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We can speak life – who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Cor 3:6 NAS
Or we can speak death – But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 2 Cor 3:7 NAS
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE "—Gal 3:13 NAS
The Old Covenant Law of Moses brought a curse upon all who could not perfectly keep the letter in thought, word and deed. No one could be right with God, righteous by the law. This is why Jesus came to save us. For God so loved the world.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 NAS
Under the New Covenant of grace and truth realized in Jesus, we are to walk by the Spirit and not the letter. The letter would be the letter of the law. The Pharisee’s administered the letter of the law to perfection to everyone except themselves. Those who still point to the law today, do the same by overlooking their smaller sins and point to others they see as worse. They forget that it only took one sin in thought word or deed, no matter how small, to separate man from God under the law. The letter of the law was used to crucify Jesus. The letter of the law gives you a ticket if you go 56 in a 55. The letter of the law is written in stone, unbending, inflexible and leads to condemnation and death. The letter of the law must have consequences or it will be ignored. Therefore, the consequence for breaking God’s law is death. Christians are not under the letter of the law nor are we ministers of the letter of the law.
For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Rom 6:14 NAS
We are ministers of the Spirit of the law. The Old Covenant letter and the New Covenant Spirit do not mix. We are not to be speaking life and death, blessings and curses at the same time.
With it (the tongue) we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. James 3:9-10 NAS
My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. James 3:11-12 NAS
We must choose the curse of the law or the blessing of grace and truth. The law can only bring a curse to mankind. The New Covenant of grace and truth in Jesus can only bring blessing. Mixture, is not an option.
"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, Deut 30:19 NAS
What is the Spirit of the law?
The Spirit of a law is the authors intent for writing the letter. It is why God gave the law. All legitimate laws have a Spirit. For example, the Spirit of a speed limit or seat belt law is to protect life. The protection of life is why these laws exist.
The Spirit of God’s law is similar to the Spirit of a seat belt or speed limit law, to protect life, to protect fallen man from fallen men and to lead humanity to Christ. If we were all intent on protecting the life of others, written laws would not be needed. But this is not the case with fallen man.
Rom 13:8-10 best describes the Spirit of the law of God’s Ten Commandments.
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Rom 13:8-10 NAS
Can you see discern the Spirit of God’s law in those verses? That is right; it is love. Love is the fulfillment of the law. The Spirit of God’s laws is love. We have been qualified by Jesus to be ministers of a New Covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit.
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. 2 Cor 3:6 NLT
In the Old Covenant under the law, God was counting our sins. In the New Covenant, God will remember our sins no more.
"FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE." Heb 8:12 NAS
To preach a mixture of the New and Old Covenant is to preach a contradiction or confusion. God is not the author of contradiction or confusion.
God “reconciles us to Himself.” God does all the work.We are reconciled through the shed blood of His precious son Jesus. This reconciliation has nothing to do with our performance now or in the future. It is a done deal based on Jesus alone. Jesus did not do part of the work and then watches to see if we can qualify. We are not to count the sins of others big or small. We are to preach the New Covenant of grace and truth alone that has been realized in Jesus.
Now all these things are from God, who “reconciled us to Himself” through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor 5:18-21 NAS
We are to walk and preach exclusively by the Spirit not the letter or a mixture. The Pharisee’s biggest error with the letter of the law, like all fallen humans, is that they showed themselves favoritism, partiality under the law. This is why Jesus called them whitewashed tombs full of dead man’s bones. They acted holy before men and pointed out the sins of others while they justified their own sins that no one else saw. In the end, this led to their downfall. Because they would never look at themselves with the same critical eye, they never saw their need for a savior. The following verses are a warning to anyone who is preaching a mixture of the Old and New Covenant, which is not the gospel.
If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:8-13 NAS
We reap what we sow.
"For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Matt 7:2 NAS
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Gal 6:8 NAS
The same warning can be seen in the parable of the unforgiving servant.
Do you know you have been forgiven much? If you do, you will love much.
"For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." Luke 7:47 NAS
Love is the Spirit we are to walk by. Much love fulfills the law by default even if has never seen the letter of the law.
For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Gal 5:14 NAS
Many more New Covenant Bible Studies HERE. Jesus poured out His blood for the New Covenant of grace and truth, replacing the Old Covenant law of Moses. Believers are exclusively under the New Covenant, the last will and testament of Jesus that began after the cross.
And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Luke 22:20
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