Living in Grace

Deuteronomy 13-15; Galatians 1

“At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite…because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.”

Deuteronomy 15:1, 2

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – which is really no gospel at all…”

Galatians 1:6, 7

God’s command to cancel all debts every seven years was an early expression of the principle of grace. Grace is not earned, but rather, received as unmerited favor. God’s heart was for no one in Israel to be poor. Living with grace requires the humility to acknowledge that we ourselves are recipients of grace. At any moment our heart could stop beating.

Who gives us the health and strength to work, invest, and enjoy life?

Paul’s rebuke to the Galatian church was focused on their drift from a gospel of salvation by the grace of Christ, to the old covenant of righteousness through the law. Even in the Law of Moses, God was seeding the principle of grace and the year of jubilee. 

After receiving God’s grace at salvation, are we living with grace and generosity toward others?

“Lord Jesus, thank you for grace. I choose to live this way, for your glory.”