March 13 - From Slaves to Sons

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 22-24; Galatians 4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

As slaves we should know the Law, but as sons
we can know the Father - the Spirit of the Law. 

You’ll notice that the New Hope reading plan is more chronological (in order of their historical timeline) than sequential (in the order the books appear in the canon). However, the combinations of the OT and NT readings may also be related by theme. For example, reading Paul’s gospel-centered perspective on the law (Galatians) while wading through the most detailed sections of Jewish law (Deuteronomy) may be more than a just a happy coincidence.

Some wonder how much of the OT law applies today. The ones with timeless application are obvious. For example, the Ten Commandments fit our day as well as the day they were written. But some of the laws we’ve been reading lately relate to camp cleanliness, slavery, multiple marriages, farming, dated construction techniques, etc. They have no specific application to our life today in a developed nation. Relax, you are not sinning if you don’t leave your house carrying a shovel when you have to relieve yourself (23:12-14). Toilets and indoor plumbing have rendered that law unnecessary. Yet, the intent of protecting ourselves from disease still applies.

Paul helps to shape our perspective with his Spirit-inspired common sense approach to the law. When we were slaves to sin, the law was helpful in guiding us toward the promise of a Saviour. But when Jesus came and finally fulfilled the law, His followers were adopted - from slaves to sons, with the Spirit of the Father now resident within them (4:1-7). “Lord, thank You for redeeming me as a slave and adopting me as Your son. You guide me every day, not by the letter of the law but by the Spirit of the law who lives inside me (Romans 7:6)!”