The expression, "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life"*

The expression, "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" is a text that many twist saying that "it is not necessary to study" __________________________________________________ Introduction.  The Bible says; __________________________________________________ 2 Corinthians 3:7-11             A. 2 Cor. 3:1, "Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? " __________________________________________________             B. The first answer is that the Corinthians were his recommendation letter (3:1-3). __________________________________________________             C. The second answer is that it is recommended by the glorious ministry of the New Covenant in contrast to the glory of the ministry of Moses under the Old Covenant. __________________________________________________             D. 3:4, "And we have such trust through Christ toward God; 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us able ministers of the new pact ". Speaking of being well recommended, as humbly attributed not to himself but to the Lord. __________________________________________________ I. Features of the New Covenant. __________________________________________________             A. 3:6, "not of the letter but of the Spirit (Spirit, NKJV), for the letter kills, but the Spirit (Spirit, NKJV) gives life." __________________________________________________             B. "Letter" is the law of Moses, "the spirit" (Spirit, NKJV, 3:18) is the gospel. __________________________________________________                         1. The expression, "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" is a text that many twist saying that "the letter" is what the Bible says, and that "spirit" is the interpretation of each person according to his own reasoning subjective (your intuition, imagination, opinion or feeling). __________________________________________________                         2. But it is obvious that the "letter" is the law of Moses because Paul speaks of "the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone" (v. 7). It refers to the ten commandments in stone. __________________________________________________ II. The contrast between the glory of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. __________________________________________________             A. That is why Paul's ministry is glorious. The contrast is significant and important. __________________________________________________             B. The ministry of the Old Covenant is a ministry of death, because only sinners condemned without providing for them a savior. __________________________________________________             C. The Ministry of the New Covenant is a ministry of righteousness, because through Christ our Savior all can be justified from their sins. __________________________________________________ III. Paul says that the ministry of Moses was with glory. __________________________________________________             A. To illustrate the glory of his ministry, first speaks of the glory of the ministry of Moses, for in this ministry some of the Corinthians gloried. Paul addresses this problem mostly in the letter to the churches of Galatia, but also in other letters (Romans, 2 Cor., Gal., Efes., Col., 1 and 2 Tim., Titus). __________________________________________________             B. Paul was not ashamed of the ministry of Moses. Speaks of him with respect and reverence. 3:7, says the ministry of Moses "was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses because of the glory of his face." Exodus 34:29, "And it came to Moses descending from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, coming down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with God. 30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. " __________________________________________________             C. Actually Paul's enemies who professed loyalty to Moses adulterated not only the gospel, but also the law of Moses, because they used it correctly. 1 Tim. 1:8, "But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully." It was never God's plan that certain commandments and regulations of the law of Moses were mixed with the gospel. Adulterating the word of both the Old Testament and the New Testament (4:2). __________________________________________________ IV. But the ministry of Moses was "ministry of death". __________________________________________________             A. 3:7, "But if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with glory, ..."; 3:9, "For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more in glory the ministry of righteousness". __________________________________________________                         1. It was called "ministry of death" and "ministry of condemnation" for condemning the sinner and no Savior. __________________________________________________                         2. Offered animal sacrifices to atone for sins, but we read in Heb. 10:3, "But in those sacrifices there is a reminder each year of sins, 4 because the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." __________________________________________________             B. Here Paul speaks of "the letter" that "kills". 3:6, "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new covenant, not of letter but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit giveth life." __________________________________________________ V. The ministry of righteousness is more glorious than the ministry of condemnation. __________________________________________________             A. 3:7, "the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, which was passing away, 8 how shall not rather glorious ministry of the spirit? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more in glory the ministry of righteousness. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, compared with the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. " __________________________________________________             B. Paul's ministry was the ministry of the Spirit (the ministry of righteousness) and has more glory because its effects are more glorious. Offers hope that there was under the ministry of condemnation. 3:12, "So we have such hope, we use great plainness 13 and not as Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away ". __________________________________________________             C. The glory of the ministration of death was not lasting, but the glory of the ministry of justification remains. 3:11, "For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious." __________________________________________________ Conclusion. __________________________________________________             A. For this reason (confidence in the permanent glory of his ministry) Paul used "great plainness" (3:12). __________________________________________________             B. 3:13, "and not as Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day, when they read the old covenant, remaineth the same veil, which is removed by Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. " __________________________________________________             C. However, 3:16, "when you turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away" and are transformed into the image of Christ, 3:16-18. __________________________________________________ Prophetic Ministry & mission "the new covenant" foundation of children & women abused Inc. __________________________________________________ Electronic Steering: Taquino66@yahoo.com