2 Corinthians 3:4-6

 Jesus did not leave us alone. He gives us Holy Spirit who will raise us up just as He did His Son. 

Romans 14:17 (ESV) "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

How do we live a life of righteousness, peace and joy?

Righteousness begins with justification, the one-time act of receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The "righteousness" Only Jesus had both perfect right-living and perfect right-standing with God, which are credited to us by faith. When we allow the Holy Spirit to rule our lives, we display the fruit of the Spirit, which is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). First5 

Ephesians 6:12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Categorizing others creates distance and gives us a convenient exit strategy for avoiding involvement. Jesus took an entirely different approach. He was all about including people, not excluding them. “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14 MSG). Max Lucado

2 Corinthians 3:4-6

4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. The New King James Version

Paul points to God as the source of his qualifications; his confidence does not come from his own abilities, but from the power of God. Faithlife Study Bible

Paul’s love for the Corinthians was known to all who were acquainted with his ministry. One of the qualifications for ministry is love for people, both God’s people and the lost. Paul appealed to the Corinthians themselves for proof of his ministry’s authenticity. God had changed them—an obvious matter of public record. 

The Greek word for trust means “confidence”. Paul was convinced that Christ would make his ministry effective.” Paul placed his confidence not in himself or his own abilities but in the Lord.

The letter is a reference to the old covenant—that is, the Ten Commandments written on stone. The letter kills because all break the law, and the penalty is death. The NKJV Study Bible

Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—

Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Luke 22:20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.