In 2 Corinthians 3:6, Paul says, “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.”
The Pharisees obeyed the letter of the law, not the Spirit. For example, their legalistic observance of the Sabbath led them to condemn Christ for healing the sick on the Lord's day (Mark 3:1-6).
I'm so glad that Christians are no longer under these external Old Testament laws. Instead, we're under the law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:19-21). And under Christ, human need is greater than external rule-keeping (Mark 2:23-28).
Sadly, just like the Pharisees, we can slip into a rule-keeping mindset if we're not careful. We can base our goodness on externals while neglecting or excusing ungodly thoughts and attitudes.
Several years ago, I saw this truth humorously illustrated in a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon strip.
In the first frame of the cartoon, Calvin's mom tells him to get in the bathtub because he's filthy. In the next frame, we see Calvin fully clothed, sitting in the tub and saying, “I obey the letter of the law, if not the spirit.” (See it HERE.)
Unlike Calvin, when we love Christ, instead of sitting fully clothed in the tub, obeying the letter and ignoring the Spirit, we turn on the Living Water and wash away all our filthy excuses (John 14:21).
See The Pharisees Had High Self-Esteem.
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