The Letter And the Spirit

2Co 3:6 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.

A point was made at church about how many have created a false dichotomy between the "letter" and "the Spirit" of the Law (which I have heard all my life myself). Interestingly it's usually by those who want to redefine sin. It's also a way to devise a new class of Truth and spirituality, with a derision for the written Word of God. However it is the HOLY Spirit, the Author of the Law, who gave the Law IN ORDER to define what sin is (Rom. 7:7-14). The Spirit GAVE the Law, He is not in opposition to it.

Eze 36:23 "And I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD," declares the Lord GOD, "when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.

Eze 36:24 "For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land.

Eze 36:25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

Eze 36:26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Eze 36:27 "And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

Rom 7:7  What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET." 

Rom 7:12  So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 
Rom 7:13  Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. 
Rom 7:14  For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 

1Ti 1:8  But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 
1Ti 1:9  realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 

The Law is the standard by which God judges each person. It is precise and exacting, therefore not allowing any sin to be undealt with.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 
Heb 4:13  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. 

 Note that God judges even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts as either righteous or unrighteous, not merely our actions. This should remind the believer of Matt. 6  and Matt 15:11 where Jesus defines sin as those of the heart first.

Mat 5:20  "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. 

Mat 6:1  "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 

Mat 5:17  "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. 
Mat 5:18  "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. 

Mat 5:22  "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Mat 5:28  but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. 
Gal 3:24  Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.

It is a great mercy from God that He gave the Law in order to tell us what sin is, so that we can cry out to Him for His mercy and forgiveness, knowing that Christ alone and His work on the cross and His resurrection saves. The law can't justify because the heart of flesh needs to be removed. That's why the Law was limited in power--it is the standard by which God  judges all people. It is the Holy Spirit that gives life--a new heart, mind, will, indwelling us and empowering us to see the Truth and love it, confess our sins, and walk according to the Scriptures.

The Law is spiritual because it's from the mouth of God and it proves our sin against Him. It is NOT in opposition to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit uses it properly to convict us of our sin and that points us to Christ Jesus. There is no opposition between the Law and It's Author.

The Evangelical Mafia Machine Treat Sin Lightly And Judge Holiness As Darkness

While this is directly relating to Israel, it is also true of today's Evangelical Machine because it's the same spirit of religious men who claim to speak for and know God while they reject His precise Word and declaring what is evil (evolution, homosexuals, feminists, plagiarists, liars) as good, light, sweet, and what is good (righteous, godly, fearing God, those who warn, discernment, judging sin as sin, treating Scripture as Scripture, having biblical wisdom, and refusing to submit to unprincipled religious leaders) as evil, dark, bitter. By saying one can be a homosexual Christian, a Charismatic/NAR/WOF Christian, an evolutionist Christian, or a feminist Christian, as these celebrity Evangelical conference speakers, authors, singers, and teachers do, they treat lightly the sin of those who claim the holy name of Christ Jesus the Master and King. Therefore there can't be any repentance toward God and rejection of wickedness.

Hos 8:12  Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My law, They are regarded as a strange thing.

Isa 5:16  But the LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment, And the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.
Isa 5:17  Then the lambs will graze as in their pasture, And strangers will eat in the waste places of the wealthy.
Isa 5:18  Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood, And sin as if with cart ropes;
Isa 5:19  Who say, "Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it; And let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near And come to pass, that we may know it!" 
Isa 5:20  Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 
Isa 5:21  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And clever in their own sight!
Isa 5:22  Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, And valiant men in mixing strong drink;
Isa 5:23  Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!
Isa 5:24  Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble, And dry grass collapses into the flame, So their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust; For they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Jer 8:4  "And you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD, "Do men fall and not get up again? Does one turn away and not repent?
Jer 8:5  "Why then has this people, Jerusalem, Turned away in continual apostasy? They hold fast to deceit, They refuse to return.
Jer 8:6  "I have listened and heard, They have spoken what is not right; No man repented of his wickedness, Saying, 'What have I done?' Everyone turned to his course, Like a horse charging into the battle. 
Jer 8:7  "Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons; And the turtledove and the swift and the thrush Observe the time of their migration; But My people do not know The ordinance of the LORD.
Jer 8:8  "How can you say, 'We are wise, And the law of the LORD is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes Has made it into a lie.
Jer 8:9  "The wise men are put to shame, They are dismayed and caught; Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, And what kind of wisdom do they have? 
Jer 8:10  "Therefore I will give their wives to others, Their fields to new owners; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is greedy for gain; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone practices deceit. 
Jer 8:11  "And they heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, Saying, 'Peace, peace,' But there is no peace.

2Pe 2:17  These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved.
2Pe 2:18  For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 
2Pe 2:19  promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

Who Are Your Closest Friends?

               

Profane Swearers

“What shall be said of that vast throng of profane swearers who pollute our language and wound our ears, by a vile mixture of blasphemies in their common conversation!

“Their throat is an open sepulcher… the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness” (Romans 3:13, 14).

It has become almost impossible to walk the streets or to enter mixed company without hearing the sacred Name of God treated with blasphemous contempt. The novels of the day, the stage, and even radio (and more lately television, the cinema, and the press) are terrible offenders, and without doubt this is one of the fearful sins against Himself for which God is now pouring out His judgments upon us.....And He is still the same: “The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain.” Sore punishment shall be his portion, if not in this life, then most assuredly so, eternally so, in the life to come.”

~Arthur Pink, "The Ten Commandments"

Piper and Contemplative Prayer: Rome Had It Right

Piper embraces Contemplative praying even from Romanists (despite his excepting of its mere "bad theology") as reported by Apprising Ministries.

Here we have Contemplative prayer redefined (slaps on "Christian" and "Puritan" and says its the same thing) by Piper just as he redefines hedonism by slapping on "Christian".

This is what I mean when I say many like Piper find "truth in everything", even if it is in Rome. Piper is charismatic which is another reason why he is attracted to the mysticism and is so man-centered. Touchy, feely, emotionally driven is not biblically based. And Rome has nothing right: their practices stem from their damnable doctrines of hell. But I guess that's merely "bad theology".

What does God say about mixing the old with the new?

In salvation:

Mar 2:21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins--and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins."

In worship:

Unleaven bread for the Passover and the Lord's Table
Unmixed fabric for the priests (Ex. 28)

In relationships:

No inter-marrying with other nations (Deut. 7)

In all three:

No fellowship between Jesus and Baal; unbeliever and believer; light and darkness (2Cor. 6:14-18)

How did God instruct Israel to conduct their lives and worship toward God? Was God ok with mixing truth with error?

Deu 7:2 and when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them.
Deu 7:3 "Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons.
Deu 7:4 "For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you. Deu 7:5 "But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their sacred pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire.
Deu 7:6 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

So did they obey God?

Psa 106:34 They did not destroy the peoples, As the LORD commanded them,
Psa 106:35 But they mingled with the nations And learned their practices,
Psa 106:36 And served their idols, Which became a snare to them.
Psa 106:37 They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,
Psa 106:38 And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and their daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with the blood.
Psa 106:39 Thus they became unclean in their practices, And played the harlot in their deeds.
Psa 106:40 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against His people And He abhorred His inheritance.
Psa 106:41 Then He gave them into the hand of the nations, And those who hated them ruled over them.
Psa 106:42 Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were subdued under their power.
Psa 106:43 Many times He would deliver them; They, however, were rebellious in their counsel, And so sank down in their iniquity.

Roman Catholicism has many pagan practices because it is not of Christ. So why would Piper and Keller and Warren go to pagans and idolators to find spiritual truth?

Practice DOES matter. If its not ordained by God according to Scripture and rather comes from pagans, it stirs His anger, for He is a jealous and holy holy holy God. Only those in Christ have the Light of Truth in them for the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit abides in them. Lest you think "that was the OT times, its ok to find truth in error; we can borrow from unbelievers in our worship of God", you better reconsider:

2Co 6:14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2Co 6:15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?2Co 6:16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
2Co 6:17 "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.
2Co 6:18 "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty.

God's standard hasn't change, because HE hasn't changed.

Mal 3:5 "Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts. 6 "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.7 "From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. "But you say, 'How shall we return?'

Heb 12:28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

Remember Romans 12:1-2?

God is Holy and expects those who follow Him to grow in holiness by His Grace. Just as God struck down Achan and his family for stealing and then lying about it (Joshua 7:1-26), so God destroyed Ananias and Sapphira for the same thing (Acts 5:1-13).

To go to Rome or the New Age mystics in any form is to commit treason against the King of Kings and Lord of lords.

Isa 55:6 "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;
Isa 55:7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isa 55:10 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.