The Spirit Of The Law - The Letter Of The Law

[KevinG]

Many of our discussions about Gospel practices and doctrines end up with points about the letter and the spirit of the law.

My question is why does God give us written and oral law through prophets? We have the gift of discernment and prophecy so what are the purposes of the law?

I think there are many clues as to why on the occasions that the Lord has given us revealed law (establishing dispensations, periods of disobedience (law of moses), etc.)

What are your thoughts as to why we rely on a written law that cannot always express the spirit (intent) of the law as clearly as personal revelation.

[asbestosman]

The Law of Moses was a schoolmaster to bring the Israelites unto Christ. Even though ideally the law of Christ is written in fleshy tables of the heart, we do sin and may not always have the spirit with us. Having written instructions can help us. It can also help us to fine tune our spiritual senses--the scriptures warn of being deceived by doctrines of devils and the commandments of men.

Perhaps in some ways it is similar to school. When I studied in math or engineering classes, I had to rely on some formulas and learn a few principles. However, to really be good at math or engineering, you need to have a more intuitive feel about when and why certain formulas and principles are relevant as well as more general reasoning and problem-solving. Now, if I hadn't studied particular formulas, I might still have been able to solve many of the problems based on principles and general reasoning. However, by studying the knowledge of those who have already worked on similar problems, I was able to learn much more quickly than I otherwise would have. In fact there are some things I would likely never have discovered on my own.

Another image that comes to mind is the rod of iron in Lehi's dream. The word of God leads us to the Tree of Life when the mists of darkness come. This is specifically said to be the word of God and probably includes the word as it comes through the spirit instead of just from scripture or living prophets. We know, for example, that prophets cannot list all the means whereby we can sin (Mosiah 4:29). Why do we need the written word? Again, we have a hint from the Book of Mormon and what happened with the Mulekites before they integrated with the Nephites. Because the Nephites had the scriptures, they were better able to stay in harmony with God's word and await the coming of Christ--not that they did all that well even then.

[Fig-bearing Thistle]

Many of our discussions about Gospel practices and doctrines end up with points about the letter and the spirit of the law.

My question is why does God give us written and oral law through prophets? We have the gift of discernment and prophecy so what are the purposes of the law?

I think there are many clues as to why on the occasions that the Lord has given us revealed law (establishing dispensations, periods of disobedience (law of moses), etc.)

What are your thoughts as to why we rely on a written law that cannot always express the spirit (intent) of the law as clearly as personal revelation.

A law is like a roadsign. If you want to end up at "X", then turn here. Yes some laws of God are intuitive such as "don't murder", but a law like "be baptized by one having my authority" is not intuitive. Yet it is essential to have it. Laws teach essential knowledge, and require essential action and essential behavior that is not always intuitive.

[Deborah]

My question is why does God give us written and oral law through prophets? We have the gift of discernment and prophecy so what are the purposes of the law?

I think we need a foundation to go from. I think without the foundation you might find yourself so far off base that you can't get back. Take the WOW since there is a thread on that. It was given as a foundation principle. As we have gain more knowledge of nutrition we can better understand the principle behind it. But because it has to do with our physical tabernacles and because all of us have such different needs and such different reactions to foods we need to apply the spirit and not the letter.

Same goes with fasting. One can obey the spirit of fasting if not the letter when health issues are involved. Fasting isn't just doing without food but it is an attitude and a focus that can be applied even when it isn't wise to do without the food (ie nursing or pregnant, small children, diabetes or hypoglycemia).

[KevinG]

Good responses so far - thank you. I like asking these questions even though I I already have an opinion because everyone ends up amplifying my understanding with their own perspective. Thanks!

[Rivers]

I think we need a letter of the law so we have some things that are doable. Nobody is perfect, but somebody could be perfect in specific things. Somebody could be a perfect tithe payer or obey the letter of the word of wisdom perfectly.

[Calm]

Many of our discussions about Gospel practices and doctrines end up with points about the letter and the spirit of the law.

My question is why does God give us written and oral law through prophets? We have the gift of discernment and prophecy so what are the purposes of the law?

I think there are many clues as to why on the occasions that the Lord has given us revealed law (establishing dispensations, periods of disobedience (law of moses), etc.)

What are your thoughts as to why we rely on a written law that cannot always express the spirit (intent) of the law as clearly as personal revelation.

Because we are all children in the beginning and must grow in mental, emotional and spiritual maturity to the point where we not only live the law in spirit, but our wills have become one with the Father's. This takes time and the 'letter' is there for our beginning steps and a crutch to hold us up when we are weak or stumble.

[CV75]

Many of our discussions about Gospel practices and doctrines end up with points about the letter and the spirit of the law.

My question is why does God give us written and oral law through prophets? We have the gift of discernment and prophecy so what are the purposes of the law?

I think there are many clues as to why on the occasions that the Lord has given us revealed law (establishing dispensations, periods of disobedience (law of moses), etc.)

What are your thoughts as to why we rely on a written law that cannot always express the spirit (intent) of the law as clearly as personal revelation.

The written law is to the spirit of the law as the body is to the spirit. It expresses the will of the spirit that came up with it. The written law is to personal revelation about the law as the body is to the quickened spirit, which in turn quickens the body.

As the body provides a substrate upon which its governing spirit can work in a fallen environment, the written law provides a substrate upon which a spirit in a fallen environment can access the Spirit that expressed it in written form (from the exalted environment), through the process of revelation.

We are given law through prophets because they can receive it. They can receive it because a) they have been called, chosen and authorized (typically foreordained) to receive it; b) they have qualified themselves through faith and obedience to receive it.

The law that comes to us in a physical/written/oral expression through the prophets in mortality is also the same principle as our bodies coming to us through our ancestors. That which is created in this mortal world was first created spiritually, then introduced into this world through Adam and Eve under the direction of God.

The design of the written law is to stimulate faith and obedience, and from there get the spirit of it, just like the design of the body is to give us experience (stimulate faith and obedience) so we can master it with our spirits and then be quickened by the Spirit.

[ERMD]

"And we will prove them now herewith--to see if they will do whatsoever thing the Lord their God shall command them."

Works for me.

[Questing Beast]

...

What are your thoughts as to why we rely on a written law that cannot always express the spirit (intent) of the law as clearly as personal revelation.

I have come to the belief that "God" never did give a "Law". And never will. We are free to do whatever we please. As immortals, our minds are so huge that no amount of finite, mortal imagination can possibly reach into the depths of our cohesive memory; it's all blanked out, but we remain connected to our fulsome, immortal memories rather like a genetic memory would function.

The "laws" referred to in scripture and from the pulpit are control mechanisms. Far too many human beings simply cannot refrain from trying to rework everyone around them into their own image; the prig knows BEST! And the world is full of prigs of all ages and both genders. Some of them are big enough prigs to be dangerous and even evil in their efforts to control everybody else. And thus we "see the violence inherent in the system".

It really upsets many people to speak this way: to say "We are completely free to do whatever we want." Isn't there order? Isn't God in charge? Doesn't God make ONE WAY back to him? Etcetera.

The answer is NO to all. "God" is not "in charge" of you or me or any other sapient, free will-possessing person. That's the beauty of Existence: we came to be, complete with an inseverable connection to "God" and the free will to think for ourselves, and infinite time and space in which to do all that thinking. "God is in charge" only applies to Existence in the first place: the whole system in all its infinite parts is caused by "God". The rest of it, what it's for and what you or I will get out of Existence, is all up to us.

But lest anyone accuse me of proposing and advancing chaos: I believe the evidence of our combined Existence on this world shows that the PURPOSE of our Existence appears to be Joy. And Joy cannot be realized or kept without adhering to certain principles intimately dependent upon justice - and justice cannot be defined without mercy, etc. So it is no accident that the societies of mankind all derive their stability and their joyfulness upon the same principles. And finally, to the degree that said-societies refrain from imposing controls upon their members, the level of joyful living is enhanced. This applies to all without exception. The religious-minded, who would impose their paradigm upon everyone, are at the head of the list of those who have been warned....

[ERMD]

I have come to the belief that "God" never did give a "Law".

Have you been to the temple, and if so, were you paying attention?