LIVING EPISTLES


A. "YE ARE OUR EPISTLE...KNOWN AND READ OF ALL MEN" - II CORINTHIANS 3:2
  1. In our text Paul uses the word "Epistle" in a new and meaningful sense:
    1. "Ye are our Epistle"
    2. "Known and read of all men"
  2. We normally think of the fourteen letters we have in the Bible as the Pauline Epistles:
    1. But Paul saw in the Christian lives the true and most fascinating Epistles
    2. Which are known and read of all men - what a challenge these words must ever be to all professed Christians B. THE EVER PRESENT BURDEN OF PAUL
  3. To bring Christ to the world:
    1. He had made a new and revolutionary discovery on his way to Damascus - the Christ of God, the only hope of the world - Acts 9:1-6
    2. From that moment on Paul could think of only one useful purpose in his earthly life - to make known the gospel of Jesus Christ - Gal. 1:15-16
    3. To him Christ had become the Alpha and the Omega of his life - Phil. 1:21; 3:10-14
  4. To Paul the gospel of Jesus Christ was more than a human philosophy:
    1. It was a newly discovered life which is the power of God unto salvation - Rom. 1:14-16
    2. It was a revelation of God, his love, and saving grace - John 43:16; 2 Cor. 5:18-21
  5. He saw that the world was not interested in new lifeless theories about religion:
    1. The world was in need of witnessing the living transforming power of God in the lives of the Christian believers
    2. It was the great transformation in the lives of the Corinthians that impressed the heathens to forsake their vain practices and accept Christianity
    3. Thus it becomes crystal clear that the faith in Christ must have a way to express itself in the lives of the believers - James 2:22-26
    4. Theoretical truth may be beautiful and appealing to the mind, but unless it affects humans favorably, it is of very little consequence C. LIVING EPISTLES
  6. What an awe-inspiring perspective of making converts to Christianity:
    1. Converting people to the theory of the truth is a very essential part of our ministry, but it is not enough
    2. Our ministry in the gospel is a failure. unless and until we see Christ in every convert - in his speech, in his conduct, in his outlook and in his hope
  7. Let us note, briefly, of how Paul looked upon his ministry and its great objectives:
    1. Writing to the Corinthians, he says, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy; for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ" - 2 Cor. 11:2
    2. "Christ in you the hope of glory; whom we preach warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; whereunto I also labor striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily" - Col. 1:27-29
    3. Can the minister of present truth include a lesser objective in his ministry?
  8. Living epistles known and read of all men:
    1. Said Jesus to the disciples, "Ye are the light of the world...Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven" - Matt. 5:14-16
    2. "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" - I Pet. 2:9
    3. Every true believer in Christ is, in a certain sense, a living spectacle in this present world - I Cor. 4:9 How it must humble one to be guilty of seeing less in his ministry than what Paul saw and labored for day and night.
  9. No wonder our Saviour said to his disciples, "So like wise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do" - Luke 17:10


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