The Spirit & the Word

Bruce R. Booker

The Spirit Inspired the Word• 20 “But know this first of

all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

2 Peter 1:20-21

• ““AllAll Scripture is Scripture is inspiredinspired by by God and profitable for teaching, God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness…”training in righteousness…”

2 Timothy 3:162 Timothy 3:16

What Scripture was Shaul (Paul Referring to?

Only Scripture they had: the TANAKH (Hebrew Scriptures)!

There were no “New Testament” Scriptures at this time.

What kind of Spirit inspired the What kind of Spirit inspired the Word?Word?

TheThe Holy Holy SpiritSpirit

God’sGod’s Spirit Spirit..

He shares the nature of God.He shares the nature of God.

He is God.He is God.

Does God Change?

"For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

"Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind." 1 Samuel 15:29

Does His holy nature change?

• If it does, we’re in trouble! Won’t be able to trust what He says!

• It is because of the consistency of God’s nature that we can know His Word will always be consistent!

He is the Same Eternally

• “Jesus Christ {is} the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8

Like the Lord, God’s Word is Eternal!

His Word is the Same Eternally

• 17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

Matthew 5:17-18

What about those who say: “The Lord has set us free from the Law?”

6 “But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.” Romans 7:6

“Letter of the Law” vs.

“Spirit of the Law”

Is serving “in newness of the Spirit Is serving “in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter” less and not in oldness of the letter” less demanding (fleshly speaking) than demanding (fleshly speaking) than

serving in the oldness of the Letter? serving in the oldness of the Letter?

Letter of the LawLetter of the Law / / Spirit of the LawSpirit of the Law

““Letter of the Law” is the minimum.Letter of the Law” is the minimum.

““Spirit of the Law” is a higher standard.Spirit of the Law” is a higher standard.

Letter of the LawLetter of the Law

““Thou Shalt not commit adultery.” Thou Shalt not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14Exodus 20:14

Spirit of the LawSpirit of the Law

““You shall not look upon a woman to lust You shall not look upon a woman to lust after her...” after her...” Matthew 5:28Matthew 5:28

““Thou Shalt not murder.” Thou Shalt not murder.” Exodus 20:13Exodus 20:13

Letter of the LawLetter of the Law

Spirit of the LawSpirit of the Law

““You shall not be angry at your brother.” You shall not be angry at your brother.” Matthew 5:22Matthew 5:22

Letter of the LawLetter of the Law

Spirit of the LawSpirit of the Law

““Thou shalt not make false vows…”Thou shalt not make false vows…” Leviticus 19:12Leviticus 19:12

““Make no oath at all…” Make no oath at all…” Matthew 5:34Matthew 5:34

Does the Spirit lead us to do Does the Spirit lead us to do anything anything contrarycontrary to the already to the already

written Word?written Word? If He does, then God is acting contrary to If He does, then God is acting contrary to

Himself!Himself!

He inspired the Word! He would not He inspired the Word! He would not contradict Himself or change His mind!contradict Himself or change His mind!

"Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind." 1 Samuel 15:29

Instead, God’s Spirit Instead, God’s Spirit CausesCauses us to us to KeepKeep God’s Laws God’s Laws

"I will put My "I will put My SpiritSpirit within you and within you and causecause you to you to walkwalk in My statutes, and you will be in My statutes, and you will be careful to careful to observeobserve My ordinances.” My ordinances.”

Ezekiel 36:27Ezekiel 36:27

Law Written on our HeartsLaw Written on our Hearts

"This is the covenant I will make with the "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their heartswrite them on their hearts. I will be their . I will be their God, and they will be my people"God, and they will be my people"

Hebrews 8:10Hebrews 8:10

Ezekiel 11Ezekiel 11

1919 "And I will give them one heart, and put "And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, them a heart of flesh, 2020 that they may walk that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them.”and do them.”

Nature of the Law = Nature of GodNature of the Law = Nature of God

““So then, the Law is holy, and the So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is commandment is holyholy and and righteousrighteous and and goodgood.” .” Romans Romans 7:127:12

"Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”

Deuteronomy 4:8

Just as God is holy… Just as God is holy…

““For I am the LORD who brought you up For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be thus you shall be holyholy, for I am , for I am holyholy." ."

Leviticus 11:45Leviticus 11:45

……and righteous…and righteous…

"The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His "The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, without injustice, RighteousRighteous and upright and upright is He.” is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4Deuteronomy 32:4

……and good.and good.“O give thanks to the LORD, for {He is} good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” 1 Chronicles 16:34

17 “As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18 And Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.’”

Mark 10

Imitating GodImitating God

By His giving us His Spirit and writing By His giving us His Spirit and writing the Law in our hearts, He is giving us the Law in our hearts, He is giving us the ability to imitate Him.the ability to imitate Him.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children…” Ephesians 5:1

“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1

2121 “For you have been called for this “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to leaving you an example for you to follow in follow in His stepsHis steps, , 2222 WHO WHO COMMITTED NO SINCOMMITTED NO SIN, NOR , NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 2323

and while being reviled, He did not revile in and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting threats, but kept entrusting HimselfHimself to Him to Him who judges righteously; who judges righteously; 2424 and He Himself and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that that we might die to sin and live to we might die to sin and live to righteousnessrighteousness; for by His wounds you were ; for by His wounds you were healed.” healed.”

1 Peter 21 Peter 2

Walking Like YeshuaWalking Like Yeshua

55 “…but whoever keeps His word, in “…but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: are in Him: 66 the one who says he the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to abides in Him ought himself to walk walk in the same manner as He walked.” in the same manner as He walked.”

1 John 21 John 2

Law is not a BurdenLaw is not a Burden

Walking according to the Spirit is Walking according to the Spirit is walking as Yeshua walked. It is not a walking as Yeshua walked. It is not a burden! It is joy! burden! It is joy!

“For This Is the Love of God, That We Keep His Commandments: and His Commandments Are Not Grievous” 1 John 5:3  

“Thy Testimonies Are Wonderful: Therefore Doth My Soul Keep Them... I Longed for Thy Commandments. Order My Steps in Thy Word; and Teach Me Thy Statutes.”   Psalm 119:129-136

It is not bondage! It is liberty! It is not bondage! It is liberty!

““And I will walk at And I will walk at libertyliberty, For I seek , For I seek Your precepts.” Your precepts.” Psalm Psalm 119:45119:45

The Reality of the LawThe Reality of the Law "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the

soul. The statutes of the LORD are soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward"keeping them there is great reward"

Psalm 19:7-11Psalm 19:7-11