The Earthen Vessel

The ministry of the new covenant in 2 Cor. 3 is expressed in v.18: "with unveiled face beholding as a mirror the glory of God."

The relationship we have with the Lord in 4.7 is: "we have this treasure in earthen vessels."

The consequence of having this kind of ministry is because we have this treasure in earthen vessels. We do not merely impart the treasure, but that treasure which is in the earthen vessel.

We try to beautify the vessel instead of manifesting the treasure inside. Some hold onto themselves so much, they can't release the treasure inside. Break through seems impossible.

Thus, the principle of spiritual life is summed up in the phrase, the treasure in the earthen vessel.

We can not mend the vessel or change it by human efforts. We are just pointing to ourselves when we do that. We do not labor to the point where the vessel becomes not earthen. And we should not do nothing, hear or even say things to the point of becoming spiritual so we may think. The earth vessel is always earthen and forever of little worth. Whatever God calls you to be, don't hide what is inside the vessel. The New Covenant ministry rests on how much the treasure the Lord gives and not on how clean you make yourself by beatifying the vessel.

Ultimately, we are in need of distinguishing between the inside treasure and the outside earthen vessel. We need to find out what God inwroughts in us continually the dying of Jesus. Counterfeit is always trying to present itself in human effort to prevent the real from emanating from God. The false must end before the real can come in. Are we not talking here about pretention and make-believe?

Let us not pretend to be what we are not. The Lord instructed us to become as little children (see Matt. 18.3, Mark 10.15, Luke 18.17). Jesus came eating and drinking naturally (Matt. 11.19), but today those who try to be spiritual act a little unnatural, strange or somewhat mysterious to point to themselves or their system. These are formidable facades, self-deceiving. Such big brains and strong emotion are nothing without a solid spirit. If all we offer is our learning or temperament, we fail in spiritual delivery.

The Bible relates the nose to the sensitivity of the spirit. When we bump up against a wall without looking the first thing that hits the wall is our nose. In the same way when we bump up against people, the first thing they sense is our spirit that comes forth to given an impression.