哥林多后书第3章：荣耀的生命树
之气

 
GK611晨祷生命读经
04/09/2025
主讲: 陈炎明牧师



引言：保持微笑

一、生命树见证人的荐信（林后3:1-3）

在第一世纪的地中海世界，“推荐信”是一种常见的社会习惯。传道人、学者、教师、商人等，若要到新的城市开展事工或获得接纳，常会带着有名望人士所写的推荐信。在教会中，传道人或宣教士若去到别的地方服事，也常由差派教会写推荐信，好让新教会知道此人可靠、才会被接纳。

保罗在此提到“推荐信”，是因为有人质疑他的使徒身份，不像某些犹太教师，有来自耶路撒冷教会的推荐信。保罗强调，他不需要人的信函作为资格证明，哥林多信徒生命的改变，就是最有力的推荐信，写在心版上，由圣灵所写，远胜于人手所写。

在主面前，我们就是世人“荐信”、是我们社区的“荐信”啊！不是吗？

 二、生命树显荣光的职事（林后3:4-11）

1.主交付我们的职事
保罗表明自己怎么靠基督在神面前有信心，并表明自己所承担的托付。作为有圣灵引导的新约执事，把旧约律法的精义活现出来。这也是关乎我们对基督的信心，相信主把祂的使命“托付”了给我们，我们主要是要去“承担”，并且活出这样的生命树见证。

2.属神者的荣耀光辉
国家庆祝60周年的时候，我们领受教会要“兴起发光”；原来许多教会，甚至列国的代祷者也同时看到要“兴起发光”，因为主的光已经来到。这是再次表明，神要我们进入祂之所以拯救我们的命定！活出主的圣徒们本来就拥有的真理荣耀光辉。
意思说，基督徒所在之处，本该让众人看到美善荣耀的真光见证，以致荣耀可以大大归给神！

 三、生命树圣灵开启转化（林后3:12-18）

1.生命要更新转化
“将废者”是指旧约律法所带来的暂时荣光与职事。它虽然有荣耀，但会逐渐失效，最终被新约在圣灵里的荣耀取代。意思说我们今天不是把焦点放在“不可做这事那事”的挣扎上！而是随从圣灵做耶稣的真理所显明的事。我们的生命就是要不断的选择活出美善而更新转化的事。

活出更新的美好见证，就是让基督在你里面的生命与荣耀，借着你的言语、行为与态度，真实地照亮别人，使人因你而看见神的荣美。

2.圣灵里得真自由
主耶稣也就是圣灵、也是父神的灵，祂本来就是三位一体的神。而神的灵在外面里面，我们就得以自由。这是什么意思？即是说，我们原本有被肉体辖制、被撒旦掌控或捆绑、被世界诱惑和试探的无奈，这就表示“不自由”，因为我们都被牵制了。但是主的灵却可以让我们完全得自由！

人都向往自由！什么是真自由？什么是在圣灵里得真自由？是让生命完全活出神的旨意，从人性的不足不断更新转化，成为为主发光、充满荣耀的见证人！依靠圣灵的自由，会让人看见不一样的生命见证。自由不是放纵，而是每天在圣灵里选择顺服基督、选择真爱、选择真理。

 总结：显出生命树的见证

反省自己是否活出生命树的生命：
自己的生命是否真是“基督的推荐信”？
是否活在圣灵的自由中？
是否愿意让圣灵继续改变自己，从荣耀到荣耀？




    


2 Corinthians 3: The Glorious Tree of Life 
GK611 Morning Devotion
04/09/2025
Speaker: Rev David Tan
 

 Introduction：Keep Smiling!

I. The Letter of Recommendation from a Tree-of-Life Witness (2 Cor 3:1–3)

In the first-century Mediterranean world, a “letter of recommendation” was a common social custom. Whenever preachers, scholars, teachers, merchants and others went  to a new city to start ministry or gain acceptance, they would often carry such letters written by respected individuals.

In the church, preachers or missionaries serving in another place would often bring with them a recommendation letter from the sending church so that the new church would know this person was trustworthy and receive them.

Paul mentioned “letters of recommendation” here because some questioned his apostolic authority, noting that unlike certain Jewish teachers, he did not carry letters from the Jerusalem church. Paul emphasized that he did not need human letters as proof of his qualifications—the transformed lives of the Corinthian believers were the most powerful letter of recommendation, written on the tablets of their hearts by the Holy Spirit, far surpassing anything written by human hands.

Before the Lord, we were ourselves the “letter of recommendation” to the world—we were the “letter” to our communities! Isn’t that true?

 II. The Glorious Ministry of the Tree of Life (2 Cor 3:4–11)

1. The Ministry Entrusted to Us by the Lord
Paul explained how, through Christ, he had confidence before God and acknowledged the trust committed to him. As a minister of the new covenant under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he lived out the true essence of the Old Testament law. This also speaks of our faith in Christ—we believe the Lord has entrusted His mission to us, and our responsibility is to bear it and live as a testimony of the Tree of Life.

2. The Glorious Radiance of God’s People
When our nation celebrated its 60th anniversary, the church received the call to “Arise, shine.” Many churches, and even intercessors from other nations, also sensed the same call—because the light of the Lord has come. This affirms once again that God wants us to step into the destiny for which He saved us—to live out the glorious truth that is inherent in His saints.

This means that wherever Christians are, people should be able to see the beautiful and glorious light of testimony—so that all glory may be given to God!

 III. Transformation Initiated by the Holy Spirit of the Tree of Life (2 Cor 3:12–18)

1. Life Must Be Renewed and Transformed
“What was fading” refers to the temporary glory and ministry brought by the Old Testament law. Though it had glory, it was destined to fade and be replaced by the greater glory of the new covenant in the Spirit. This means our focus today is not on struggling over “what not to do,” but rather on following the Spirit and doing what is revealed by the truth of Jesus. Our lives must continually choose to live out goodness, being renewed and transformed.

Living out a renewed and beautiful testimony means allowing the life and glory of Christ within you to shine through your words, actions, and attitudes—so that others may see the beauty of God through you.

2. True Freedom in the Holy Spirit
The Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit; He is also the Spirit of the Father—the Triune God. Where the Spirit of the Lord is—inside and outside of us—there is freedom. What does this mean? It means that once we were bound by the flesh, under Satan’s control, ensnared by the temptations of the world—this was “not freedom” because we were restrained. But the Spirit of the Lord can set us completely free!

Everyone longs for freedom. But what is true freedom? True freedom in the Spirit is living fully in God’s will—constantly renewed and transformed from our human limitations—so that we shine for the Lord and become glorious witnesses. Freedom in the Spirit is not indulgence; it is choosing daily to obey Christ, to choose true love, and to choose truth.

 Conclusion: Displaying the Testimony of the Tree of Life

Reflect on whether you are living out the life of the Tree of Life:
Is your life truly a “letter of recommendation” for Christ?
Do you live in the freedom of the Holy Spirit?
Are you willing to let the Holy Spirit continue to transform you from glory to glory?