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.

The Professing Christian

“If the professing Christian supposes that no matter what the character of his walk may be, he has but to plead the name of Christ and his petitions are assured of an answer, he is sadly deluded. God is ineffably holy and His Word expressly declares, “If I regard iniquity I my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psa. 66:18).

It is not sufficient to believe in Christ, or plead His name, in order to ensure answers to prayer: there must be a practical subjection to and daily fellowship with Him: “If ye abide in Me and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7).

It is not sufficient to be a child of God and call upon his heavenly Father: there must be an ordering of our lives according to His revealed will: “Whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1John 3:22).

It is not sufficient to come boldly unto the Throne of Grace: we must “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22) – that which defiles being removed by the cleansing precepts of the Word (see Psa. 119:9).” 

-“The Life of Elijah” A.W. Pink

Sin Is Not Always Ugly And Is Often Mesmerizing and Seductive: I am called to hate it down to every last part of it

           
           (Photo: hemlock. Photo source)

"But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate!" Revelation 2:6

So I must live, with equal aloofness from every wicked and dubious way--with equal abhorrence of all which my divinely enlightened conscience may not approve. Christ expects me to hate the works of the Nicolaitans!

If I am to escape the seductions of sin--I require such intolerance and hatred.
There is great enticement in sin's gaieties, fascinations, and charms!
It beguiles!
It entraps!
It enthralls!

It is not always ugly--often it has a mesmerizing enchantment. My one safety is have an unflinching opposition to that which is both so fair and so foul at the same time. If I dull the keen edge of my hostility to sin--the plausible and insinuating foe will quickly have me at his mercy!

There is a type of weakness which is all for concession and clemency in the presence of evil. It parleys with sin, and it dallies in its society. It can say a great deal in sin's defense--perhaps it discerns admirable qualities in it.

But the holiness to which I am called, is more manly and soldierly. It will have no friendship with the foul adversary!

If I am to imitate Christ--I require such severities and aversions to sin. He also hates the works of the Nicolaitans. I misread Him if I think of Him as altogether meek and gentle. He sends a sword, He kindles a fire, upon the earth. Before His pure gaze, sin blushes, and droops its proud head, and withers away! He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and He will not rest until He has trodden every iniquity under His feet!

"I hate every false way!" Psalm 119:128

(Alexander Smellie, "The Secret Place" 1907)