2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

What is the letter of the New Testament that kills? I don’t see it. Love, grace, unity of the spirit, fellowship, and help in times of trouble. I just didn’t get it. That was last night.

This morning I have another take. Is it right, is it wrong, does it relate? You tell me.

When I was a child my first teaching on writing came in the form of an exercise in connecting the dots. You had a letter at the beginning of the line, all filled out to copy. It was my job to connect the dots in a way that resulted in a letter that looked like that to the left. Practice, practice, practice, repetition is the price of knowledge.

The cursive writing came along in my education. There was that fluid movement that allowed for some variation, style, personality. I had one girl in class that loved to dot her I’s with a little heart. Over time it became her thing. She was no longer grade for her not sticking to the letter’s form.

Some do not write in cursive, they still print everything. Not because they cannot, only because they want to be understood. Cursive can be so individualized that it becomes illegible. That is why I type everything. I have substantial tremors, so I have a reason for illegible cursive handwriting.

So what does this have to do with the letter killeth? A friend said recently that he loved the diversity of the body of Christ. Each part fits according to the Master’s design. It is when we have that expectation that if you don’t look like me, if your letters are illegible, you have no value. That is what kills relationships. The issue of letters is to communicate. You do not have to write like I do, but if I cannot read your letters, then I have to find another way to relate to you, or our relationship will suffer.

Demanding that you use block lettering because I cannot read your letter will only frustrate and alienate you from me. But if you understand I don’t get it, then your cooperation is needed to find a way to keep connected.

Philemon 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Jeremiah 15:13 To the winner goes the spoils.

Isn’t it amazing how people will quote the bible without even knowing the source of the information? I know I titled this devotional entitlements, and that might be a poor play on words just to get your attention, but hear me out.

John 3:35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

God gave everything to Jesus and Jesus all things to us, doesn’t that mean we are entitled?

Spoiler alert, this is NOT a prosperity teaching.

What are we entitled to here? All godliness. You do not get the abundant life separate from and excluding godliness. It is a package deal. So often we see the grace of God being the opportunity to receive that which we do not deserve. That is true, but with each receipt comes a healthy dose of godliness. We don’t get to receive the abundant life and leave the godliness until later. It is a package deal, you have to take both.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through Christ we get to claim the victory and we are entitled to the spoils, but not to be spoiled.

Did anyone catch that the opening verse was not quoted out of the KJV as I usually do. It was from the LLT, Larry’s Literal Translation.

Jeremiah 15:13 Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders.

Yes, I left out the sin part and God would have you do the same.