The Letter Kills
The Gift of God — The New Covenant • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Now, a few things to quickly note from our opening text, is that Paul spoke concerning sufficiency as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Now, by Paul speaking of our sufficiency is from God,
Sufficiency — ἱκανότης hikanotēs; adequacy — the quality of being able to meet a need satisfactorily
So, the adequacy of the man of the New Covenant is from God. We aren’t short of competence! We are more than enough, we are more than able!
That means in the New Covenant, Paul is saying, those in it, are enabled by God, they have all adequacy in God, in Christ.
Now, Paul began to describe the New Covenant and our sufficiency; and made a distinction (we will study this more shortly),
— “not of the letter” but “of the Spirit”
A very key distinction that we could probably miss; but we will come back to understand this more;
Meaning, when I look at the New Covenant and the adequacy, the sufficiency Paul described, it is of the Spirit; meaning it is empowered, sustained, and brought to life by the Spirit — unlike the old, which was of the letter.
Hence, when I look at the New Covenant, what characterizes it i.e. what defines it, is the Spirit. What you begin to think about is the work of God’s Spirit in man.
The Contrast
The Contrast
Now, Paul made a contrast, and the contrast has to do with The Letter and The Spirit.
What exactly was Paul talking about;
In verse 3; he already let you see that what he called “letter” is what is written on tablets of stone.
3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
The one written by the Spirit of God, is on the heart, but there is another one written, which is on tablets of stone
When you read the next few verses; he continued his explanation and maintained a distinction between the letter and the spirit.
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.
Ministry — διακονία -ας, ἡ; (diakonia); a role especially done in service to others.
The letter (which kills) — He called the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones (yet glorious); meaning, therefore, the service the letter did, was that it produced death; the question we will seek to answer soon is WHY?
The ministry of the Spirit; that is, the role of the Spirit, the service of the the spirit to us, is that it births righteousness, and it exceeds in glory.
Now, why is Paul doing this contrast? To appreciate the work of the Spirit, you have to see where we are coming from; You have to know what man had before this;
Therefore, we have to begin with an understanding of Paul and where he is coming from; That is the only way you and I will get to understand the ministry of the Spirit, and the gift of God.
The Law and the Ministry of Death
The Law and the Ministry of Death
If you look at Paul’s references, he referred to Moses and the children of Israel, and he was referring to the story in Exodus 34; and we should take a look at it;
1 And the Lord said to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke. 2 So be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself to Me there on the top of the mountain.
Now, notice a few things here;
This wasn’t the first one written, what led to a second one written; let us look at it;
The conversation began from Exodus 19 (don’t worry, we won’t look at everything); but it is important to start there;
3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
This was God’s plan for his people, for them to be such a special treasure to him above all people.
Then God wanted to come to them, you know,
10 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. 11 And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
Now, in verse 16 - 17;
16 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
To meet with God; God wanted all of them to come to him, HE WANTED TO MEET WITH ALL OF THEM TOGETHER;
Now, look at the response of the people to God;
18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” 20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.
Now, why did they tremble? and why did they stand afar off? keep that question in mind; only Moses went up to the Lord, and there, he whilst he was there, he received something from the Lord;
18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
So, the source of the tablets of stone, is God. It is written with the finger of God.
So, if I ask you, who gave the law? There is only one answer, and that person is God. Therefore, how is the law or that which is written on tablets of stone therefore, spoken of as by Paul as “it kills, it gives the ministry of death, it brings about ministry of condemnation”? Did Paul not read Moses well? We want to see if they both had similar views
Now, whilst Moses was on top of the mountain; remember same people that were trembled i.e. scared, and you will think, what awe for God; they did something;
1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
Now, it’s been barely 40 days! Yet, the people already rejected God and were willing to make gods, and abandon Yahweh.
Hence, whilst to us, it might appear like they feared the Lord, the truth was, they didn’t honor, not indeed have reverence for the Lord, future writers quoting this event said, what was in their heart, was a evil heart of unbelief.
22 “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 23 “So it was, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. 24 And you said: ‘Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives. 25 Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, then we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27 You go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us all that the Lord our God says to you, and we will hear and do it.’ 28 “Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. 29 Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
Notice the last verse;
29 Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
First of all, God told Moses the root cause of the issue, “they do not have the right heart in them”…
Secondly, he let’s you see, that keeping all of the Lord’s commandments was what leads to everything going well with them, and with their children forever!
So, we have “the heart” and we have “the actions”. It is with the right heart, that man does “the actions”.
7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: 8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My work. 10 For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.’
Notice again, they go astray in their hearts. So, when we say what was Israel’s challenge? It was their heart.
Now, therefore, the issue, was not the law, the issue rather, were the people it was given to; “they do not have the right heart”.
So, Moses would stand like a preacher today, calling his people to repent, then do the law of God, yet, they did not repent and always have the wrong heart.
12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? 14 Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it. 15 The Lord delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day. 16 Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.
Notice again;
Circumcise the foreskin of your heart! Be stiff-necked no longer!
So, what the issue was repeatedly was the people, not the commandments/the law/ what is written on stones. It is called the commandments of the LORD.
So, Paul calling the commandment good, is because, it has always been good.
The issue has always been not the commandment, not the terms of the covenant, but rather, the people whom it was given to. They had in them an uncircumcised heart.
Now, this is true of every man that hasn’t believed the gospel of Jesus, what they have is an uncircumcised heart, what they walk about with is a heart that goes astray.
Hence the flow is; HEART — COMMANDMENTS — BLESSING in the Land.
So, it wouldn’t be possible for them to do the law of God, yet, they were in covenant with God, they became unfaithful, but Yahweh was yet faithful to them.
He respected the terms of the covenant, and would have them blessed.
Blessing of the covenant
Blessing of the covenant
1 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:
Notice, if you observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, BECAUSE you obey the voice of the LORD your God;
Hence, what we will notice is, if they have the right heart, and do the terms of the covenant, i.e. keep the commandment, then they will have prosperity in the LAND!
But what about not keeping the terms of the covenant;
The curse of the covenant
The curse of the covenant
15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
So, the law, could minister both Life and Death! It could bring about life, or it could bring about Israel’s death, based on the response of the people, to whom it was given.
So, if they have the right heart, then, they will DO the law of God, and prosper in the Land;
if they do not have the right heart, then, they will not DO the law of God, and the curse of the covenant will come upon them;
Look at Deuteronomy 30:11-19
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. 15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
The commandment therefore could either produce life & good, or it can produce death and evil!
The life and good is that they will be blessed in the land which they go to possess;
The death and evil is that, they shall not prolong their days in the land which they are crossing into.
Moses therefore was admonishing them; Please choose life.
What will choosing life be? It will begin first of all with the right heart, then, right doing, then blessing in the land, but it is impossible for them to do what is right, with their current heart.
So, when I read, Isreal were unfaithful to Yahweh, I have to hear the underlining issue, “it is because they do not have the right heart”.
19 “Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel. 20 When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, of which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and filled themselves and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant. 21 Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants, for I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore to give them.”
Notice, God himself would say, I know when they cross into the land flowing with milk and honey, they will provoke Me and break My covenant.
Why? Because I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land.
God knew they would not keep the law, he knew because of their inclination at the very moment, he could say, I know you won’t do it! Hence, the law which could have preserve them, became an object of condemnation. (we will explain this next week even further).
If they do not keep the law, what happens it that, they will not prolong their days on the land, they will experience death.
Hence, Paul calling the law, the ministration of death, or that it kills, is because that was Isreal’s reality, they did not circumcise their hearts, then they did not keep the covenant, and they experienced “death”. — Death we will explain in this series also.
So, for Paul and for Moses, they were saying thesame thing;
The law could give life to God’s people, but it failed to give life, why? Because of the heart of men, rather, the law therefore condemned Israel and revealed sin in man.
This and more we will build up on next week.
