The Christian is compared to many things in the Bible. We are the salt is a savorless world. (Matthew 5:13) We are the branches of Christ’s vine. (John 15:5) We are a light on a darkened earth. (Matthew 5:14) We are the sheep of our shepherd’s flock. (John 10:27) We are soldiers for Christ putting on the full armor of God. (2 Timothy 2:4, Ephesians 6:11) We are fruit bearing trees. (Psalm 1:3) We are feet, hands, ears, eyes and so on. (1 Corinthians 12) In 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 Paul compares Christians to epistles or letters.
“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, 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.”
Being compared to letters may not seem significant in a society that rarely writes them, but letter writing has and probably always will be a part of our lives in some form or another. They come in all shapes and sizes. They serve a purpose.
Years ago letter writing was almost an art form. With no phones or e-mail, it was a major form of communication. People spent a great deal of time and put a lot of thought into each of these compositions. Much of what we have learned from history can be found in letters exchanged between friends and loved ones.
Although today’s letters aren’t usually long and descriptive, we still have letters of appreciation, thanks, love, condolence, sympathy, and apology. We have letters of termination, invitation, complaint, and application. We have cover letters and donation letters. The letters Paul refers to in 2 Corinthians were letters of reference, recommendation, and introduction, similar to what we might use today. In Paul’s time these served as a form of “credentials” that could be easily forged – just like they can be today.
In the early church it was the custom for some teachers to bring letters of introduction or commendation from a well-known Christian leader or churches they had visited from other areas, to validate their ministry. Some were authentic; some were not. Some questioned Paul’s authority to preach because he had no such letters. However, Paul felt his teaching about Christ and the lives impacted by it would serve as his “letter.”
Paul had no better recommendation than the changed lives of the Corinthian believers themselves. These believers lived in one of the worst cities in the ancient world. So evil was its reputation, the phrase “Corinthianize” meant to corrupt. Yet in the midst of this licentiousness lived Christians who were a living testimony of the power of Christ to transform lives. These Corinthian believers were an open letter for all to read – and so are we.
Our letters are not written on paper with pen and ink, but on our hearts by the spirit of God. We are living letters and all who enter our lives, whether casually or intimately, can read every word written. Fortunately we can let God do the writing. Because signed, sealed, and delivered – we are His!
