37 lines
4.3 KiB
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37 lines
4.3 KiB
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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Day By Day By Grace
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Bob Hoekstra
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July 19
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<h1>More Truth to Deliver Us from the Law</h1>
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<div class="block"><i>Now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to <b>the weak and beggarly elements</b>, to which you desire again to be in <b>bondage</b>? You observe days and months and seasons and years.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gal', 4, '9-10');">Galatians 4:9-10</a>)</div>
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<p>In our last meditation, we saw that the Lord's promise of liberating truth includes <b>truth to deliver us from the law</b>. If we are going to be justified (declared <b>not guilty</b> and pronounced <b>righteous in Christ</b>), we must be delivered from the law (which <b>condemns</b> us, pronounces us <b>guilty</b> of <b>sin</b>). We are rescued from the law by placing our faith in the Lord Jesus, thereby receiving His justifying grace. <i>"We have <b>believed</b> in <b>Christ Jesus</b>, that we might be <b>justified</b> by <b>faith</b> in <b>Christ</b> and <b>not</b> by the <b>works</b> of the <b>law</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gal', 2, '16-16');">Galatians 2:16</a>).</p>
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<p>Through this exercise of faith, we come to know the Lord. At this point, many Christians return to a religious striving-under-law performance, assuming they can grow in sanctification by their own dedicated efforts. <i>"Now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to <b>the weak and beggarly elements</b>?"</i> These words from Galatians repeat a major theme of that revolutionary letter: the power and richness of <b>grace</b> contrasted with the weakness and poverty (<i>"the <b>weak</b> and <b>beggarly</b> elements"</i>) of the <b>law</b>. The <b>grace</b> of God, that was <b>powerful</b> enough to bring us justification, is the only option powerful enough to provide us daily sanctification (growth in godly living). The <b>grace</b> of God, that was <b>abundantly rich</b> unto the saving of our souls, is the only resource rich enough to effect the transforming of our heart and character. God's law was never intended to provide the heavenly power or riches needed for justification. Neither was the law intended to do such for sanctification.</p>
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<p>The futility of producing godliness through the law can be seen in the Galatians' vain hope that observing religious holy days would empower them spiritually. <i>"You <b>observe days</b> and <b>months</b> and <b>seasons</b> and <b>years</b>."</i> Far from liberation, this was a return to religious enslavement. <i>"You desire again to be in <b>bondage</b>."</i> God's people are certainly free to celebrate days that may have spiritual significance to them. <i>"<b>One</b> person esteems one day <b>above</b> another; <b>another</b> esteems every day <b>alike</b>. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom', 14, '5-5');">Romans 14:5</a>). We are not to require or prohibit the observance of days. Nevertheless, if our <b>hope</b> is in religious observances, we are heading into religious <b>bondage</b>, <b>not</b> into spiritual <b>liberty</b>.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear Lord, I rejoice in the power and richness of Your grace that has brought me justification from sin! I humbly cry out to You for a daily supply of Your powerful and rich sanctifying grace. Convict me when I am leaning upon the weak and beggarly elements of law performance, in Jesus' name, Amen.</div>
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