Not of letters, but of spirit

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1
Not of letters, but of spirit,
  The New Testamental way;
For ’tis life the spirit giveth,
  But the letters always slay.
Outward work God never reckons,
  But what’s from the inmost part;
It is not to serve in letter,
  But life’s newness to impart.
DNot 
of letters, but of 
Aspir
it, 
A7The 
New 
DTest
amental 
Away; 
DFor 
'tis life the spirit 
Agiv
eth, 
A7But 
the 
Dlet
ters 
A7al
ways 
Dslay. 
AOut
ward work God 
E7nev
er 
Arec
kons, 
But what's 
Dfrom 
the 
E7in
most 
Apart; 
A7It 
is 
Dnot 
to serve in 
Glet
ter, 
But life's newness 
A7to 
im
Dpart.
2
Not just by the outward teachings,
  But by His anointing moved;
Not just by the outward pattern,
  But by inward vision proved.
Not by human rules or rituals,
  But by heaven’s rule within;
Not by human-made decisions,
  But by guidance giv’n of Him.
Not just by the outward teachings,
  But by His anointing moved;
Not just by the outward pattern,
  But by inward vision proved.
Not by human rules or rituals,
  But by heaven’s rule within;
Not by human-made decisions,
  But by guidance giv’n of Him.
3
Not a dead religion serving,
  But in Christ as life to live;
Not theology dispensing,
  But a living Christ to give.
Not the knowledge of mere doctrine,
  But the message Christ should be;
Not the gifts, the forms, the teachings,
  But God’s Christ—reality.
Not a dead religion serving,
  But in Christ as life to live;
Not theology dispensing,
  But a living Christ to give.
Not the knowledge of mere doctrine,
  But the message Christ should be;
Not the gifts, the forms, the teachings,
  But God’s Christ—reality.
4
Not objectively to worship,
  But to serve Him inwardly;
Not to preach a Christ objective,
  But Himself subjectively.
Not just by the Scripture serving,
  But in spirit and in life;
Not by flesh, but by the Spirit
  Filling, freeing from all strife.
Not objectively to worship,
  But to serve Him inwardly;
Not to preach a Christ objective,
  But Himself subjectively.
Not just by the Scripture serving,
  But in spirit and in life;
Not by flesh, but by the Spirit
  Filling, freeing from all strife.

Copyright Living Stream Ministry. Used by permission.

1
Jack Petrash

Irving, TX, United States

An enlightening hymn, illuminating the basic need to live, serve, preach, and shepherd, by the inner flow of life in our mingled spirit; not in our religious, objective, mental concepts. What a helpful reminder!

Hymn 908 can also be sung using 452 (I Am Not My Own), omitting the chorus.