There is a famous passage of scripture written by Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:5,6:
Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The Spirit gives life. The letter kills. Most of us have heard some paraphrased version of this verse in popular culture or even famous courtroom dramas. We hear about the spirit of the law versus the letter of the law. There is the technical truth, but behind that lies the real meaning and purpose. The letter of the law can burden and oppress. The spirit of the law empowers and gives freedom.
I keep running up against this principle in my frustrations with so-called Christian politics today. Somehow, my fellow believers keep missing the spirit of the law with an overemphasis on the letter of the law as they diligently work toward victory in the culture wars.
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