II Corinthians 3:5-6 Our sufficiency is of God,
6 Who also has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the
letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
That is difficult for people to grasp. We have used that verse many, many times in our writings: The letter kills. Does everyone understand what that means? Your natural interpretation, the way you read, as you would a textbook for mental understanding is what Paul means by “the letter.” That kills; it ministers death. Anything of the carnal mind ministers death. Is that not what Romans 8:6 says? But the Spirit gives life. So the letter kills – why? It is in the realm of rebellion and ungodliness. In Psalm 51, David is praying. He is very repentant and in this particular psalm he says, “In sin did my mother conceive me.” David realized that from the moment he came into this world he was in sin. He was just a baby! He had not done anything yet. You don’t have to do anything. You are sin until you are brought out of it.
Romans 8:6-7 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded
is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can be.
The letter kills because it comes from the realm of death. The carnal mind is death. The carnal mind is enmity against God. That means your natural mind is God’s enemy. Why? For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Your natural mind cannot be subject to God or to the things of God. It is impossible to do so! That is the reason Paul goes on to say that the mind has to be renewed (Romans 12:2). We need the mind of Christ. We start out in a realm of death, and it is only in Christ that we pull out of that realm. The letter kills because the letter is found in the realm of death. That is what it ministers, but the Spirit gives life. Why would anyone not want to enter into the Spirit of the Lord and experience real life? Why do they love to be in the realm of death? Why do they love to be subject to self?
II Corinthians 3:14-15 But their minds were blinded, for until this day
remains the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament, which
veil is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
This is talking about Israel. They did not understand what Moses was saying when they were in his presence and even now when they read the Books of Moses they do not understand. There is a veil that separates them from God so they cannot understand. They are in that realm of death. So how do you get out of it?
II Corinthians 3:16-18 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil
shall be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there
is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face (unveiled) beholding as in a glass the Glory
of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the
Spirit of the Lord.
Here is what Paul is saying: you are in that realm of death. How do you get out of it? By exposing yourself to the presence of the Lord and learning how to become a worshipper. Expose yourself to His presence. One of the most difficult things that any Christian will ever have to do is to put aside their self-life and just expose themselves to the Lord. Do you remember the story of Adam and Eve? They committed a sin and when they did, they covered themselves with a fig leaf. In other words, they saw themselves as being naked and they were ashamed. They hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. Well, we do not want to hide ourselves from His presence. We don’t want to hold the sin in so that change cannot take place, but we want to be exposed to His presence because the presence of the Lord will bring the change in us that we need.
The worship, learning how to know your spirit and to know the presence of the Lord, learning how to become a true worshipper of the Lord and how to expose yourself to the Lord, is vital. You don’t have to find a priest to confess to him. You do not need to come to me and tell me all about your sins. I have enough problems of my own. But do not hide anything from God. Expose yourself to the Lord. “But I am ashamed.” Good! You are ashamed. Expose yourself to the Lord and the presence of the Lord will bring the change.
We are changed into the same image (verse 18). Changed is translated from the Greek word metamorphoo. Our English word metamorphosis is derived from it. The worm builds a cocoon and goes into it. When the time comes, the worm comes out of the cocoon as a beautiful butterfly – it is a change of life form. So, as you expose yourself to the presence of the Lord there is a change of life form. You do not like what you are? Say, “I’m tired of living in this hell.” Expose yourself to the presence of the Lord. “I’m tired of being mad. I’m tired of being rebellious. I’m tired of having a problem with so-and-so. I’m tired of me!” That is what most people are tired of. Start exposing yourself to the presence of the Lord. Do not hide anything from God! Say, “God, here I am. You know what I am. There is no need for me to try to hide it. You know everything about me. You know more about me than I know of myself. I expose myself to Your presence.”
This is how the change begins taking place. That is how you go to heaven. Amen.
Copyright © 2016 by Henry DuBose