Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

2nd Corinthians 3:2-4 (KJV)
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: [3] Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.[4] And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

2nd Corinthians 3:4-4:6 (KJV)
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: [5] Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; [6] Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. [7] But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: [8] How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? [9] For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. [10] For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. [11] For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. [12] Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: [13] And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: [14] But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. [15] But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. [16] Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail 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 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.

[4:1] Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; [2] But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. [3] But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. [5] For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Second Corinthians 3 gives us an illustrated look into the Liberty that is in Jesus Christ, and the realization that the promise of Christ and His Gospel is in the Spirit, not the letter.

As Paul stated in another letter to the Thessalonian church, this Gospel came not to us in word only, but by the Power of Almighty God and His Spirit.

1st Thessalonians 1:5 (KJV)
For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

Second Corinthians 3 also illustrates that through Christ, God has removed the veil from His glory. By coming to Christ and in partaking of His righteousness through the blood of His sacrifice, we are made as incorruptible in the same likeness to a spiritual man, made similar to the glory of God.

It's only then we will be able to see God face to face and stand justified before God one glorious day.

Through the blood of JESUS the Christ we receive God’s law written in our hearts by Almighty God. Not that which was of the Old Covenant whereby the law was written on tablets of stone, but in a New Covenant whereas God has spiritually written on our fleshly heart--His law.

We can see this perfectly promised by YHWH in the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 31:33 (KJV)
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith YHWH , I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Briefly note that this New Covenant was made with only the 12 tribes of Israel, the same blood lamb sacrifice that our Lord and Savior died on the cross for remission of sins of all men (but chiefly first most made with Jacob’s descendants of the children of Israel).

The Gospel message of Second Corinthians 3 is about God’s gift of grace made possible by the New Covenant relationship with JESUS.

2nd Corinthians 3:4-6 (KJV)
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: [5] Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; [6] Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Paul is teaching the Gospel that is preached is not in letter only, but of God, His Holy Spirit.

It is the Spirit that gives life. It is the letter, or the Old Covenant law and its curses, or the penalty of that Law, "the letter killeth," which causes death.

For by the law is there sin (or the transgression of God’s law).

Romans 4:15 (KJV)
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

1st John 3:4 (KJV)
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Through the Spirit of YHWH seated between the cherubim on the Mercy Seat of God (resting above the law) and blood sacrificial atonement Israel had received mercy from their sins committed against God’s Law.

Through Christ (and His blood sacrificial atonement) we have a better promise, the Spirit of God, His mercy, grace, and full remission of our sins.

2nd Corinthians 3:7-11 (KJV)
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: [8] How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? [9] For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. [10] For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. [11] For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

If the Old Covenant law and the ministration by use of tabernacle of God and the Ark of the Covenant was already glorious, how much more so the New Covenant relationship with our Lord JESUS Christ which is not a ministration of the things of the old physical order, of an earthly service, but now by a new spiritual heavenly order.

We now have a new order of righteous Spiritual blessings of God’s mercy and grace, whereby we can approach the throne of Almighty God through the blood of Jesus, our Lord.

2nd Corinthians 3:12-14 (KJV)
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: [13] And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: [14] But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

The veil of Moses, which shielded away others of the children of Israel from seeing the glory of God shown upon Moses' face, was a separation between the holy and unholy.

In the New Covenant made possible by the blood of Christ, the veil of separation between us and God has been taken away, whereby God shares the glory of JESUS, His Son, with us (those in Christ) and allows us to enter into his holy sanctified realm.

Paul then alludes to the present day rejection of the New Testament Gospel by Judaism, that by living in the Old covenant law, “when Moses is read,” the veil still remains.

2 Corinthians 3:14-16 (KJV)
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. [15] But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. [16] Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

But Paul states that when those of Judaism, who hold the Old Covenant Law only and reject the liberty of the Spirit and of Jesus— their Christ, come to fully accept Jesus as the Christ and His better promise in the New Covenant, the present veil will then be removed.

For Christ has removed the veil, as this was done in the physical, also serving as a type and shadow, in the demonstration just minutes after Jesus the Christ's death on the cross.

Matthew 27:50-51 (KJV)
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. [51] And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

This veil of the temple shielded and separated the Holiest of Holies, where the Ark of the covenant was once kept inside the holy Tabernacle, from all of those outside the temple.

Once the veil was torn, there existed no partition or separation between us and God, made possible through the death, burial and the resurrection of Christ.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

2nd Corinthians 3:17-18 (KJV)
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. [18] But we all, with open face 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.

Paul is teaching that God is a Spirit and where the Spirit is there is mercy, glory, and grace, and peace and salvation from the curses of God’s own laws. There is Liberty from the old order or death of the letter. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Paul then writes of beholding as in a glass, or a mirror, of the glory of the Lord.

No longer hidden from the veil, we now through Jesus Christ, have His Glory shown or reflected back onto us. Those in Christ are changed into the same image, the spiritual image.

2nd Corinthians 4:1-6 (KJV)
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; [2] But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. [3] But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. [5] For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Paul writes if our gospel be hidden, it is hidden to those that are lost, that the god of this world (or Satan) has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, otherwise the light of the glorious gospel would shine upon them.

2nd Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2nd Corinthians 4:3 (KJV)
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Understand that the lost (souls) who do not believe in the Gospel of Christ, who are not in the liberty of the Spirit and mercy of Almighty God, they are still under the law.

Even Jesus made it clear that He certainly did not come to destroy the law and stated that the Law shall in no wise be diminished before the heavens and earth pass away.

Matthew 5:17-18 (KJV)
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. [18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Paul also taught that our faith in Christ does not mean we nullify the law.

Romans 3:31 (KJV)
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

The law, according to Christ, certainly still exists, and we just establish it in our hearts by being obedient to God and His will.

What did Jesus teach on two of the greatest commandments fulfilling the Law?

Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV)
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. [40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Christ disciples also understood perfectly well the importance of keeping and obeying God commandments.

1st John 5:2-3 (KJV)
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. [3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Those in Christ are saved from the curses of law as long as they sin not and stay in bonds of The Gospel and in Christ.

John 5:14 (KJV)
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Therefore all must come through JESUS the Christ to receive the liberty of the Spirit of Almighty God, to be free from the wrath of the law of God and receive mercy and grace and remission of sins.

Do you Know Jesus?

HE IS COMING BACK VERY SOON and Every knee shall have to bow down to Him!

Romans 14:11 (KJV)
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Philippians 2:10 (KJV)
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

Have you heard about Jesus, but are not In Christ (the body of Christ), read this article and get a (king James) Bible and begin reading seeking Christ in Truth seeking the Father YHWH.

Are you washed in the Blood of the Lamb (the Blood of Jesus)?

Do you know why Jesus came to earth 2000 years ago?

Mark 1:15 (KJV)
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Do you know How to repent to God, what does REPENT mean?