Lyrics
Two Ministries
From Condemnation to Life in the Spirit
Verse
On Sinai's mount the thunder rolled;
the finger wrote what stone would hold.
The trembling people stood and sighed,
Let not God speak with us, they cried.
The law was holy, just, and good;
it named our sin; no sinner stood.
The tables shone, the tables broke;
three thousand fell beneath the stroke.
Chorus
The letter kills, the Spirit gives;
one glory fades, one glory lives.
O take the vail from off my heart
and shine and never more depart.
Verse
From Sinai's mount he came once more;
the people feared the glow he bore.
He veiled his face, still shining bright,
so none could watch the fading light.
The vail has left the prophet's brow;
it lies upon the hearer now.
Not on the parchment page we reed,
but on the heart that will not heed.
Chorus
The letter kills, the Spirit gives;
one glory fades, one glory lives.
O take the vail from off my heart
and shine and never more depart.
Verse
Uzzah put forth his hand to save;
the ark he steadied dug his grave.
No hand might touch the burning stone;
the mountain threatened flesh and bone.
But Christ put forth his hand and said,
Be clean—and life outran the dead.
The woman touched him in the press,
and virtue healed her deep distress.
Chorus
The letter kills, the Spirit gives;
one glory fades, one glory lives.
O take the vail from off my heart
and shine and never more depart.
Verse
They dragged her out at break of day,
with Moses' sentence set to slay.
The stones lay heavy in each hand;
the letter's word was clear command.
He stooped, and with his finger wrote
in dust that keeps no lasting note.
And one by one her judges fled;
Neither do I condemn, he said.
Chorus
The letter kills, the Spirit gives;
one glory fades, one glory lives.
O take the vail from off my heart
and shine and never more depart.
Verse
The fire that fell on Sinai slew;
this fire came down and rested too.
It sat on every head like flame
and loosened tongues instead of blame.
Three thousand perished by the sword;
three thousand rose to bless the Lord.
The blade went inward, not to slay,
but cut the stony heart away.
Chorus
The letter kills, the Spirit gives;
one glory fades, one glory lives.
O take the vail from off my heart
and shine and never more depart.
Verse
The dust was formed but did not live
until the breath that God would give.
The dry bones stood, an army vast;
he breathed, and death itself was past.
No stone can hold what he will write;
he writes on hearts and kindles light.
His living letters, known and read,
alive where once the law struck dead.
Chorus
The letter kills, the Spirit gives;
one glory fades, one glory lives.
O take the vail from off my heart
and shine and never more depart.
Bridge
The temple veil was torn that day;
Christ died and opened up the way.
His blood now speaks; his grace is near;
the Spirit lifts the weight of fear.
Chorus
The letter kills, the Spirit gives;
one glory fades, one glory lives.
O take the vail from off my heart
and shine and never more depart.
Music and lyrics: Public Domain / CC0 1.0 Universal · Sound recording: Public Domain / CC0 1.0 Universal.