The Greatness and Glory of the Office of the Gospel Ministry, pt. 2
After the apostle had said in our text that God has made him able to hold the office of the New Testament, he adds: “Not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel would not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away, how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.” (Vv. 6-9). In these words Paul compares his office, which he calls the ministration of the New Testament and the Spirit, with another office which he calls the ministration of the letter which is built of stone. What the apostle means by this is as plain as day; he means the ministration of the Old Testament, or the ministration of the Law, which as you know was once written on two tables of stone.
Why, my dear hearers, does the apostle exalt his office, the ministration of the New Testament, so much more and so much higher than the ministration of the Old Testament? Because this was the ministration of the letter or the Law; on the other hand, his office was the ministration of the spirit or the Gospel. Hence it was the Gospel which Paul was called to preach for which sake he ascribed to his ministration great glory, and it is that which makes the ministry of the Gospel so glorious even now.
It is true, my friends: Even a Gospel preacher must preach the Law. He must show his hearers what God demands of all and what he threatens the transgressors of the Law. His hearers must learn to know that they are sinners. They are to become frightened at themselves, despair of themselves, and become hungry and thirsty for God’s grace in Christ.
If we preachers had no other teaching than the Law, then we would be in a sorry state; then we could never attain in one soul the high purpose of our office — rescuing souls, leading them to God, and saving them. The Law indeed says what a person must do, but it does not show how it is possible for him to do it. The Law indeed says: Keep the Law perfectly and you will be saved; but it does not say how one keeps it; indeed, it shouts in all the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt, thou shalt!” but it gives no power to do what one must do. The Law indeed shows what man lacks, but it cannot give him what he lacks; it can indeed reveal the sickness of his soul, but it cannot heal; it reveals to man his sins but does not show how he can be rescued from sin; it announces to all man God’s wrath and damnation because they are sinners, but how a sinner and transgressor of the Law can still receive grace and be saved the Law knows nothing.
Usually the Law is not understood correctly; most, therefore, think that they could stand before God as long as their lives are outwardly honorable; in this way the Law makes only hypocrites. But if the Law is understood correctly, if a person perceives that the Law is spiritual and must be fulfilled with one’s whole heart, then the Law hurls one into despair, death, hell, and damnation. The apostle, therefore, says in our text: “The letter killeth,” that is, the Law only hurls one to the ground.
Woe, therefore, to us ministers if we had nothing to preach except the Law! Our hearers would indeed become hungry but never satisfied; they would be frightened out of their security but they would never have peace; they would indeed learn to know their misery, but they would be without help and deliverance; the anxious question would be enticed from their lips: “What should we do to be saved?” but we would have no answer for them. And if we would proclaim God’s Law until Judgment Day ever so earnestly, not one human heart would be made alive, not one person would be truly converted to God.
But happy may we be! A means has been given us which is so glorious, so precious, so mighty, so divinely powerful, that it does that miracle in all who are struck down and killed by the Law, who are given into the care of a minister of the Gospel; and this glorious, precious, mighty, powerful means from God is the Gospel, namely: The joyous news: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” 1 Timothy 1:15; the joyous news: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life,” John 3:16; the joyous news: Jesus sinners doth receive; he is a Physician for the sick and the weak and not for the healthy and the strong. See, this message of the righteousness of grace turns the office of the Gospel ministry into an office of the spirit which makes alive; this gives him the greater glory with which it far surpasses the glory of the office of Moses, the office of the letter, the ministration of the Law.
Oh glorious office! if it weighs heavily on one’s heart that he must keep God’s commandments perfectly and yet cannot keep them, and he asks us: What must I do that I may be saved? we dare and should answer him: “Christ is the end of the Law;” believe in him and you will be saved. Oh glorious ministry! If a person has come to a living knowledge of sin and now he asks: What must I do to erase my infinite guilt and become clean? we dare and should answer: “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” (I John 1:7).
Oh glorious ministry! if a person perceives that without sanctification he cannot see the Lord, even if he is pardoned, and now asks: Whence do I receive power for a new life? we dare and should answer him: Simply enter in by faith in Jesus; for without Him you can do nothing, but through Him who strengthens you, you can do all things. Oh glorious ministry: if a person comes to us and says: Alas, once I was a Christian and was so blessed. But I have let sin deceive me; I have fallen, fallen deeply, very deep; is there still help for me? we dare and should reply: Yes, there is still help even for you; just do not try to help yourself; give yourself to Jesus, for he has ascended on high, and has led captivity captive, and has received gifts for men, yes, for the rebellious also!
Oh, glorious ministry! Though a person’s soul may be ever so sick, we can heal him through the Gospel; though he may have sunk ever so deeply into the ruin of sin; through the Gospel we can tear him free; though he may be ever so depressed, frightened, and tempted, through the Gospel we can comfort him; yes, in whatever condition a person may be, and though he thinks that it is all over for him, he must be lost, then we can confidently greet him and say: No, as truly as God lives, he does not want the death of the sinner, not even your death; you need not be lost, you also should be saved; turn to Jesus; he can forever save all who come to God through him. And if not until death a sinner cries out: Oh God, what have I done? Woe is me! Now it is too late! I am lost! we can and should say to him: No, no, not too late! not lost! Commit your departing soul to Jesus and today you will also be with him in paradise.
Oh, glorious, high ministry, too high for angels! Oh, may we always treasure it highly, not look at the person who holds it and because he is weak and sinful despise it; let us rather look to the Founder of this ministry, really know and faithfully use his boundless goodness which he shows us through his glorious ministry. Then we will also experience the blessings of his ministry and through it be some day gathered as full ripe sheaves in the granary of heaven. Amen.
