Key Thought

Jesus did not come to abolish the Law. His disciples cannot set aside the Law simply because they don't like it or it is inconvenient. Jesus is trying to help them to a greater righteousness and holiness. While this can be received only by grace, Jesus emphasizes grace must not mean rewriting God's will for character and holiness so the standards are lower. This is especially true of those who teach others about God's will. The last thing we want to do is promise an easy Gospel with no demand when God has set the character, faith, ministry, life, and service of Jesus as our standard. We do not want to make the way for others more difficult to follow, nor do we want to be the source of their drifting off the path either. In sharing the Gospel, we want to share the truth: God's will, revealed through his Word by the Holy Spirit.

Today's Prayer

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Father of all truth, I come to you now wanting to know your will and wanting even more to put it into practice. Please help me discern what your truth is and then live it each day in my life. I want to obey all your will and not just the parts that are easy to fulfill. May I wholly live in your love and care. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

"Don't think that I have come to destroy the law {of Moses} or the {teaching of the} prophets. I have not come to destroy their teachings. I came to give full meaning to their teachings. I tell you the truth. Nothing will disappear from the law until heaven and earth are gone. The law will not lose even the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter until all has happened. A person should obey every command, even a command that does not seem important. If a person refuses to obey any command and teaches other people not to obey that command, then that person will be the least important in the kingdom of heaven. But the person that obeys the law and teaches other people to obey the law will be great in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you that you must do better than the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. If you are not better people, then you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

— Matthew 5:17-20 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.