PHYSICAL WRITTEN LAW AND SPIRITUAL LAW OF THE SPIRIT
2Corinthians 3.1-18
Paul started from words: "Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need as some, letters of commendation to you, or from you?" (1).
We often do not see ourselves the way as others see us and we do not always examine ourselves and judge as others see us. But it does not matter how others see and judge us, but the most important thing is how the Lord our GOD see us and judge us.
If we live and act according to the Word of GOD, certainly we can be very confident in our way of life, but if we live and act according to doctrines and traditions men pretending to follow GOD, what it will do good to us if we pretending to be with GOD but do not live according to His Gospel? And what worth our assurance in salvation if we only pretend to be Christians but live according to human traditions and teachings? Do hypocrites inherit the Kingdom of GOD? Or may be GOD do not see our hypocrisy?
What then will happen if in the Day of His Judgment when He will reveal and expose our hypocrisy of each and every one of us, what then will we say to Him in our defense in the Day of our judgment?
So, according to Paul, we should not commend ourselves for anything, because it is up to GOD to commend those who follow Him and reward those who are faithful to Him. This is why Paul wrote this particular words to Corinthians, so they would not think about themselves more than they should, but humble before GOD and before one another with sincere modesty and humbleness.
In the end of this paragraph Paul start explaining the difference between Spiritual things and not Spiritual things, and the difference between the Spiritual Law that was written on the Stone Tablets by the Finger of GOD and the Law of Rituals written by Moses which also came from the same GOD.
~ Verse 6 talking about a certain New Covenant (that is Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses- the Gospel). Here too, Paul made separation and distinguished between those who only follow the written Law of Rituals, and those who follow the Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses (New Covenant-the Gospel) and took it to the heart, obeying and following the Spiritual Commandments from their heart.
~ The New Covenant: Jeremiah 31.31.33, Matthew 20.28, Mark 14.24, Luke 22.20, 2Corinthians 3.6, Hebrews 8.8.10.13.
'The Letter (Law) kills," as Paul pointed out the Law identifies and pointing to sin, and sin leads to death, "but the Spirit gives Life," means those who worship and obey the Law from their heart (from their spirit) will not sin willingly and purposely due for their love for GOD and for His Law. Such a person who are Spiritual will contain, keep, and carry his/her Spirituality of the Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses all the way into Eternal Life. Physical rituals, ceremonies, customs, and traditions have no place in the Spiritual World of GOD.
The point is that one worship according to the written Law and another worship according to the Spirit of the same Law, and here is a big difference. One still under influence of Death according to the written Law for the sin committed, but another does not have it, because he or she obey, worship, and service their GOD with Spiritual Love with accordance to Spiritual Commandments of the Law. For such Spiritual worship and service of GOD there is no Physical written Law pointing to sin and death, because Love do not sin, and so, such a person has Eternal Life of the Spirit in his/her own soul.
GOD is the Spirit and must be worshiped and serve in spirit and truth (John 4.23-24).
In verses 7.13 Paul mentioned Moses, "Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses." (Exodus 34.29-34). Indeed, face of Moses shone like the face of the angel from the presence of the Lord and His Physically written 10 Spiritual Commandments.
So, we can see that Spiritual Commandments have been given to Israel first, and later the Physical Ritualistic Commandments written by Moses. Of course the written Law of Moses also contain many Spiritual Commandments, but they are all based of the first 10 Spiritual Commandments written by GOD on the stone tablets.
If the written Spiritual Law has so much glory that a face of a mortal human being can shine so brightly and so intensely for everyone to see, how much more glory can be release and shine from the same Spiritual Laws of GOD, Moses, and prophets from all original Spiritual substance and context of the Holy Scripture! (8).
~ 13. Moses even put a veil over his face because he was shy and humble man (Numbers 12.3) and did not like when people staring at him all the time.