The letter of the law vs the spirit

Anonymous0210 said:

I had a thought earlier today of following the spirit of the law and not the letter. To be honest I do struggle with just following the letter of the law and being unhappy and anxious because of what it causes me to do in life in regards to how to live it. I don't know if it's a good idea but at the same time i know following the letter of the law is not a good idea. So I'm curious how exactly do i follow the spirit of the law over the letter and is it biblical to do so? Thanks.

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Jesus gave us an example of this right from the Ten Commandments

Jesus said if we break the commandment of thou shalt not murder one would be in fear of the Judgement. Mat 5:21 He went on to explain the real intent behind this commandment, which is a change of our heart. If our heart is changed by Jesus, we would never get to the point of breaking the commandment because thoughts of anger and contempt turn into compassion and love and thou shalt not murder would automatically be kept. The spirit of the law is greater than the letter, and its never a good idea to disobey what God asks. He wrote His law in our heart Heb 8:10 to keep it close to us and it should become an expression of who we are. Obeying Him because we love Him John 14:15 Exo 20:6 1 John 5:3 John 15:10

The letter of the law is the wages of sin which brings death Rom 6:23 but if we are submitting to the Spirit, it brings life. If we are submitting to the Spirit we are abiding in Him and following the example Jesus set forth for us John 15:4-10 1 John 3:24 1 John 2:6

Anonymous0210 said:

I had a thought earlier today of following the spirit of the law and not the letter. To be honest I do struggle with just following the letter of the law and being unhappy and anxious because of what it causes me to do in life in regards to how to live it. I don't know if it's a good idea but at the same time i know following the letter of the law is not a good idea. So I'm curious how exactly do i follow the spirit of the law over the letter and is it biblical to do so? Thanks.

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Matt 5 is a good place to find Christ comparing the letter of the law to the spirit of the Law.

Rom 8:4-11 says that someone who is not born-again, not under the new covenant, not guided by the Spirit - does not keep God's Commandments - and in fact can not do so.

how exactly do i follow the spirit of the law over the letter and is it biblical to do so?

Rom_13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Gal_5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

If you read the biblical definition of love (1Cor 13:4-7), it is pretty much selflessness. The goal of Christianity is selflessness (2Cor 5:15) which is Christ-likeness (Eph 4). This is accomplished by transitioning from the flesh (selfishness) to walking by the Spirit (selflessness) (Gal 5)..

The thinking is the law spells out a few rules to try to keep people from doing harm to each other. At first God gave Israel 10 laws. Eventually some have calculated that Israel received through Moses 613 laws. Rabbinical scholars expanded these to thousands in the Talmud and Mishna and they still are not enough to cover every aspect of life.

Jesus further showed the limits of the law when he equated lust with adultery and hatred with murder.

If you look at the world and the people in it without seeing what you might claim, you can begin to see how one arrives at a detachment such that no action is taken that would harm or disadvantage another. One can even see how what resources one has might be used to advantage others.

How this transformation is accomplished is by maturity. Paul chastised the Corinthians for their disputations and contentions as being of the flesh. Elsewhere he writes that the deeds of the flesh should be "put to death". This might best be done through starvation. Paul elsewhere writes to "make no provision for the flesh".

If one examines his life, one is usually able to identify actions and motives as either being of the flesh (serving self) or of the Spirit (benefiting others). Being honest with one self (walking in truth) can allow habits of selflessness to be strengthened and habits of the flesh to diminish.

Anonymous0210 said:

how exactly do i follow the spirit of the law over the letter and is it biblical to do so?

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Here are some things which are Biblical >

"we who first trusted in Christ" > in Ephesians 1:12.

"'Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'" (Matthew 11:29)

"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (in Luke 23:9)

Now, a common issue is if we "keep the Sabbath", or are no longer required to do so. How would you keep it "in the Spirit"? It is not intended only for outwardly not working.

"Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." (in Exodus 16:29)

From this, I consider God means you stay in your place . . . at home to rest . . . not to go out doing things, even like church. But you rest. And it is time for prayer, not for TV and games and catching up on chores . . . but rest in prayer with God so now you are the right way to be, all through the week > prayerful and resting in Jesus while working and other things. And when you get away from this, into rat-racing . . . take a pit stop and stop that anti-rest stuff, then do what God has us doing in His peace >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

Or else, we are not keeping the Sabbath, but forsaking it by not staying in the blessedness of Jesus that we had on the Sabbath.

And one part of keeping our rest is >

"Do all things without complaining and disputing," (Philippians 2:14)

And >

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice." (Ephesians 4:31)

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)

So, we stop our anti-rest stuff, in order to get into how we can be loving, instead, with God . . . how this is possible with God.

The Sabbath is given, that everyone "may be refreshed" > in Exodus 23:12. So, this is for everyone > you love others as yourself, by helping and welcoming anyone else to also have refreshing rest which is in Jesus > "you will find rest for your souls" if and however you obey Jesus . . . all the time, by the way, not only on Saturday.

"Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death." (in Exodus 31:15) So, you "might" get into a problem by doing this by the "letter".

God was "refreshed" on the seventh day. And He wants you to be "refreshed". (Exodus 23:12) This would be in sharing with Him in us refreshing us so we are sweetly sharing with Him ! ! ! There is the love meaning of whatever God's word says. And this does not need to stop at the end of the Sabbath. But - - - however we get blessed with God in prayer and resting in Him, on the Sabbath . . . this is our model and example and sample of how to be with God all through the week . . . so we are not doing our own works, and are resting in doing His.

"that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you" > in Deuteronomy 5:14. So, keeping the Sabbath is a "love your neighbor as yourself" thing, including loving your servants as yourself by making sure they also do no work so they may be refreshed.

And, at any time, love others by not just using them; help and encourage others to have rest and peace in all they do for you and with you.

com7fy8 said:

...The Sabbath is given, that everyone "may be refreshed" > in Exodus 23:12. So, this is for everyone > you love others as yourself, by helping and welcoming anyone else to also have refreshing rest which is in Jesus > "you will find rest for your souls" if and however you obey Jesus . . . all the time, by the way, not only on Saturday.

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"The Sabbath was made for mankind - not mankind made for the Sabbath" Mark 2:27

There Christ speaks of the making of both in Gen 1-2:3

Is 66:23 tells us that for all eternity after the cross in the New Earth "from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all mankind come before Me to worship"

The law represents the will of God. God, since the Garden and all through scripture has repeatedly said to put His will ahead of ours. We is too dumb to listen.

Anonymous0210 said:

I had a thought earlier today of following the spirit of the law and not the letter. To be honest I do struggle with just following the letter of the law and being unhappy and anxious because of what it causes me to do in life in regards to how to live it. I don't know if it's a good idea but at the same time i know following the letter of the law is not a good idea. So I'm curious how exactly do i follow the spirit of the law over the letter and is it biblical to do so? Thanks.

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When in doubt I try to remember this:

Galatians 5:14
English Standard Version
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Beth77 said:

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

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Yes, that is God's will for mankind. We have other ideas that are backwards to His will. We act in servitude to ourselves instead of God and each other as commanded.

Interestingly, there are Jews who believe Gentiles are not required to keep the Torah, Jesus & Paul kept the Torah. From this they say Jesus and Paul taught the Gentiles are to keep the original law given to Noah. They actually cite New Testament scripture like Matthew 19:16-19, Romans 13:8-10 etc. as the commandments given to Noah. There is a covenant with Noah in Genesis 9:1-17 but it is not specific to scripture like Romans 13:8-10 ( but it seems applicable).

Regrettably Jews with this otherwise good natured view fail to see the Gospel with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Lukaris said:

Jesus & Paul kept the Torah.

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Yet focused on Abrahamic law which preceded the Torah..

Anonymous0210 said:

I had a thought earlier today of following the spirit of the law and not the letter. To be honest I do struggle with just following the letter of the law and being unhappy and anxious because of what it causes me to do in life in regards to how to live it. I don't know if it's a good idea but at the same time i know following the letter of the law is not a good idea. So I'm curious how exactly do i follow the spirit of the law over the letter and is it biblical to do so? Thanks.

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All I will add is what will make one have a better Christian walk: Concentrating on the law, or concentrating on who we are in Christ? The law is our tutor to bring us to Jesus. It is in Christ that we need to concentrate on. This is shown in the prayers of Paul to the Ephesians.
Ephesians 3:15-20 (KJV)
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

So many are still using the law as a sort of work to earn something from God. They love to dot every T and cross every I. But that is not the essence of NT Christian life in God. The essence instead is to concentrate on his gift of love and righteousness that we submit to God willingly knowing who we are in Christ. So that is why you likely are anxious, you maybe worried so much about the law that you are missing the love and knowledge of who you are in Christ.

For a simple book close to this subject, I like "Sit, Walk Stand" by Watchman Nee (Free on internet archive library but you have to register). Here also is a free teaching. Redirect Notice

timothyu said:

Yet focused on Abrahamic law which preceded the Torah..

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Yes, rabbis like Jacob Emden who I referenced, believe the Lord and Paul were faithful, practicing Jews who preached that the Noah covenant is meant for gentiles.

Lukaris said:

Yes, rabbis like Jacob Emden who I referenced, believe the Lord and Paul were faithful, practicing Jews who preached that the Noah covenant is meant for gentiles.

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However to clarify, The Jews saw their brethren 10 tribes of the people of Israel as gentile also. Anyone not Jew from the tribe of Judah was thus named. Jesus and Paul alike sought to reunite all the Abrahamic people descended from Sarah. In other words reunite the entire House of Israel. The Jews have rejected this notion even until today. As Jesus said, until the Gospel of the Kingdom is taught to all these nations of the original house, then the end would not come. Doesn't look like we need look towards that end anytime soon.