Let Him Speak To Your Heart.
2 Cor.3:6, “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the (Holy) Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.”
By the word letter we are to understand it to mean, the law written on tables of stone. The law required perfect obedience, a task no man can perform because of the corruption of our nature; therefore the law or letter killeth, meaning the letter can pronounce nothing but a sentence of censure, and eternal death against us.
“But of (Holy) Spirit,” it intending the saving doctrine of the Gospel, which derives it origin from the Holy Spirit; He being our Comforter, who teaches, and instructs, thus preparing the children of God for eternal life.
In the same sense, Jesus Christ’s said,
John 6:63, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
Jesus is saying the words that give life are from the Holy Spirit of God, and if received with faith, will lead us to eternal life.
We can find a similar mode of expression in Rom.8:2, “For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Here, by the law of the spirit of life is meant the doctrine of the Gospel, because it is a peculiar instrument employed in the operation of the Holy Spirit; who by a Divine power, changes the heart, and writes his law upon it.
Now; not only inscribed on tablets, parchments, and the Holy Bible itself, but it now will penetrate the very heart of man, and will quicken us into action, spiritual movement, and direction.
Ps.51:10, “Create in (us) a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within (us.)”
Ez.36:26-27, “A new heart also will I (the Lord) give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stoney heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Compare with,
Eph.4:23, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” Also compare with,
Rom.12:2, “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com