Daily Devotions: October 23, 2017

Daily Devotions: October 23, 2017

Jeremiah 31:31-34

“No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.” vs. 34

Jeremiah describes a new covenant that God will make with the house of Israel, one not based on law but grace, and his picture now hangs on the wall of every faithful follower of Jesus. It’s an image that was close to the heart of Martin Luther some 500 years ago as he struggled to find peace in his relationship with God. He’d been deeply discouraged in his futile attempts to attain righteousness…the power of sin was just too strong for him to overcome. But as he studied scripture he realized that what he had been seeking was already a reality. A new covenant had been enacted in Christ Jesus and by grace forgiveness was already his…his sins were no longer remembered by God. With that insight his eyes were opened and he devoted the rest of his life to reformation of the Church and the proclamation of the gospel. With the gift of hindsight we can see the flaws in his thinking and even lament his hurtful diatribes, but we can never forget his emphasis on justification by grace through faith. It was an idea that emerged from scripture and that continues to enlighten and heal broken hearts wherever it is proclaimed and heard.

Thought for the Day: How have Luther’s teachings changed the world?

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