writes the law of God on the hearts of His people.)
1. When Paul contrasts in 2 Corinthians 3:7-8 the “ministry of death” with the “ministry of the Spirit,” it seems to pit the Holy Spirit against the Ten Commandments. How does Jeremiah help us understand what Paul is teaching us? (It is the Holy Spirit who inspires us to do right things. This is how our hearts are directing our path.)
2. There is another logical problem with this idea. Why would the same law, when written in stone be a ministry of death, but when written on our hearts be glorious? Does location matter? (On the surface it sounds like a location issue. I think the difference is that our hearts (the Holy Spirit speaking in us) gives us direction for living. This is different than studying a series of rules that say, essentially, don’t do this or you die.)
E. Read 2 Corinthians 6:3-7. Is Paul saying that our actions do not matter? (If the gospel message comes from our hearts, right behavior matters because it “commends” God to others.” Our lives either commend or undermine our gospel ministry.)
1. Have you considered how your conduct either commends or undermines the gospel? When you promote the will of God, do you do so in a way that also reflects His grace?
II. The Yoke
A. Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-17. What does it mean to be “unequally yoked with unbelievers?” (“Yoked” is a farming term. See Deuteronomy 22:10. At a minimum, Christian ministry should not place us in a binding partnership with those who reject the gospel.)
1. Would this apply to marrying an unbeliever?
2. Would it apply to having a business partnership with an unbeliever?
3. Is an “unbeliever” anyone who is not a member of your denomination? (Paul compares the term “unbeliever” with “Belial.” This is not a matter of agreeing on all points of the gospel; it is a matter of allegiance to Christ versus unbelief.)
B. Look again at 2 Corinthians 6:16. When Paul writes about Christians being “the temple of the living God,” what does he mean? (Paul says that the Spirit of God lives in us, and therefore our lives should be separate from those involved in wrong living. Paul wants us to convert others, but he does not think we should have intimate associations with them.)
1. In light of Paul’s “yoke” discussion, do our actions matter? (Yes. Paul is not telling us that the Ten Commandments are dead, and therefore we can do whatever we want. Actions matter.)
III. The Veil
A. Read 2 Corinthians 3:11-14. Paul says that when the old covenant is read, a “veil” remains over their hearts. What is that veil? What does it prevent them from seeing? (A veil prevents someone from seeing clearly. Paul’s point seems to be that apart from Christ they failed to see the true significance and fulfillment of the old covenant.)
1. 2 Corinthians 3:14 tells us that “only through Christ” is the veil taken away. What do you think Paul means by this? (Apart from Christ, they failed to see where the old covenant was pointing. When a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Jesus perfectly obeyed and bore the penalty for our sins. Our salvation therefore rests on Him, not on our law-keeping.)
B. Read 2 Corinthians 3:15-18. What is happening to us when we look to Jesus for our salvation? (We are transformed. Instead of looking to the law as the means of obtaining righteousness, we look to Jesus, who died for us. As we behold Him, the Spirit transforms us into His image.)
IV. The New Being
A. Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. How can love control us? I thought love was the opposite of coercion? (Such great love shown to us by Jesus, a love that saves us from death, changes our hearts and causes us to decide to live for Jesus.)
B. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. Does this sound like we act as we always have because we are saved by faith and not by our works? (This says that we are a “new creation.”)
C. Read 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. How are we a “new creation?” (This is a “God thing.” Paul says that this new creation is from God, who reconciles us to Himself through Christ. As we saw in 2 Corinthians 3:18, the Holy Spirit transforms us.)
1. We have a ministry. It is called “reconciliation.” What are we reconciling? (Apart from Christ, our sins separate us from God. But in Christ, God has acted to reconcile us to Himself by not counting our trespasses against us. Our ministry is to share that great good news and urge others to be reconciled to God.)
D. Read 2 Corinthians 5:20-21. What has Jesus done with our sins? (Though Jesus knew no sin, God made Him “to be sin” for us. Jesus bore our sin and died on our behalf)
1. What is the impact on us of Jesus’ death on our behalf? (We are now the “righteousness of God.”)
2. When Paul calls us “ambassadors,” what is he suggesting we should do? (An ambassador represents a country. We are now representatives of what Jesus has done for humans to allow us to have eternal life!)
E. Read 2 Corinthians 7:1. How can this be true? If in Christ we have become ‘the righteousness of God,’ why does Paul still tell us to pursue holiness?(Our right standing in Christ does not eliminate growth in holiness. Paul tells believers to cleanse themselves and bring holiness “to completion.” Likewise, 1 John 3:2-3 says that when Christ appears we will be like Him, and that everyone who has this hope purifies himself now.)
F. Friend, we are saved by grace, and not the death-giving law. What Jesus has done for us inspires us on the path to holiness. We desire to be holy like Jesus. Will you ask the Holy Spirit, right now, to put you on the path to holiness?
V. Next week: Stewardship and Mission.
Copr. 2026, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.
