The Second Day of Lent
Posted on March 6, 2025 by under
Scripture: Galatians 5:5-14 (NKJV)
5:5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Devotion
One of the continuing challenges of living a Christian life is remembering that we have been saved from sin, not for sin. Our sinful flesh would tell us that since our sins have been forgiven, we should be free to do exactly what we want, exactly when we want.
But what should happen is that we should see God’s Law in a very different light. Rather than try to find our righteousness in the Law, we should see it as a guide to how we should live and love others. Instead of trying to find things that we have done well or right and use those to prove our worth to God, we should instead acknowledge that we have failed to obey the Law as we should. We should let the Law teach us how to behave, how we should think about things, and what we should say and do.
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Have we? No. And since we have not, we cannot hope to earn our salvation that way. But because Christ gives us His righteousness, the Law is good for us, good for our neighbors, and it is clearly in keeping with God’s will. Liberty in Christ from the condemnation of the Law is freedom to faithfully serve each other, not sin.
Collect: Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
