II Corinthians 2:14

II Corinthians 3:1

“The Epistle of Christ”

2 Corinthians 3:1-4 says, “Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward.”

Epistles of commendation and epistles of Christ written in the heart: the two are very different. Do we begin to commend ourselves? If you want to be a gospel witness in this world and if you want to spread the knowledge of the word of God what you want are not epistles of commendation but epistles of Christ written in the heart.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 2 Paul spoke a great deal about himself. Most of the time it is wise to speak about Jesus and what Jesus has done rather than yourself and what you have done. If you want an epistle of commendation it should be enough to confess, “I am just a Christian.”

Most men when they are introduced or when they give a speech are given an epistle of commendation boasting of their names and tittles and accomplishments but among all this what is said about Jesus Christ?

There is nothing wrong with the receiving of titles and degrees such as bachelors or masters or doctors decrees. There is nothing wrong with other men declaring your qualifications and experiences or even you yourself doing so; but epistles of commendation of themselves are nothing when it comes to the speaking of the Words of God.

In regards to a person speaking about themselves there is only 1 example given in the New Testament: the example of the Apostle Paul. Sometimes it may be necessary to say a few things about oneself just as the Apostle Paul did for the purpose of getting others to listen to the Word of God.

Philippians 3:4-9 says, “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might truth in the flesh, I more. Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”

Epistles of commendation? What have I to boast about? I am just a sinner saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. In thinking about epistles of commendation and epistles written in the heart and in thinking about the difference between the two The Bible says in I Corinthians chapter 3:9-15, “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

The epistle of 2 Corinthians for the most part is written for the believers in Jesus Christ. It is a letter to the church. Yes all the Words of the Bible are good and practical even for a lost person but the lost people of the world are not concerned about eternal rewards. For those who have turned from their sins to Jesus Christ and who are doing a part in the building of the temple of God what is your work? Is it an epistle of commendation? Or is it an epistle of Christ ministered and written in the heart?

Notice what 2 Corinthians 3:2 says, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.” Jesus said men look on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart. Most in this world focus on their own accomplishments. But to truly measure what you accomplish in this life cannot be done by how many degrees or tittles you have or how much power you gain or how much money you gain but it is measured by what souls have you influenced to turn from their sins to Jesus for eternal life and whom have you helped to increase in their knowledge and wisdom of the Word of God.

This is the great mistake most preachers make: epistles of commendation rather than epistles of Christ written in the heart. The number of people that attend a church service, the number of people that walk the isle at the end of a church service is not the measure of what a preacher accomplishes for Christ. Souls are saved one at a time. And a child of God becomes a tree of righteousness one at a time.

There is nothing in this world more powerful than the Words of God. The Words of the LORD are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times. The Word of God touches hearts. The Word of God changes men. The Word of God rebuilds societies. The Word of God preserves freedom in a nation. The Word of God repairs broken homes. The Word of God has the answers to all life’s problems. What epistles have you written? If you are a Christian hopefully not epistles of commendation but epistles of the heart.

Zechariah chapter 4:10 says, “For who hath despised the day of small things?” Yes truly every little thing you do for Jesus and for the spread of His Word is a great work in the eyes of God.

There is a saying, ‘don’t judge a book by it’s cover.’ There is also a saying, ‘that person reads like an open book.’ Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart. Are you a Christian? Have you ever dreamed or desired to accomplish something great for Christ and for the gospel of Jesus Christ like the apostle Paul did? Notice what 2 Corinthians 3:2 says about an epistle written in the heart, “known and read of all men.”

If you pick up your cross daily and follow Christ, then no matter how much you fail in life, you will never fail because you will be an epistle written in the heart, “known and read of all men.”

Grace, grace unto us here in the age of grace, these last days of perilous times before the return of Christ. God’s grace only increases in this age of grace and therefore the opportunity to serve God and the work to do for the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ only increases too. To be an epistle of the heart, “known and read of all men,” in these modern times is very easy for a Christian to do become of internet, tv, radio, satellites and lasers. To be, “known and read of all men” is to be a gospel witness for the whole world. And in these perilous times the world needs many many gospel witnesses.

2 Corinthians 3:3 says, “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”

The word manifest means to be revealed. The truth will always be revealed because it is the will of God that all men see the truth. What is the truth? Do you know the difference between an epistle of commendation and an epistle of the heart? Just think about what an epistle does. An epistle is a letter. The apostle Paul wrote 14 epistles. These 14 epistles are part of the New Testament. Just one of these books of the Bible can take a man and turn him into a tree of righteousness rooted and build up in the faith.

To speak of “epistles of the heart” and “epistles of Christ ministered by us” is to speak of, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward”.

It is like the way of a man and a maid in marriage. A man and woman in marriage become one flesh and over the years they grow together: their romance increases, their love for each other increases, their fellowship between one another increases, the strength of their relationship increases. At least this is how a marriage should go.

To be an, “epistle of the heart” speaks of both the sowing and the reaping of the word of God. When you live by faith in Jesus Christ and are faithful day after day picking up your cross, faithful even in the little things then you are building the temple of God.

The Work of God in this age if anything is a work of grace; grace through Jesus Christ. Zechariah 10:8 says, “I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.”

Like a tree planted by rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season such is an “epistle of the heart.” The sowing of a seed, the growing of a tree whose roots reach deep into the earth and whose branches give grace to the world such is an “epistle of the heart.” The growing of two people in a relationship through a love in the spirit in which that relationship increases them in the wisdom and revelation of Jesus Christ.

O, That you would turn from your sins to Jesus and become just as it says in 2 Corinthians 3:2, “our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.”

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