It’s a prevalent trend in today’s ministry to focus on self-declared qualifications. However, it’s disheartening to see that many of these ‘qualifications’ are far removed from the divine standards that God uses to qualify a person.

In Scripture, Paul, as an Apostle of Jesus, speaks about what qualifies him and those working with him to be ministers.

(NLT) 2Corinthians 3:4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death, but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

(NKJV) 2Corinthians 3:4   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.

God is about New Covenant ministry.   It is what He validates as authentic and from Him by exhibiting His glory to us in it.  But what is New Covenant Ministry, and what is its glory?

The Glory of the New Covenant

(NLT) 2Corinthians 3:7 The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. 11 So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever! 12 Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold.

There’s a difference between being bold because one went to school and feels they know more than someone else as a result and being bold because one knows the Father very intimately because one believes in Jesus and has confidence that He did everything to secure their relationship with the Father.

The law produces an insecure boldness that is conditional and requires one to feel they have maintained a standard they believe makes them right with God.  The New Covenant produces a boldness that cannot be shaken because its confidence flows from what Christ did.  Why would anyone feel more qualified in ministering death to people by ministering the law, as opposed to ministering the life that is found in the New Covenant Gospel?  The greater glory is the New Covenant glory!

In 1883, Karl Benz built the first automobile, and it could reach a top speed of 10mph.  It looked like an oversized tricycle with a bench seat and single handlebar.  It cannot even get close to a modern automobile today in terms of speed, practicality, looks, convenience, and safety.  The only thing that would give that first automobile value is a sense of nostalgia.  But everyone knows all it is good for now is to be looked at in a museum, not to be used and driven on the road as though it were viable means of transportation.  Such is the Old Covenant Law in comparison with the New Covenant life in the Spirit.

If you desire to be qualified in the eyes of God as a minister, you should seek to minister the New Covenant.