“The Letter Killeth”

“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)

Many people take the letter and the spirit to mean opposing things. The meaning (and the spirit) of the text is revealed in stating it like this: “not of [just] the letter, but of the spirit: for [just] the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” In other words, we are not to disregard the letter, but to realize that the letter by itself kills. Otherwise, we find ourselves on the grounds of a person who said, “Why don’t we just not pay attention to the Bible and just be led by the Spirit?”

The short answer to that question would be that God has appointed two witnesses, not just one, and that every commandment of His will is thus established in the mouth of those two witnesses, the Word of God and the Spirit of God.

Furthermore, we find in Zechariah 4 a description of their overall design and relationship to God’s children. The two witnesses are represented as two living olive trees, one on each side of a golden candlestick, and each tree continually emptying golden oil out of itself into the candlestick. It is plain that if the candlestick is too close to the Word, then the letter is not balanced by the spirit, and the effect is religious fanaticism, which kills. It is equally plain that if the candlestick is too close to the Spirit, then the spirit is not balanced by the letter, and the effect is religious zealousness, which leads to superstition and emotionalism.

If we attempt to define human love between two human beings in a code or creed (the letter), the reality of the two being in love is utterly lost—their love for each other will die in such an atmosphere. But if they attempt to follow complete liberty in the sense that they can do as they please (no letter), they will also lose their love for each other, for the spirit of love is more exacting, precise, and careful than any code or creed could possibly be. Here again, the letter killeth, but the spirit, invigorating and inspiring the letter, brings the most abundant, flourishing life that is possible.

Those who wish to have liberty to pick and choose among the teachings of the New Testament defend their actions by stating that they are avoiding the letter which killeth. Many of these are contending for liberties that Christ has not given them. Many are using the liberties granted by Christ for an occasion to the flesh, and they do this in the name of life, but it is a deception. Only the Spirit that inspired the letter can help us to properly interpret the nuances and details of that same letter in the way of life that enables the soul to exhibit the whole counsel of God.

“Every word Thy mouth hath spoken
Is essential to our life;
All Thy mandates love betoken,
To oppose them is but strife.

“Dear Redeemer, we would hallow
All Thy Word so firm and true;
In Thy footsteps meekly follow,
Thy commands we love to do.”*