Paul opens 2 Corinthians 3 with a small piece of wordplay that turns out to carry a large idea: the Corinthian believers themselves are his letter of recommendation — written not in ink but by the Spirit, not on stone but on human hearts. That observation seems almost to launch Paul's thinking toward the old and new covenants, and the contrast between letter and Spirit. We trace that thread through to chapters 4 and 5, where the same contrast keeps returning in a different form: temporary versus permanent, troubles that won't last long versus a glory that lasts forever. We also pause on the word reconciliation — one of Paul's great themes, and a word that carries particular weight in an Australian context — and find that it may be less a once-and-done event than an ongoing commitment, which is perhaps exactly what "forever" implies.
What is Sabbath School From Home?
Sabbath School is perhaps the most communal and participatory element of a regular Seventh-day Adventist church event (after foot-washing), but social distancing has us all isolated at home. This is a weekly Sabbath School styled conversation on Biblical themes and passages. Join in the conversation by writing comments/questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com .