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I'm sorry for using the "spirit of the Law" when you were referring to the "law of the Spirit." The "spirit of the Law" is not my own term. If you Google search, you'll find 80 million + websites that contain it. The Wikipedia page on "Letter and spirit of the law" should provide you a launching pad to further look into the term. It is an idiomatic antithesis meant to demonstrate the difference between obeying the literal interpretation of the words ("the letter") of the law, and the intent of those who wrote it ("the spirit"). It is often employed by people who are trying to make an argument against legalism. For example, someone might say that keeping the seventh day of the week holy by resting from work is keeping the "letter of the law" and may charge that person as a legalist, while on the other hand claiming the Messiah as the fulfillment of the Sabbath and the present need to enter His rest and not keep the seventh day Sabbath, citing Heb. 4 (though I would disagree with this interpretation, but that's for another discussion). The two terms may not exactly coincide but there is certainly at least some overlap, as I imagine you would argue the "law of the Spirit" says the same in contradistinction to the letter, or legal code as you called it. But I'm going to move on because I don't want to get hung up on this since it's not the focus of this discussion.
I appreciate the Scripture you bring from Paul but I believe that he and I are talking about different things. Paul is referring to his task to preach God's revealed will and purpose concerning man's salvation. Yes, this is intimately connected to the good news of the Messiah and the word of grace, but I was talking about that to which a person should look for guidance in their lives, as provided by God: the Scriptures (OT and NT), the example of the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit. The New Testament very clearly demonstrates that Paul and the disciples used all three of these in their teaching. And this method should be of great service to a believer in thoroughly equipping them for every good work, for the three should be in harmony. For example, God states through his Torah-Law not to murder, the Messiah did not murder, and the Holy Spirit is in agreement. The Messiah expounds upon this issue and says to not even hate a neighbor in one's heart. By living this out, the believer demonstrates love for his or her neighbor.
There are many lofty theological statements being made in this thread. I appreciate that is your style, but not so many practical statements are being made. I have simple questions for you that need simple answers. I'll take the blame for not being clear in my earlier questioning, which has made it difficult for you to answer. My practical concern is: How should a believer live their life? What should they do and what should they not do? These are the basic questions a new believer will ask, and we should be prepared to answer these types of questions and also direct them to the proper resources to further discern matters. I have already stated that I believe the Scriptures (OT and NT), the example of the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit are these resources. Here are my simple questions for your simple answer:
1. When you are investigating a practical matter of faith concerning how to live your life, which resources do you personally consult? And does this include the OT Scriptures? Do the commands that God spoke through the Torah-Law have any part in your investigation? What I'm really getting at is this: How do you test what the Holy Spirit places on your heart?
2. I'm still fuzzy on your definition of legalism. Can you please define it more clearly, specifically, what does it mean to obey God by the "letter" as opposed to the "spirit"? Can you give a practical example of each of these? Does consulting the commands that God spoke through the Torah-Law as part of one's investigation make them a legalist? For example, when I think the Holy Spirit has placed on my heart that killing a person is not fulfilling the summary command to love one's neighbor as yourself, and I want to investigate and test this, does it make me a legalist to reference the command found in the Torah-Law (specifically found in the ten commandments) as evidence of this truth? (Additionally, I would reference the example of the Messiah).
I have many more questions about your views of legalism, but I'll stop here for now. I also suspect that you and I interpret Paul quite differently but I'll leave that for another post.
I appreciate the Scripture you bring from Paul but I believe that he and I are talking about different things. Paul is referring to his task to preach God's revealed will and purpose concerning man's salvation. Yes, this is intimately connected to the good news of the Messiah and the word of grace, but I was talking about that to which a person should look for guidance in their lives, as provided by God: the Scriptures (OT and NT), the example of the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit. The New Testament very clearly demonstrates that Paul and the disciples used all three of these in their teaching. And this method should be of great service to a believer in thoroughly equipping them for every good work, for the three should be in harmony. For example, God states through his Torah-Law not to murder, the Messiah did not murder, and the Holy Spirit is in agreement. The Messiah expounds upon this issue and says to not even hate a neighbor in one's heart. By living this out, the believer demonstrates love for his or her neighbor.
There are many lofty theological statements being made in this thread. I appreciate that is your style, but not so many practical statements are being made. I have simple questions for you that need simple answers. I'll take the blame for not being clear in my earlier questioning, which has made it difficult for you to answer. My practical concern is: How should a believer live their life? What should they do and what should they not do? These are the basic questions a new believer will ask, and we should be prepared to answer these types of questions and also direct them to the proper resources to further discern matters. I have already stated that I believe the Scriptures (OT and NT), the example of the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit are these resources. Here are my simple questions for your simple answer:
1. When you are investigating a practical matter of faith concerning how to live your life, which resources do you personally consult? And does this include the OT Scriptures? Do the commands that God spoke through the Torah-Law have any part in your investigation? What I'm really getting at is this: How do you test what the Holy Spirit places on your heart?
2. I'm still fuzzy on your definition of legalism. Can you please define it more clearly, specifically, what does it mean to obey God by the "letter" as opposed to the "spirit"? Can you give a practical example of each of these? Does consulting the commands that God spoke through the Torah-Law as part of one's investigation make them a legalist? For example, when I think the Holy Spirit has placed on my heart that killing a person is not fulfilling the summary command to love one's neighbor as yourself, and I want to investigate and test this, does it make me a legalist to reference the command found in the Torah-Law (specifically found in the ten commandments) as evidence of this truth? (Additionally, I would reference the example of the Messiah).
I have many more questions about your views of legalism, but I'll stop here for now. I also suspect that you and I interpret Paul quite differently but I'll leave that for another post.
And on the issue of the "letter" that is best described as the legal dogma that was written that demands obedience of the flesh, for instance the legal dogma of circumcision demands a physical act of the flesh, in the "spirit" it is a cutting away by the Holy Spirit of the flesh upon the heart.
The Sabbath is a temporal day that must be observed according to the flesh, the true rest of God is to cease from ones own works and enter into a eternal righteousness and rest in Christ.
Thou shalt not covet...The flesh will always lust, but in the Spirit the love of God rules the heart and we no longer look to what others have but what we have in Christ...we don't look to take but to give...
Does this help you see the difference?