'Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;
not of the letter, but of the spirit:
for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.'
(2 Corinthians 3:6)
Hello there,
The words, highlighted above, are very often used to discredit the Scriptures: for it is believed by some that the Apostle Paul was made a minister, not of the letter (ie., the words), but of the spirit, of the gospel, for the letter of the gospel kills!! Yet the Apostle's own writings prove the falseness of this: and the words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is sufficient in itself to show that this is very wrong:-
* The contrast intended was not between the 'letter' and the 'spirit' of the gospel: but between the ministration of death in the law 'in letters engraven on stones', and the ministration of life - or as 2 Corinthians 3:8 expresses it, 'the ministration of the spirit!' in the gospel. He emphasises the fact that God had called him to the higher ministry of the life-giving gospel, and not of the death-dealing law. The words, 'letter' and 'spirit' representing 'law' and 'gospel' respectively.
Thank you.
In Christ Jesus
Chris
not of the letter, but of the spirit:
for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.'
(2 Corinthians 3:6)
Hello there,
The words, highlighted above, are very often used to discredit the Scriptures: for it is believed by some that the Apostle Paul was made a minister, not of the letter (ie., the words), but of the spirit, of the gospel, for the letter of the gospel kills!! Yet the Apostle's own writings prove the falseness of this: and the words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is sufficient in itself to show that this is very wrong:-
'The words that I speak unto you are spirit and are life' (John 6:63) .
* The contrast intended was not between the 'letter' and the 'spirit' of the gospel: but between the ministration of death in the law 'in letters engraven on stones', and the ministration of life - or as 2 Corinthians 3:8 expresses it, 'the ministration of the spirit!' in the gospel. He emphasises the fact that God had called him to the higher ministry of the life-giving gospel, and not of the death-dealing law. The words, 'letter' and 'spirit' representing 'law' and 'gospel' respectively.
Thank you.
In Christ Jesus
Chris
Last edited: