And why would anyone want to embrace the transitory ministry of condemnation and death that has no glory now? (
2 Corinthians 3:6-11) The letter kills.
2 Corinthians 3:6-11
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was
engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
Paul on the Law: 2 Corinthians 3
Continued from:
Paul on the Law: 1 Corinthians 9
2 Corinthians 3 (CLV)
1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or need we not, even as some, commendatory letters to you or from you? 2
You are our letter, engraven in our hearts, known and read by all men,
Interesting the letter isn't a thing; it's a who. Who might that be?
Does the last verse of the previous chapter give us a clue?
17 For we are not as the majority, who are peddling the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God in Christ, are we speaking."
3 for you are manifesting a
letter of Christ, dispensed by us, and engraven,
not with ink, but with the
spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets, but on the fleshy tablets of the
heart."
A letter of Messiah written in the Ruach of YHWH, engraved on our hearts. That's quite a letter!
(CLV) Jer 31:31
Behold, the days are coming, averring is Yahweh, when I will contract a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
(CLV) Jer 31:32
Not like the covenant which I contracted with their fathers in the day I held fast- into their hand to bring them forth from the land of Egypt, which covenant of Mine they themselves annulled while I was Possessor over them, averring is Yahweh.
(CLV) Jer 31:33
For this is the covenant which I shall contract with the house of Israel after those days, averring is Yahweh: I will put My law within them, And I shall write it on their heart; I will become their Elohim, And they shall become My people.
(CLV) Ro 2:15
who are displaying the action of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying together and their reckonings between one another, accusing or defending them,
4 Now such is the confidence we have through Christ toward God 5 (not that we are competent of ourselves, to reckon anything as of ourselves, but our competency is of God),
Those who walk in the ways of YHWH, do it not of their own power; but by YHWH's power through Messiah.
6 Who also makes us competent dispensers of a new covenant,
not of the letter, but of the spirit,
The Ruach Ha'Kodesh reminds you of YHWH's Law, when your eyes aren't on it.
Well either that, or we're abolishing the law of YHWH, written in the Ruach of YHWH, engraved on our hearts.
Let's see what else Paul has to say about YHWH's law:
(CLV) Ac 24:14
"Yet I am avowing this to you, that, according to the way which they are terming a sect, thus am I offering divine service to the hereditary God, believing all that is written, according to the law and in the prophets,
(CLV) Ac 25:8
Paul defending that "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the sanctuary, nor against Caesar did I any sin."
(CLV) Ro 2:12
for whoever sinned without law, without law also shall perish, and whoever sinned in law, through law will be judged.
(CLV) Ro 3:31
Are we, then, nullifying law through faith? May it not be coming to that! Nay, we are sustaining law.
(CLV) Ro 7:12
So that the law, indeed, is holy, and the precept holy and just and good.
(CLV) Ro 7:22
For I am gratified with the law of God as to the man within,
I'll just go with my first intuition.
for the
letter is killing, yet the
spirit is vivifying." 7 (Now if the
dispensation of death, by letters chiseled in stone,
Obviously this is speaking of YHWH's Law. Why does Paul call it the 'dispensation of death'? When we break the law, the wages are death.
Is the law death? No; death is the result of disobedience to YHWH.
Those who are led by YHWH's Ruach, are obedient to the Torah. The Spirit's Law of Life frees them from disobedience to the Torah, The law of Sin and Death.
See: Paul on the Law: Romans Chapter 8
Those who die to sin; are reborn in the Ruach.
came in glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look intently into the face of Moses, because of the
glory of his face, which was being nullified, 8 how shall not rather the dispensation of the spirit be in glory?
Why do you suppose that the glory in the face of Moses was being nullified? Moses gained that glory in the presence of YHWH's righteous glory. Moses was the mediator between YHWH and Israel; but Israel didn't want to see YHWH's glory in Moses; any more than they had a will to obey YHWH's law.
YHWH Ruach gives us the will to obedience to YHWH's Torah.
Hallelu YAH!
9 For if in the dispensation of condemnation is glory,
YHWH's law condemns those who don't keep YHWH's law.
When we turn from sin in faith; and we are washed clean through YHWH's grace; glory be to YHWH!
much rather the dispensation of
righteousness is exceeding in glory."
What is righteousness?
Definition of righteous
1 : acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin
Definition of RIGHTEOUS
Righteousness is obedience to YHWH's law.
10 For that also which has been glorified has not been glorified in this particular, on account of the glory transcendent." 11
For if that which is being nullified was nullified through glory, much rather that which is remaining, remains in glory."
What was nullified? It was YHWH's glory; as Israel didn't take their marriage vow seriously. They turned away from their husband in disobedience to his authority. They refused to glorify his righteousness.
Was YHWH's righteousness nullified?
Of course not!
12 Having, then, such an expectation, we are using much boldness, 13 and are not even as Moses.
He placed a covering over his face, so that the sons of
Israel were not to look intently to the consummation of that which is being nullified."
Israel was blotting out their marriage covenenant with YHWH, even as it began. They were a rebellious wife.
They didn't want to be free of sin. They wanted to rebel in their own wicked ways.
14 But their apprehensions were calloused, for until this very day the same covering is remaining at the reading of the old covenant, not being uncovered."
They didn't want to hear his Torah, anymore than they could bear to see the light of his glory.
15 for only in Christ is it being nullified.
YHWH writes his law on our hearts in Yahshua. You can't just turn your eyes away, or put your fingers in your ears, as the Ruach Ha'Kodesh speaks what YHWH has planted at your core. If you walk with Yahshua; your wicked ways are behind you. The new covenant is in Messiah
But till today, if ever the reading of Moses should be reached, a covering is lying on their heart."
Israel didn't want to hear the Torah. It wasn't in their hearts. They didn't take their marriage vow seriously.
16 Yet if ever it should reach a turning back to the Lord, the covering is taken from about it.)"
Love of YHWH is keeping his Torah.
(CLV) 1Jn 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we may be keeping His precepts. And His precepts are not heavy,
17 Now the Lord is the spirit; yet where the spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom."
Not the bondage of sin.
What is sin?
(CLV) 1Jn 3:4
Everyone who is doing sin is doing lawlessness also, and sin is lawlessness.
(CLV) Ps 119:44
I shall indeed keep your law continually, For the eon and further.
(CLV) Ps 119:45
I shall indeed walk in wideness, (at liberty) For I have sought after Your precepts.
18 Now we all, with uncovered face, mirroring the Lord's glory, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the spirit."
If we are YHWH's children; people should be able to see the Father in us. We should be a reflection of his glory.
