Bible Studies

Letter of the Law Compared to the Spirit of the Law

by Michael Edwards 
02/17/17
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Letter of the Law

“When one obeys the letter of the law but not the spirit, one is obeying the literal interpretation of the words (the "letter") of the law, but not necessarily the intent of those who wrote the law.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_and_spirit_of_the_law

Spirit of the Law

"Conversely, when one obeys the spirit of the law but not the letter, one is doing what the authors of the law intended, though not necessarily adhering to the literal wording.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_and_spirit_of_the_law

We are clearly told that the Spirit of God's law is Love. 

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:14 ESV). 

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (Rom 13: 8-10 ESV). 

Letter

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. John 8:3-5a ESV

Spirit

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you John 8:10-11a ESV

Letter

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exodus 20:6 ESV

Spirit

Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Joshua 2:3 ESV

Letter

But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Luke 13:14 ESV

Spirit

And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. Luke 13:13 ESV

Letter

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  Luke 10:30-32 ESV

Spirit

But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Luke 10:33-35 ESV

Letter 

The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” John 19:7 ESV 

Spirit 

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Rom 5:8 ESV

Letter Kills/Spirit Gives Life

…who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor 3:6 ESV).

 
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