Letter or Spirit?

Ed McClanahan

In my former workplace, we had common discussions about the letter of the law, versus the spirit of the law. A person citing the letter of the law would argue that it means precisely what is written. Someone arguing for the spirit of the law would insist on interpreting its underlying meaning. 

For example, in some states (including Washington until 2003) lawmakers enacted rules that required a driver to have a litter bag in their car. You may have even heard some funny stories about people who were actually ticketed for not possessing one. Well, that is (or was) the letter of the law. But the spirit of the law was to keep people from littering! If you weren’t throwing trash out the window of your car, what difference did it make if you had a litter bag or not?

I tend to think there’s some similarities to “the law” as written in the Bible. The law states that if I obey only nine of the ten commandments, it’s as if I’ve broken all of them! (James 2:10). Ouch! 

But one time Jesus was asked what the most important law was to keep. Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

What? You mean if I keep those two commandments I’ve kept them all? I think Jesus might be saying, “if you keep these two, you’ll automatically fall in line with the others.” If I’m loving God, and loving people, then I’ll have no problem with stealing, or wanting other people’s things, or lying, or being mean to my parents…..and so on.

God himself prefers the spirit. We’re told in 2 Corinthians 3:4-6, Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 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.

Aren’t you glad you have the Spirit that gives life?