The main New Testament passage compiled in an effort to support the antithesis of spirit versus letter is Paul`s remarks to Christ`s church in Corinth. The reader is invited to pause and read the third chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians before reading the following analysis. Two sentences are usually cut out of context and used as evidence to support an idea that contradicts the chapter: “not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (verse 6) and “Where is the Spirit of the Lord there is freedom” (verse 17). These phrases are cited as proof that Christians should not be too meticulous when it comes to strictly adhering to New Testament guidelines. Those who take such a position assume that the “letter” refers to God`s commandments—the written statements of Scripture that specify and regulate human behavior. They also assume that the “mind” refers to its own attitude or feelings. Thus, if the individual feels devoted, concerned and sincere, he is considered to conform to the “spirit of the law”. On the other hand, the individual who seems inflexible, rigid or too obsessed with strict obedience is perceived as lacking “compassion” and “sensitivity” and too concerned with “the letter of the law.” I think you will agree that life is much less complicated and much more enjoyable if you live according to the spirit of the law. It will be even better if you allow God`s Spirit to help you do this. Remember that the law kills and does not produce life in you because it requires of you something that you cannot give. Therefore, do not be bound again, trying to live according to the letter of the law, but live in the freedom that God has given you. It is not freedom without limits, but freedom without slavery to respect all the principles of the law. I leave you with the words of the apostle Paul: The fact is that God has always required people to approach Him “in truth,” that is, according to the divine instructions He revealed to man.
The only worship ever acceptable to God was worship undertaken with (1) an appropriate attitude, attitude, and disposition conducive to spirituality, and (2) faithfulness to the specific objects that God determined to be the right outward actions. Jesus made this very clear in His encounter with the Samaritan woman (John 4:23-24). God has never accepted one without the other. He always demanded both. He has always needed two facets to respond to his will: the right action with the right attitude. Notice the following chart of scriptures: 3 – Rely on the Holy Ghost to Help YouThe letter of the law is really to do everything. The Spirit of the Law is about God doing everything through you. If you want to embody the Spirit of the Law, give the Holy Spirit more space to work both in you and through you. If you do, you will find that you will be able to love God and love people better. This will lead you to continue in the spirit of the law and not fall into the trap of the letter of the law. Listen carefully; If you have the “spirit of the law,” then you will obey “the letter of the law.” There is simply no other way.
It is impossible to have the “spirit of the law” without also obeying “the letter of the law.” When you have the spirit of the law, you love the law. Psalm 119:97 says; “How I love Your law! It`s my meditation, all day. In the New Testament, Pharisees are seen as people who place the letter of the law above the Spirit (Mark 2:3-28; 3:1-6). Thus, “Pharisee” entered the language as pejorative for someone who does; the Oxford English Dictionary defines the Pharisees with one of the meanings as a person of spirit or character commonly attributed to the Pharisees in the New Testament; a legalist or a formalist. The Pharisees are also portrayed as lawless or corrupt (Matthew 23:38); The Greek word used in the verse means anarchy, and the corresponding Hebrew word means deception or injustice. However, the Hebrew word “Perushim,” from which “Pharisee” is derived, actually means “separatists” and refers to their focus on spiritual needs rather than worldly pleasures. In my opinion, there really is no greater verse that sums up the spirit of the law in relation to the letter of the law than these verses. It is like loving God and loving people. Each of the 613 commandments has these two commandments as its foundation, heart, or mind.
“But it is a Jew who is one within; and circumcision is that which comes from the heart, by the mind, not by the letter; and his praise comes not from men, but from God. Let me give you a few examples. Jesus gives us the exact words of one of His laws in Matthew 19:9. This is “the letter of the law”; “And I say to you (Jesus says), whoever divorces his wife, except because of immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” Now, if you have the “spirit of the law,” will you commit adultery? Of course not. What is the “spirit” of the law not to commit adultery? The spirit of this law is love. Love for your husband or wife and love for God. When you love your husband or wife, you honor them and are loyal to them. When you love God, you honor God and you are faithful to God. For example, Christ showed that simply renouncing adultery is obedience to the “letter of the law,” but to obey both the Spirit and the letter of the law, one must also exercise self-control (“moderation” – Galatians 5:23) and desire no one (committing “adultery in one`s heart”).
So yes, in fact, it is certainly possible to obey the letter of the law without having a love for that law, and in fact without even having an understanding of WHY one obeys that law. But it is absolutely impossible for anyone to have the laws of God`s Spirit in their heart without obeying exactly what those laws tell us. Jesus said it as clearly as possible; “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15 Following the spirit of the law simply means not placing strict adherence to the law above the person the law is meant to serve. Jesus gave the ultimate summary of the Spirit of the Law when He said this. Well, the same goes for the spirit of love. What is the point of pretending to have the spirit of the law but not doing exactly what that law requires of you? It`s useless, this kind of ghost is dead! It is impossible to have the spirit of the law without also obeying the letter of the law. And although God requires our obedience to His Word, this does not mean that we “deserve” anything if we obey God. This means that we humble ourselves so that God can exalt us later. Isn`t that exactly what God says He will do? James 4:10 says; “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” So we have to have an attitude of humility. Playing the system, also called “legal rules,” is the continuation of the letter (sometimes called RaW or rules as written) – above or against the spirit (sometimes called RaI or rules as intended) of the law. It is used negatively to describe the act of manipulating rules for personal gain.
It can also mean acting in an anti-social and irritating manner, while technically remaining within the bounds of the rules. Do you want proof of that? Here is the proof; According to God, the two greatest commandments ever given, mentioned in Matthew 22:37-40, are the commandment to love God and the commandment to love our neighbor. God says that all other commandments depend on these two. In other words, every commandment of God, every law of God depends on the Spirit of love! Love of God and love of neighbor. It is the “spirit” behind every law of God. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. This is what Jesus said in John 14:15. Do you know what the “spirit of the law” really is? “The Spirit of the Law” is love! Love for God and love for your neighbor.
It is the Spirit behind every law God has ever given. The spirit of the law is love! “The Spirit of the Law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20spirit%20of%20the%20law. Retrieved 6 December 2020. Interpretations of the U.S. Constitution have historically split in the “letter vs. spirit” debate. For example, at its founding, the Federalist Party advocated a more flexible interpretation of the Constitution and granted Congress broad powers consistent with the spirit of the broader purpose of some founders (including, in particular, the goals of the federalist founders). The federalists represented the aspect of “spirit”. In contrast, the Democratic-Republicans, who favored limited federal government, argued for a strict interpretation of the Constitution, arguing that the federal government had only been given the powers enumerated in the Constitution and nothing that was not explicitly stated; They represented the interpretation of the “letters”.
By recognizing the contextual meaning, it becomes clear that these verses have absolutely nothing to do with the so-called “spirit against letter” statement! In fact, nowhere in the Bible postulates such a thing. Like any liberal thought, you must refrain from thinking about it too much if you do not want to see the absurdity and nonsense. The “ghost vs. letter” contrast is gibberish, which is “better felt than told.” It doesn`t make sense. On April 3, 1897, J.W. McGarvey in an article titled “The Letter That Kills” does exactly this way of thinking: Remember what the letter of the law is; It is the law, exactly as it is written. The opposite of the law, exactly as written, should be a distortion of the law, exactly as it is written.
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