3761 — What Is Done Away?
By Editor
Please explain the meaning of 2 Cor. 3: 6, 11. What does the 11th verse mean that is done away with? M. M. M. For a much fuller explanation of this chapter see "Bible Students' Library," No. 149, "What Is 'Done Away' in Christ?" If our correspondent will notice, he will clearly see, however, that it is not the law that is done away, but it is the condemnation that is done away. God made the apostles ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter of the new covenant, but of the spirit. It does not mean that the letter is the old covenant and the spirit is the new covenant, but God's apostles were ministers of that which gave life, not of that which brought death. The letter only of any truth, however spiritual it may be, will kill. It simply condemns. But if the living truth is received in the heart, it cleanses away the sin and the condemnation, and brings justification. The law of God written in tables of stone brought condemnation to the children of Israel as they stood before Sinai (see Exodus 20). But this was not the case with Moses. Moses looked beyond the mere letter to the power of the Spirit of God, which changed his heart, and wrote thereon God's law. Consequently the glory, which brought condemnation to them, and which at first brought condemnation to Moses, swept away the condemnation, and brought in the righteousness or the justification, so that the glory that was within Moses' heart shone out in his face. So in the days of the apostle, the ministration of the Spirit brought righteousness, and swept away the condemnation. The condemnation was with glory. It takes a glorious thing to condemn man for his sins. But that passed away in the exceeding greater glory which was to come, the justification, the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Therefore to the unbeliever there is condemnation, which God designs shall pass away into the righteousness or justification of the Gospel.