The Spirit Gives Life

Readings:
Job 35
II Corinthians 3:6-18

Focus:
II Corinthians 3:6b: "The written law condemns to death, but the Spirit gives life."

God's law is really a fearsome thing. If we were to try to get to heaven by living by the law, we could never make it. God demands perfection, and it is impossible to fulfill all the demands of his law. If we break even one tiny bit of his law, we are condemned to death.

But that is where God is such a marvelous God. He loves us so much that he has provided a way around this for us. He doesn't set aside the demands of the law. He just takes the punishment himself instead of us.

All we have to do is acknowledge that we have done wrong, acknowledge that we need him, and ask him to be in charge of our lives. He does everything else. And when we do this, as Paul says, we are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory.