Like it or not, the Ten Commandments engraved on stone passed away for those in Christ.
Not really God's LAW has the same role it always has and that is to give us a KNOWLEDGE of GOOD AND EVIL; SIN and RIGHTOUSNESS (Romans 3:20; Psalms 119:172) It is our teacher to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24).
2 Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
2 COR 3: 5-10
2 CORINTHIANS 3:1-10
[1], Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
[2], You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
[3], Since you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
[4], And such trust have we through Christ toward God:
[5], Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
[6], Who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.
[7], But if the ministry of death, written and engraved in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
[8], How shall not the ministry of the Spirit be more glorious?
[9], For if the ministry of condemnation be glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness exceed in glory.
[10], For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excels.
Now take a look at v3 highlighted which is the CONTEXT or what follows.
Now take a look at the NEW COVENANT promise from
Jeremiah 31:31-34 and repeated by the same same author as Corinthians in
Hebrews 8:10-12 and 10:16-17
Hebrews 8:10-12
[10], For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord;
I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
[11], And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
[12], For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
This is the part that is transitory as you say.
2 Corinthians 3 is talking about the NEW COVENANT of God's LAW written on the heart through LOVE by His Spirit. The transitory is from the tables of stone to the fleshly tables of the heart (2 Cor 3:3;
Hebrews 8:10)
Let's look at the scriptures laid out together side by side...
2 CORINTHIANS 3:3, [3], Since you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us,
written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
links to...
Hebrews 8:10 [10], For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord;
I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.
links to...
JEREMIAH 31:33 [33],
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, said the LORD,
I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
links to...
EZEKIEL 36:26-32 [26],
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and
I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
links to...
2 CORINTHIANS 3:3 [3], Since you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us,
written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
continuing in
Ezekiel 36..
[27], And
I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them.
God's Spirit of love...
ROAMNS 13:8-10 [8], Owe no man anything, but to love one another:
for he that loves another has fulfilled the law. [9],
For this, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. [10],
Love works no ill to his neighbor: THEREFORE LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW.
The NEW COVENANT is moving the tables of stone to the fleshly tables of the heart through FAITH that works by LOVE by God's Spirit (
Romans 8:1-4).
.................
CONCLUSION: 2 Cor 3 is talking about the NEW COVENANT of LOVE written on the heart to walk in God's LAW, to be OBEDIENT to follow God through LOVE. It is NOT talking about ABOLISHING God's LAW it is talking about FULFILLING God's LAW in those who BELIEVE God's WORD. This is RIGHTEOUSNESS (Salvation) by FAITH for a SINNER that BELIEVES the WORD'S of the SAVIOUR (JESUS). What is being ABOLISHED is the condemnation and the penalty of sin through FAITH in Christ by walking in the Spirit under the NEW COVENANT.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Indeed we are free from the law of sin and death because we have been given forgiveness by faith and are now free to walk in God's Spirit. This is not saying God's Commandments are abolished as you are trying to interpret the scriptures or there would be no knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20; 3:31)
1 John 3:5-9 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
New Covenant Commandments
1 John 3:
16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
Here you go you left out the context of the scriptures you have provided. How do you know what sin is? You left out the context in v4
1 JOHN 3:4 [4] Whoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. The context of 1 JOHN 3:23 is that those who break God's 10 Commandments are not God's Children and those who break God's 10 Commandments are the children of the Devil (1 JOHN 3:3-10). Your leaving out CONTEXT my dear.
Let's look at the scriptures
1 JOHN 3:3-15
[3], And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
4, Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF GOD'S LAW.
[5], And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
[6], Whosoever abides in him SIN <breaks God's LAW> not: whosoever SIN<breaks God's LAW> hath not seen him, neither known him.
[7], Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous <
Psalms 119:172 All your commandments = RIGHTEOUSNESS>.
[8], He that commits SIN <breaks God's LAW> is of the devil
; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
[9],
Whosoever is born of God DOES NOT commit SIN<breaks God's LAW>; for his seed remains in him:
and he cannot SIN<breaks God's LAW>,
because he is born of God.
[10], In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother.
[11], For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
[12], Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
[13], Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
[14], We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death.
[15], Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no MURDERER hath eternal life abiding in him.
Some key points..........
v4. SIN = Breaking God's Commandments
v6. Those who knowingly break God's commandments do not know God
v7. Don't be DECEIVED only those who DO NOT break God's commandments are is RIGHTEOUS as HE IS RIGHTEOUS
v8. If you are living in a life of KNOWN UNREPENTANT SIN you are following the DEVIL and not GOD (Acts 17:30-31; Heb 10:26:27)
v9. If you are BORN OF GOD you will NOT practice SIN
v10. LOVE AND OBEDIENCE to GOD'S LAW SHOW WHO ARE GOD'S PEOPLE and DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD'S LAW SHOW THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL
v15. Example of the 7th commandment (
Exodus 20:13) being broken. Those who brake God's LAW and SIN DO NOT have ETERNAL LIFE
Links to what Jesus says in Matthew..............
Matthew 7
21, Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; BUT HE THE DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN <FAITH THAT WORKS BY Love and OBEDIENCE>
22, Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23, And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU <
1 John 3:6 = has not seen him or known him because they break God's LAW and practice SIN>:
DEPART FROM ME YOU WHO WORK INIQUITY (SIN)
................
CONCLUSION: The CHAPTER and SCRIPTURE CONTEXT is those who are OBEDIENT to GOD'S Commandments and those who are DISOBEDIENT to God's COMMANDMENTS mentioning
MURDER in v15 which is the 6th Commandment of the 10 Commandments (
Exodus 20:13). PAUL, JAMES and JOHN all agree together that SIN is breaking ANY of God's 10 Commandments.
................
SIN is the breaking of God's Commandments (
James 2:9-11;
Romans 7:7;
1 John 3:4) Those who CONTINUE in UNREPENTANT SIN will NOT enter into the KINGDOM of HEAVEN.
Sorry 1stcenturylady, as shown above you have left out context. God's WORD disagrees with you.
Hope this helps
