St. SteVen
Well-Known Member
In the context of this discussion, the letter is the written word.
But we are to be ministers of a NEW covenant,
not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
[
The curious case of John 5:4
- Thread starter Matthias
- Start date
-
Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.
You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
But we are to be ministers of a NEW covenant,
not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
[
Wow man! You are something else!
If you have been a Christian for any amount of time, you will have no doubt heard someone criticize the Bible.
“Why would you read the Bible?” they ask. “Don’t you know it’s filled with contradictions and inaccuracies?” Or: “the Bible is nothing but a bunch of myths written by ignorant men from the pre-scientific age; how could anyone take it seriously?”
Even more commonly today, we hear people arguing that the Bible is an ‘oppressive’ book that promotes sexism, racism, homophobia and a whole host of other reprehensible views. If any of that were true, there would be no reason to take the Bible seriously, and many good reasons to reject it altogether.
But the truth is, the Bible is not filled with contradictions and inaccuracies; nor is it anti-science. In fact, most of modern science’s early pioneers were also men of faith who believed the Bible to be true: Bacon, Kepler, Newton and Pascal to name just a few.
AFTER MORE THAN TWO CENTURIES OF FACING THE HEAVIEST GUNS THAT COULD BE BROUGHT TO BEAR, THE BIBLE HAS SURVIVED
As for the accusation that the Bible is ‘oppressive’, certainly some have used it that way, but the vast majority have found the Bible’s message to be the greatest source of liberty the world has ever known.
FREEDOM IN TRUTH
There is a reason why tyrants throughout the centuries have sought to keep the Bible out of the hands of common people. They know it is the ultimate source of truth, and therefore has the power to set people free. Communists, fascists and ayatollahs haven’t banned the Bible because it’s a book full of myths and niceties; they’ve banned it because its message continues to be a threat to their power.
Despite the negative press that the Bible receives, it is still the number one bestselling book in the world, year after year. The idea that it is inaccurate, outdated, irrelevant or oppressive is, apparently, the minority view.
DIVINE WRITING
From the very beginning, Jesus and his apostles have viewed the Bible as God’s word. And this is the view that continues to be held by faithful believers today. Every word, verse and chapter is God’s word. This is what the Bible claims for itself, and this is what Christians have always believed.
The apostle Paul puts it beautifully when he writes to Timothy: “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Peter writes something similar: “For prophecy (scripture) never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21)
MANY HAVE FOUND THE BIBLE’S MESSAGE TO BE THE GREATEST SOURCE OF LIBERTY THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN
These words give us the doctrine of the inspiration of scripture. And this teaching goes all the way back to the apostles. In fact, it goes even further back. Jesus said of his own words: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)
The Bible is verifiably true, we can trust everything it says.
AGAINST ALL ODDS
My contention - and that of many others - is that the Bible is true, and has proven to be so over and over again.
In 1974, Time magazine carried an article exploring the reliability of the Bible. In the conclusion, they stated: “After more than two centuries of facing the heaviest guns that could be brought to bear, the Bible has survived— and is perhaps better for the siege. Even on the critics’ own terms—historical fact—the Scriptures seem more acceptable now than they did when the rationalists began their attack.”
In a world where the ground under our feet is shifting daily, the scriptures are the solid foundation upon which we, the people of God, must build our lives.
Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation of the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25).
All attempts to disprove scripture have failed. The Bible truly is God’s word
Despite 2,000 years of people trying to disprove the Bible, no one has ever succeeded. And that's why you can trust that scripture is truly God's inspired word, says Brian Brodersen
www.premierchristianity.com
J.
In 2 Corinthians 3:6, Paul is emphasizing the transformative power of the New Covenant, contrasting it with the Old Covenant, often represented by the written law, or "letter." When Paul says, "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life," he’s drawing a distinction between reliance on the external written law, which exposed sin and revealed humanity's inability to achieve righteousness on its own, and the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit, who transforms believers from within.
Under the Old Covenant, adherence to the law (the "letter") was necessary but ultimately revealed human limitations and brought condemnation (Romans 7:10-11). The law illuminated sin (Romans 3:20), but without the empowerment to overcome it, it left people in spiritual death. In contrast, the New Covenant, initiated by Christ's sacrifice, is one of grace and is inwardly sustained by the Holy Spirit, who brings about true spiritual life (Romans 8:2).
Paul's point here is that, as ministers of this New Covenant, believers are empowered by the Spirit to live in a way that the old law alone could not enable. This covenant transforms hearts (Ezekiel 36:26-27) and fulfills the purpose of the law by bringing believers into a life-giving relationship with God, rather than a relationship bound by the condemnation of the written code.
the letter kills -- This is a reference to the law of Moses (compare Rom_2:27; Rom_7:6). The law does not justify people; it only identifies sin and condemns (see Rom_3:20; Rom_8:2). Instead, people are justified by faith (see Rom_3:28 and note).
the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. -- The letter kills because it results in spiritual death. Man's inability to truly keep the Mosaical Law sentenced him to an eternal death (without a sacrifice of atonement, see notes on Rom_7:9-11; cf. Rom_5:12; Gal_3:10). Here "spirit" stands for the New Covenant under Christ, and only through Jesus Christ can one have eternal life, and it is through grace. Rom_1:16; 1Co_1:18.
“not of the letter but of the Spirit” There is a series of comparisons.
1. stone versus the heart, vv. 2Co_3:3
2. letter versus spirit, v. 2Co_3:6
3. old service versus spiritual service, v. 2Co_3:7
4. ministry of death versus life, 2Co_3:7, 2Co_3:6
5. the service connected with condemnation versus the service connected with right-standing, v. 2Co_3:9
6. what has passed away versus what is permanent, v. 2Co_3:11
7. the veil remains unlifted versus the veil is removed, v. 2Co_3:14
Paul is contrasting the old and new covenants, the contrast of the Law of Moses versus the Gospel of Christ, the "letter" versus the "heart" (cf. Rom_2:29; Rom_7:6), one depending on "legalism" versus "grace".
Not of the letter, but of the spirit -- Both in this and in the final clause of this verse, the RSV has perpetrated a gross error in capitalizing "Spirit" in order to make it mean "Holy Spirit" in both clauses, an error slavishly followed in Good News for Modern Man, Phillips New Testament, The New English Bible (1961), and others. While it is true, of course, that the blessings of the new covenant may be enjoyed only by those who have received the blessed Holy Spirit, there is no reference to that here. As Hughes said, "It is unlikely that a direct reference to the Spirit is intended." "The contrast in 2Co_3:6 is not between the outward and inward sense of scripture, but between the outward and inward power of the Jewish and Christian dispensations." As Tasker put it, "Paul is distinguishing the new covenant from the old by using the contrasted categories of spirit and letter, life and death." Farrar gave the meaning as "Not of the law, but of the gospel." Paul's usage of this same expression in Rom_2:28 f speaks of a true Jew as one who is a Jew in heart, IN THE SPIRIT, NOT IN THE LETTER. There is no need to multiply evidence that Paul used the same expression here exactly as he used it there. - Coffman
J.
Ritajanice
Born-Again
Only the Spirit can give life, the Bible confirms this truth...the Bible cannot give you a Living life in Jesus...it can only help you understand ,what God witnesses to our spirit, if that makes sense.
What do you mean by, the letter kills....do you mean that it doesn’t give Spirit life?
St. SteVen
Well-Known Member
Of course.
How easy do you think it would be for someone who doesn’t know what is written in the Bible to be fooled by someone who said “God told me …”?
“The heart is deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9).
The Bereans are commended in scripture for what?
St. SteVen
Well-Known Member
"If any of that were true..." Seriously?
There certainly are many good reasons to reject it altogether.
Especially when those who promote it make wild and unfounded claims about it.
Actually, I think it is Christianity, NOT the Bible that is being rejected.
The obvious problems with the Bible are just a handy tool to use against the church.
Some?
The vast majority of Christianity has used the Bible as an oppressive document.
There is much more emphasis on "Thou shalt not..." than a "source of liberty".
Do you even know what that means? A "source of liberty"?
[
Ritajanice
Born-Again
Ritajanice
Born-Again
It is, if it hasn’t been Born Again by the Spirit.
As soon as we become Born Of God’s Living seed, then he starts working in our hearts, which can and is for some, a very long process, in fact he never stops working in our hearts, not until the day we die.
The answer is that it would be very easy to deceive someone who doesn’t know what is written in the Bible.
St. SteVen
Well-Known Member
Well, of course the Bible has survived. It is a VERY important piece of historical literature.
Few are trying to get rid of the Bible. Most are trying to get rid of Christianity.
Hard to blame them. Christianity has made it itself a very ugly thing.
[
The Bereans were commended (Acts 17:11) for searching the scriptures to see if what they were being told was true or false.
Ritajanice
Born-Again
Ritajanice
Born-Again
I’m not a Berean, I’m Born Again, therefore am led by the Spirit through the word.
Only he can bring scripture to my understanding, by divine heart revelation.
Anyone who doesn’t know what is written in the scriptures is susceptible to deception.
Every follower of Jesus should be like the Bereans.
Ritajanice
Born-Again
I’m not, I represent Jesus, not the Bereans.my heart is a representation of the Spirit.
Ritajanice
Born-Again
Everyone who doesn’t understand divine heart revelation is deceived.
We are Born Again by divine heart revelation ,just as Gods word says.
Similar threads
