#DailyDevotion The Glory Of The Spirit Out Shines The Glory Of The Law
2 Cor. 37-11 7Now if that service, engraved in stone and bringing death, came with such glory the people of Israel couldn’t look at Moses’ face because it shone with the glory that was fading, Show much more certainly 8will the service of the Spirit have glory? 9If the service that condemns has glory, the service that gives righteousness much more certainly overflows with glory. 10That which had glory lost it because the other glory outshone it. 11If that which fades away had its glory, that which is permanent much more certainly has glory.
That service is the service of the Old Testament Torah, the Covenant the LORD made with Israel on Mt. Sinai. Though it pointed to their need for Christ and to Christ himself, having been only engraved on stone, it brought death. As Paul says in Romans 5, “20The Law came to multiply sin,…” It was not written on their hearts. Yet the service of that Torah (Law) was so glorious the people could not look at Moses’. He shined with the glory of the LORD, yet that glory also faded.
The service of the Spirit (the New Testament, the Good News of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins in his name) much more certainly has glory. The Old Covenant could not give righteousness by all its commands because it was not written on the people’s hearts. The Spirit of God writes the Torah of Jesus Christ into our hearts. His service gives righteousness which overflows with much more glory than the old. His glory while it condemns us for our sins, also bestows upon us the forgiveness of those sins in Christ Jesus. His glory gives us grace to believe in the forgiveness of sins, the kindness of the LORD, his steadfast love towards us, his mercy to us, with the discipline we need to mortify our sinful flesh.
The glory of the Old Covenant is lost because the glory of the New Covenant has out shown it. The Mosaic covenant with all its laws and demand, its rites, rituals and sacrifices was temporary, a guardian over us, as Paul reminds us in Galatians. The New Covenant overflows with the glory of God which declares us righteous and makes us righteous by faith in the blood of Jesus. It has more glory because it is written on our hearts when the Spirit makes our hearts his temple. It gives us willing hearts to believe in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ which is mercy, kind, steadfast love, and forgiveness.
This service of the Spirit, which is faith in Christ Jesus, is permanent. It bestows upon us the kingdom of God. It makes us heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. It overrules our sin, condemnation and death and gives us faith, hope and love. The love of God rules our hearts. If we obey or do the works of the law it is from love and not terror of punishment, for the forgiveness of our sins rules our hearts. We know if we don’t do something perfect or just right, the Father’s mercy in Christ Jesus overrules whatever condemnation we deserve so we need not fear punishment any longer. It is from faithful, grateful hearts we seek to please our God and Father, knowing we are already pleasing to him by faith in Jesus through the Spirit.
Heavenly Father, may your Holy Spirit always engrave upon our hearts the mercy, kindness, steadfast love and forgiveness you have for us in Christ Jesus and when we fail and need discipline do it in the same towards us so we may not be overcome and fall away. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.