Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:10-25 (NKJV)
10 “So it shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land of which He
swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and
beautiful cities which you did not build, 11 houses full of all good things,
which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and
olive trees which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full—12 then
beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, Sent
from my iPad
16 “You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah. 17 You
shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, His testimonies,
and His statutes which He has commanded you. 18 And you shall do what is right
and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may be well with you, and that you
may go in and possess the good land of which the LORD swore to your fathers, 19
to cast out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has spoken.
20 “When your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is the meaning of the
testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the LORD our God has
commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son: ‘We were slaves of Pharaoh
in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; 22 and the
LORD showed signs and wonders before our eyes, great and severe, against Egypt,
Pharaoh, and all his household. 23 Then He brought us out from there, that He
might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers. 24 And
the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God,
for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. 25
Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these
commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us.’”
Devotion
Our text says, “then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to
observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded
us.” Moses is telling the people, “God has given you His righteousness,
therefore live in it.”
St. Paul picks up on this text in Romans 3 where he writes: “For they being
ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is
the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes
about the righteousness which is of the law, ‘The man who does those things
shall live by them.’ But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not
say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”‘ (that is, to bring Christ
down from above) or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring
Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your
mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if
you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one
believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.
For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’”
(Rom. 3:3-11).
Thanks be to God that in His mercy He has brought us to faith in His Son Jesus
Christ and has given us eternal life in Him. Amen.
The Lutheran Herald is a publication of the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of
North America. These daily devotions are authored by the bishop, pastors, and
deacons of the diocese. Daily posts are provided by The Reverend Jeffrey A.
Ahonen.
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