Reference Scripture text: 2 Corinthians 3:4-6, 'The Spirit Not The Letter'
As a general rule, every religion is centered on its uniqueness and its adherents being of the mind of the flesh. Religions stress differences and thus center their attention on the outer man: our morality, appearances, and actions. Religions compare themselves with, and contrast themselves against one another. Christian religions focuses on the historical Jesus and often reject the eternal, spiritual reality, and universal presence of the indwelling Christ of Faith in all persons. Many religions are preoccupied with physical resurrection after physical death.
Spirituality on the other hand is centered in universality, and its adherents stress being of the mind of the spirit. It stresses mankind's unity and connectedness with God and one another, through the indwelling Christ of Faith, the image and likeness of God, in the spiritual body of every person. Spirituality focuses primarily on the human spirit, mind and emotion, the inner man, as the source of mankind's behavior, words and actions.
Christian Spirituality focuses equally on the historical Jesus and the Christ of Faith. It includes and embraces not just the literal and metaphorical interpretation of the Holy Bible. It seek to more fully understand and embrace, the universal metaphysical and mystical understanding, teaching and daily practical application of the Holy Bible, and the Sacred texts and Oral traditions of all religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups. Christian Spirituality focuses primarily on healing spiritual blindness and spiritual deafness, awakening from spiritual sleep, and resurrection from spiritual death, while in our present physical bodies.
Christian Spirituality focuses equally on the historical Jesus and the Christ of Faith. It includes and embraces not just the literal and metaphorical interpretation of the Holy Bible. It seek to more fully understand and embrace, the universal metaphysical and mystical understanding, teaching and daily practical application of the Holy Bible, and the Sacred texts and Oral traditions of all religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups. Christian Spirituality focuses primarily on healing spiritual blindness and spiritual deafness, awakening from spiritual sleep, and resurrection from spiritual death, while in our present physical bodies.
In today's text, the early, Corinthian, witnessing community rejected the historical Jesus' and the apostle Paul's original Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based teachings. Instead they welcomed and embraced carnal minded religious teachings, principles and practices. They limited their teaching to literal interpretations of the law of Moses, the Gospel of Christ and the Paschal Mystery. They focused on the letter and not the spirit of the Gospel of Christ.
Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 3:6b, "For the letter kills but the spirit gives life. The Gospel and the Paschal Mystery, as revealed in the historical Jesus, are Christ-centered and Holy Spirit based. The historical Jesus declared in John 6:63, "It is the Spirit Who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words I speak to you are Spirit, and they are Life". Within his own Jewish religion, the historical Jesus declared that he came to not to destroy the letter, but to fulfill the spirit of God's law (Matthew 5:17-20).
The spirit of God's law affirms that all mankind are eternal spiritual beings, the image and likeness of God, now going through temporary, incarnate, human experiences. Mind of the spirit's interpretations of God's Law, the Gospel and the Paschal Mystery focus on repentance, faith, humility and obedience. They are seen as universal ways for all people, in all religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, to realize deliverance from slavery to sin, and experience spiritual awakening, salvation, reconciliation and abundant life, here on earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-13, John 3:16-17). Christ-centered Spirituality declares that potentially, with God's help, all mankind can pass over from slavery to sin, into the freedom of God love, through repentance, proper mental alignment and the incarnation of the universal Christ of Faith, while in our present physical bodies.
Of which mind have you chosen to be? Of the mind of the spirit, or of the mind of the flesh? Who within your witnessing faith community, steadfastly encourages and guides you, into being of the mind of the spirit? Who in your faith community seems to apparently facilitate your natural tendency and preference to be of the mind of the flesh?
Let's remember, the apostle Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 3:5-6, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 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".
