Many believers today rip 2 Corinthians 3:6 out of context to support your cliche false line of thinking.
It says,
“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).
Now, this verse is not saying that we are to interpret Scripture in a literal way over some overly spiritualistic interpretation (i.e., read the Bible as a metaphor when it does not align with what you like to hear). The letter that kills is in reference to the Torah or the Old Testament Law of Moses (the 613 Laws of Moses given to Israel). The context refers to the two different ways each of these covenants began, and it's not talking about the letter in general, like the literal commands of Jesus or His followers.
The Old Covenant Law of Moses BEGAN with the letter with the two tablets of stone and the written Torah.
The New Covenant BEGAN with the audible words of Jesus Christ, and His apostles, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and not by the letter like with the Law of Moses. That is the point Paul was making. We are now under a New Covenant (Which means we are to serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter - Romans 7:6). The oldness of the letter is the Torah or the Old Testament Law of Moses. We are not to serve by looking to the Law of Moses. Yes, all believers (
who are truly faithful) are guided by the Holy Spirit, but the Spirit is not going to guide us into any wrongdoing but the Spirit is going to guide us to obey what the New Testament says. The Spirit will not guide us into obeying the whole of the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses as a whole or package deal is no more.
The context of 2 Corinthians 3:6 shows the differences of the two covenants.
2 Corinthians 3:3, 2 Corinthians 3:7, 2 Corinthians 3:12-17 says,
[3] “Forasmuch as ye 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 fleshy tables of the heart. [7] But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: [12] Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: [13] And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: [14] But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. [15] But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. [16] Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. [17] Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
The context is not saying for us to look at Scripture in a non-literal way, and if you do, it will bring death. The point Paul was making is that the Old Law is no more. For in the Old Law, it did bring death because if somebody disobeyed God's commands in the Old Testament, you could be stoned and or killed physically by God's people (the Israelites). This does not mean we can turn God's grace into a license for immorality by saying that Jesus paid for all future sins or by just believing in Jesus alone for salvation.
