"He has made us competent as ministers of a
new covenant —not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but
the Spirit gives life."
{2 Corinthians 3:6} (NIV1984)
Humans
love rules. We love to be told what to do, and preferably we would like that in
writing. When religion becomes a matter of obeying do's and don’ts, we are
deceived and lost. The Word of God becomes to us what Isaiah 28:13
declared, “So then, the word of the Lord to them will become: Do
and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little
there —so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and
captured.” We miss the rest that is promised to all who seek God. Our
religion is not be carried out by following the letter of the law, but by
following the Spirit of God. Religion is actually the wrong word. The word
faith better describes Christianity. We believe God and are declared righteous.
We believe that His Holy Spirit dwells within us, and we surrender our will to
His. We believe that our Lord will give us rest and so we seek His face, His
kingdom, His righteousness and we are filled. We believe and our life changes
because our faith is the channel through which God’s grace pours into our
lives. Let us not make the mistake of following the letter in this matter of reconciliation.
NO! In this matter of reconciliation, let us follow the Spirit, may He, through
the grace of God, bring us into reconciliation with each other.
Spirit of the
living God, fall fresh on me.