THE LETTER KILLETH
BUT THE SPIRIT GIVETH LIFE
Our subject came from where Paul said of our
wonderful Savior: "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new
testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but
the spirit giveth life.”
2 Corinthians 3:6
I tell you the Apostle Paul never ceases to
amaze me; He often said more in one breath than I can explain in a week. Nevertheless I love it.
Now let’s get started. The Apostle explained
the difference between the letter that killeth and the Spirit that giveth life.
Yea, the taker of life is the Law
Covenant while the Grace Covenant is the giver of life through the Spirit of
GOD. In agreement, Paul said of us who
have passed from death unto life: “But now we are delivered from the law, that
being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and
not in the oldness of the letter.”
Romans 7:6
He also added to our understanding by saying:
“But now he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the
heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of
God.”
Romans 2:29
In his brilliance Paul has explained in depth
the diversity between the two major Covenants: namely Law and Grace.
What’s more the Commandments of GOD are
ten. But let’s let Moses tell us how he
obtained them. He said: “And GOD gave
unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two
tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.” Exodus
31:18
Now the two tables of testimony have this in
common, both are the composite of the Ten Commandments.
Paul gave a good example of that composition
when he wrote: “What shall we say then?
Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law:
for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.”
Romans 7:7
The Commandments apply to mankind in diverse
ways and at different times of life.
When King Solomon said: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
(Eccles. 12:13) he left out nothing that pertained to the way the Commandments
relate to mankind.
Starting with the Moral Law, it was that
application of the Law that Good old America
The Spirit of man is also subject to the
Law. Early in life of an individual the
Law comes and revives the sin that he or she inherited from the first Adam. “For In Adam all die.” The Apostle told of the time the Law enter
the door of his heart when he said: “For I was alive without the law once: but
when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”
And to better our understanding, He
questioned: “What shall we say then? Is
the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had
not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. [8] But sin,
taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence.
For without the law sin was dead.”
Romans 7:7-9
He also said that he would not have known
lust except the law had said: “Thou shalt not covet.” However if Paul had broken only one
Commandment, said the Apostle James: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law,
and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
James 2:10
(However,
that is only true in the case of sinners for we that are saved are not under
the Law therefore we are only accountable for the Commandment we break.)
Ah,
but we say to sinners: “Take heart, for the same Law that revived sin in you,
even the Law that made us accountable for sin, offers to bring you to CHRIST to
be saved.”
So
said the Apostle and he wrote: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring
us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24-25
“But
after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”
Galatians
3:25
Sorry to say, but there be few that find the
narrow way that GOD provided through faith in JESUS CHRIST.
Paul said of his countrymen: “They being ignorant of God's righteousness,
and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
Romans 10:3
The prophet Isaiah forbade such self-righteousness.
He wrote: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6
Therefore when sinners trust in his or her
own righteousness, they are guilty of misusing the commandments and that is:
“The letter that killeth.”
On the other hand, when the HOLY SPIRIT
delivers the Law as schoolmaster, its aim is to convict of sin and it becomes:
“the spirit that giveth life.”
In alliance with that truth JESUS said: “No
man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will
raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44
When JESUS said: “Agree with thine adversary
quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary
deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou
be cast into prison.” Matthew 5:25
(I believe He is saying: “Admit you are a
sinner.”)
Strong
evidence of salvation is true repentance.
Paul
gave a good example of what genuine repentance is when he wrote: “Wherefore
putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: Let him that
stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the
thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” Ephesians 4:25-28
In
another Scripture, He said: “Be not
overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (That is repentance as
well.)
May
God be blessed forever, Amen, and Amen!!
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