Bible Christians 2Cor3:1-6?

I agree that I have seen a lot of emphasis given to the letter and not enough given to the spirit here ...

But in regard to the particulat passage, if you keep reading I think you will see why - the glory and beauty of the law is only revealed in Christ - many who use the law are still behind the veil because they have not turned to Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:14-18

14 But their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside [only] in Christ.

15 However, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts,

16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

18 We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Paul address this issue in his letter to Timothy

1 Timothy 1:5-8

5 Now the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

6 Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion.

7 They want to be teachers of the law, although they don't understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on.

8 Now we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately.

Apparently the same thing was happening in Ephesus then as is still happening today - People who don't know what they are talking about trying to instruct others in the word, and turning aside from the goal of love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere (true) faith.

Not by power not by might but by my spirit says the Lord. WE need the Holy Spirit in our lives, we need the fruit of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. OUr lives are suppose to be a testamony of Jesus Christ living and dwelling within us. It is also the anointing of The Holy Spirit ( that is suppose to be in us) that gives the authority in our words. I think of the Apostles after they were baptised in the Holy Spirit and the great authority they had and how it grabbed the hearts of the people that heard it. If we don't live what we learn and read in the Word, I mean really live it, then the Word is just words, empty and worthless to those who hear it from us. WE can't live it without the Holy SPirit

He was speaking of the Law of Moses, the tables of stone he referred to in the 3rd verse.

Now you mentioned something about anger, a lack of freedom, and commands being based on scripture? Is it the people you're disappointed in or the scripture?

If it's the scripture, you may be reading it in the wrong light. As far as the people, you may not be giving them/us enough credit. A lot of questions posed here seem to be antagonistic toward the Christian faith and get some riled up, despite their best efforts. Two wrongs don't make a right, but noone is perfect. It's not easy to take it laying down when someone insults your Father or is ignorant of His awesome ways.

It is the spirit that inspired the word / law. Even today we speak about the spirit of the law, meaning the intention behind it. WHen you separate the intention from the law, it stops fulfilling the good it was meant to inspire, and instead can cause harm. That is, why we always try to remind ourselves why the laws where created and evaluate current laws in our legal system, to make sure they still fulfill their purpose.

Paul is not speaking about the entire scripture in this passage (as in history, etc.), but about the canonical law.

You have had a lot of answers on your original question . I will adress one of your latter questions .Where you state self professing christians are daming etc.

I will allow scripture to give the final answer to your question after I make a few comments.

It is a shame that so many who quote scripture apparently have never read it. for God has never allowed a believer to judge any one outside the church that is his job alone. our only duty to a unbeliever is to teach them the word of God if they will accept it. to those who are in the church we are to judge with rightous judgement.

1 cor. 5:11-13

11. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

12. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?

13. God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

2 Peter 3:15-18

 15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

 16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

 17Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

 18But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Acts 17:11

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Acts 24:14-16

 14But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

 15And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

 16And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.

The main focus of the passage you are speaking about is:

2 Cor. 3:4-6 (NKJV)

And we have such trust through Christ toward God. [5] Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, [6] who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Paul is discussing those that find their righetousness from trying to follow the Law...the ten commandments. The "letter that kills" is the ten commandments. No one is able to abide by them. They are 100% perfect, they are written on everyones hearts (even non-christians) and NO ONE is able to keep them.

Therefore, the 10 commandments were given to us to show us how wicked our hearts are and to have us see a need of a Savior.

The "New covenant" Paul speaks of is a covenant of grace.

Salvation is not of ourselves,it is of Christ and God. It is not salvation BY works but salvation UNTO works.

If a person is saved, we believe that we are undeserving sinners, saved by Jesus Christ Alone. It is not my works, but Christ's that saves me. This is Grace. Because I am saved and I love my lord, I will begin to display the Fruits of the spirit and I will do good works.

Ephes. 2:10 (NKJV)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

I do good works because I am saved. I do not have to do good work to keep being saved.

Verses "1-6"

The evidence of their ministry is not in some paper or certificate, like a letter of recommendation or authority. Their “letter” of recommendation is found in the persons whom they have taught and trained to be, like them, ministers of Christ. Here the apostle shows the love and the closeness, the warm affection and care of the Christian minister, for those to whom he ministers, they being ‘inscribed on [the minister’s] heart.’

Such a dilemma is not entirely imaginary. Consider an example. At times, one of Christendom’s churches has attempted to organize and carry out a door-to-door ministry. Such efforts have usually failed, fading out within weeks or months. Why? Christendom has not helped her adherents to qualify for the job. Even the clergy are not qualified for that preaching work, often despite years of education at secular schools and seminaries. Why can we say that?

God’s Word explains what qualifies a true preacher of the Christian good news. The apostle Paul was inspired to write: “Not that we of ourselves are adequately qualified to reckon anything as issuing from ourselves, but our being adequately qualified issues from God, who has indeed adequately qualified us to be ministers.” (2 Corinthians 3:5, 6) Note the expression used three times here—“adequately qualified.” What does it mean? Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words says: “When said of things [the original Greek word] signifies ‘enough’ . . . ; when said of persons, it means ‘competent,’ ‘worthy.’” Thus, one who is “adequately qualified” is competent and worthy to undertake a given task. Yes, true ministers of the good news are qualified to do this work. They are competent, fit, or worthy to preach.

From where, though, does that qualification come? From personal talents? From superior intellect? From specialized education at prestigious schools? The apostle Paul evidently had all those things. (Acts 22:3; Philippians 3:4, 5) Yet, he humbly acknowledged that his qualifications as a minister came, not from schools of higher learning, but from God. Are such qualifications for only an elite few? Paul wrote to the Corinthian congregation about “our being adequately qualified.” That certainly suggests that God makes sure that all of his faithful servants are competent, able to do the job he has assigned them to do.

I think Paul was referring to the "letter of the Law of Moses" and, essentially stating that man in his faithful actions is more effective in influencing his brother in faith and good works than any written word. just my thoughts...