the letter kills but the spirit gives life...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY
The Letter is Religion, The Spirit is
Relationship
Who has 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 sat across the dinner table last night
from a woman wearing a cross. She's a friend of a friend of mine. I wanted to
spontaneously ask her if she was a Christian or, which happens often here in
Vietnam, she thought it looked cool for jewelry The Holy Spirit held my
tongue. I wondered why and within seconds I knew immediately why. I didn't have
to ask, I soon found out through casual observation she was a "Religious
Person".Her body language, facial expressions, carefully chosen pious
language, but especially her air of disdain. The Holy Spirit pressed upon me
the notion of, "Jesus knew their thoughts." These scriptures apply:
Matthew 15:1-9; Matthew 12:25; Luke 6:8; Luke 11:17. In each of these accounts
Jesus was dealing with the Religious, Self-Righteous, Pharisees. When we live
by the letter of the law we are religious and religion is our god. When we live
by the Spirit we enter into a relationship with our Lord and Savior.
In my
devotions today, I found this that supported my experience:Day By Day By
GraceBob HoekstraMay 5, 2011"The Letter versus the Spirit[God] also made
us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the
Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:6)The "letter versus the Spirit" is another
contrast between living by the old covenant or by the new. This is another
choice that determines whether we are functioning by man's sufficiency or by
God's.A life developed "of the letter" is one built on rules and
regulations. We cannot become a child of God by rules; neither can we develop
in godliness by regulations. No list of demands (including God's law) could
ever bring to us, or develop in us, a life with God. All rules and regulations
(including God's law) come without resource. They are a list of requirements,
not a supply of adequacy. They call for an observable response, but they
provide no power to produce the required effect."Heavenly Father, through
Jesus Christ may the law serve no other purpose for your children than to run
to Christ Jesus to fulfill our compliance with every detail of the 600 plus
laws that confront us. Holy Spirit fill us, consume us we pray Amen.
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