So, what then is the spirit of the law? In part, it has to do with being a spiritual Jew.
“No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.” (Romans 2:29 NLT)
And it also has to do with being a spiritual child of Abraham.
“Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.” (Galatians 3:7 NASB)
If we are spiritual Jews because of circumcision of the heart, and we are spiritual children of Abraham because we are of faith, doesn’t it also make sense that we are in spiritual apostolic succession if we contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints by the Apostles?
“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people.” (Jude 1:3 NIV)
Once for all means that anything that came later, whether an ancient tradition or a modern fad, is not necessarily something important enough to contend for. Here we see the line between essentials and non-essentials of the faith.
Keeping more recent traditions and neglecting the faith once delivered misses the mark. Attempting to keep the old law in the letter is impossible, because the flesh is too weak. We therefore walk in Christ, who alone could live a perfect life.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:2-5 NKJV)
Trying to walk in the letter is called legalism. Whether that is applied to the law of Moses or church rules made up by men, it kills our faith. Touch not, taste not, don’t dance, don’t chew, and don’t go with girls that do. We can make fun of silly man-made rules, but the deeper we look, the more we realize that there are a lot of things taught in Christian circles that neither came from Jesus nor the Apostles.
Such is the confidence we have toward God through Christ. Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 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. But if the ministry of death, engraved in letters 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, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? (2 Corinthians 3:4-8 NASB)
The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. That’s an important consideration. Let’s walk according to the Spirit and so fulfill the royal law of love.
Showing posts with label 2 Corinthians 3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2 Corinthians 3. Show all posts
613 Commandments
How should a Christian approach the Hebrew scriptures? The number of commandments in the Old Testament is usually given as 613. That’s near enough for our discussion. Let’s look at some of them in light of Paul's instructions about the spirit of the law.
Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6 ESV)
Is this what Jeremiah meant when he wrote of the law being written on our hearts?
“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:33 NKJV)
Obviously then, harmonizing these two descriptions, of the Spirit and the law written on our hearts, this is not a legalistic, letter-of-the law written on our hearts, but the Spirit and intent of the law on our hearts.
Next time let’s explore some of those approximately 613 laws and see what spiritual application we can find, the spirit of the law.
Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6 ESV)
Is this what Jeremiah meant when he wrote of the law being written on our hearts?
“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:33 NKJV)
Obviously then, harmonizing these two descriptions, of the Spirit and the law written on our hearts, this is not a legalistic, letter-of-the law written on our hearts, but the Spirit and intent of the law on our hearts.
Next time let’s explore some of those approximately 613 laws and see what spiritual application we can find, the spirit of the law.
A Glimpse of Glory
When we look in the mirror what do we see? Do we see someone hopelessly lost in sin, or a repentant sinner, forgiven and being transformed into God’s image from glory to glory every day? Let’s look at Paul’s discussion of being remarkably transformed in 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2.
To understand Paul’s metaphor, we must read the background in Exodus 34:29-35 where, when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai, his face shone because he spoke with God. People were afraid to come near him, so Moses’ face was hidden because he put a veil over his face.
Veiled
2 Corinthians 3:12-13 “Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.”
Paul spoke plainly, compared to mysteries concealed under the old covenant. He adds a metaphor that the veil prevented Israel from seeing that the glow on Moses’ face was fading away, as the veil on their hearts prevented them from seeing the glory of the old covenant was fading too.
2 Corinthians 3:14-15 “But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart”
This is the only time Paul refers to the Hebrew scriptures as the old covenant, testament, will, or set-agreement with God. Not just Jews, but also many Christians have a veil on their hearts. The Greek is clear, the veil is the old covenant and it is lifted in Christ.
That does not make the entire old testament now irrelevant, but the covenant or agreement is now replaced in Christ with a new covenant. The phrase “whenever Moses is read,” means the first five books of the Old Testament. The veil on Moses face becomes a veil on people’s hearts.
Unveiled
2 Corinthians 3:16 “but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” Turning to the Lord is an Old Testament expression for repentance, and there is a day coming when the sons of Israel will turn to their Lord and the veil will be lifted.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are called the Lord. The Nicene Creed reminds us that the Holy Spirit is also “the Lord and Giver of life.” Notice the liberty of the new covenant, liberty from the guilt and slavery of sin, not the veil of the letter of the law.
The Eastern Orthodox Church calls this “being transformed” theosis, purification from God and being filled with God’s light. Roman Catholics call this “being transformed” divinization, being made after the image and likeness of God. This has similarities to the Protestant idea of sanctification, the process whereby God makes us holy.
Christian males need no Tallit, covering head and heart when praying. We are to gaze on God’s face, as mirrored in Jesus, and we mirror or reflect Christ, with our faces and hearts unveiled. Moses had his temporary glow covered. Christians are a permanent light, uncovered and letting it shine.
2 Corinthians 4:1-2 “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
The very best of us would not be able to sit in ministry of the new covenant except for God’s mercy. We are all sinners, but repentant sinners may engage in the ministry because of Jesus and the cross. We don’t promote or condone sins, but humbly and gratefully repent.
Take a look in the mirror and see a child of God, a person being transformed into God’s image from glory to glory. Let’s give God thanks for what He is doing in our lives. Thank God that a repentant sinner has been given undeserved mercy.
Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
To understand Paul’s metaphor, we must read the background in Exodus 34:29-35 where, when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai, his face shone because he spoke with God. People were afraid to come near him, so Moses’ face was hidden because he put a veil over his face.
Veiled
2 Corinthians 3:12-13 “Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.”
Paul spoke plainly, compared to mysteries concealed under the old covenant. He adds a metaphor that the veil prevented Israel from seeing that the glow on Moses’ face was fading away, as the veil on their hearts prevented them from seeing the glory of the old covenant was fading too.
2 Corinthians 3:14-15 “But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart”
This is the only time Paul refers to the Hebrew scriptures as the old covenant, testament, will, or set-agreement with God. Not just Jews, but also many Christians have a veil on their hearts. The Greek is clear, the veil is the old covenant and it is lifted in Christ.
That does not make the entire old testament now irrelevant, but the covenant or agreement is now replaced in Christ with a new covenant. The phrase “whenever Moses is read,” means the first five books of the Old Testament. The veil on Moses face becomes a veil on people’s hearts.
Unveiled
2 Corinthians 3:16 “but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” Turning to the Lord is an Old Testament expression for repentance, and there is a day coming when the sons of Israel will turn to their Lord and the veil will be lifted.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are called the Lord. The Nicene Creed reminds us that the Holy Spirit is also “the Lord and Giver of life.” Notice the liberty of the new covenant, liberty from the guilt and slavery of sin, not the veil of the letter of the law.
The Eastern Orthodox Church calls this “being transformed” theosis, purification from God and being filled with God’s light. Roman Catholics call this “being transformed” divinization, being made after the image and likeness of God. This has similarities to the Protestant idea of sanctification, the process whereby God makes us holy.
Christian males need no Tallit, covering head and heart when praying. We are to gaze on God’s face, as mirrored in Jesus, and we mirror or reflect Christ, with our faces and hearts unveiled. Moses had his temporary glow covered. Christians are a permanent light, uncovered and letting it shine.
2 Corinthians 4:1-2 “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
The very best of us would not be able to sit in ministry of the new covenant except for God’s mercy. We are all sinners, but repentant sinners may engage in the ministry because of Jesus and the cross. We don’t promote or condone sins, but humbly and gratefully repent.
Take a look in the mirror and see a child of God, a person being transformed into God’s image from glory to glory. Let’s give God thanks for what He is doing in our lives. Thank God that a repentant sinner has been given undeserved mercy.
Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)