2 Corinthians 3:4-5

2 Corinthians 3:4-5  Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.  Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant — not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Paul's competence as an apostle came from the Holy Spirit within him.  The Holy Spirit used all of Paul's talents and his personality for the purposes of God.  Paul was a man of great zeal; he persecuted the church out of that zeal, but once he found Christ, he also used that zeal to spread the gospel.  Paul was literally an instrument of God, a creative being, placed in the hands of God to fulfill God's will on Earth.  We also are instruments, better known in the Bible as servants of the Most High.  Some Christians try to ignore this fact.  They take a cursory inventory of their skills and abilities and assess that they are not competent, that they don't have anything of worth within them to use for God.  They know they don't have a voice like an angel or the talent to play an instrument well or even the ability to teach, so they just sit back and claim they cannot be used by God in any effective way.  BUT GOD HAS GIVEN EVERYONE TALENTS TO DISPLAY HIS WORK, HIS PERSONALITY, HIS CREATIVE POWERS.  We are all instruments of God in some way.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  (Ephesians 2:10)  If we die to our own personal insecurities, desires, and wants, we will be HIS WORKMANSHIP for his glory.  

Paul says, He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant — not of the letter but of the Spirit.  Christ has made us through His Spirit that works within us instruments of honor.  Otherwise, we are capable of displaying God to a sick and dying world.  We have the spirit of the family of God within us; we have the talent of the family residing in our bodies.  Now, how does all that manifest itself?  Well, first of all it manifests itself through the gifts of the Spirit.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  (Galatians 5:22-23)  These wonderful attributes should be in abundance in our lives.  People should know that we are different and NOT JUST RELIGIOUS or people who follow the letter, THAT WE ARE TRULY PEOPLE OF THE SPIRIT.  Of course these attributes will be ours if we die to our own passions and self-willed behavior, and God will give us many opportunities for the Spirit to shine through our lives.  We will be gifted in these spiritual areas if we die to ourselves and live for Christ.   

Secondly, God gave each of us (all mankind) special talents.  As Christians God wants us to use these talents for him: our abilities in art, music, teaching, administration, business, building, caring for others, ministering, parenting, serving, and so much more.  These are all special talents that God will use to display his nature to the world through our actions.  If we use our talents effectively and with zeal, the world will see the attributes of God here on Earth.  They will see the music of God, the art of God, the creativity of God lavishly and lovingly arrayed.  They will see God here on earth through our creativity and daily choices.  If we work hard in our jobs, using the talents He has given us, the world will see the behavior and heart of God.  They will know God through our efforts.  In everything we do, we should strive to do well.  We should be good fathers, good mothers, good papas and grannies.  We should be like God in all of our efforts.  Paul said follow me as I follow Christ.  This was an encouragement not an audacious boast.  We don't do anything out of law or out of necessity, we do it out of love, out of the Spirit.  We discipline our minds and spirits, so that God's attributes might shine forth in our lives, for we are ambassadors of his kingdom of light and love.  Therefore my friends, in everything we do, may we do it with earnestness, with creativity, with love under the unction of the Holy Spirit, for God is worthy to be praised and to be served.