Galatians 3:23—4:7—St Paul here contrasts the position of a slave and that of an heir. Because
of our sin, the Law kept us as slaves.
We are slaves
to our sinful nature, and cannot share in the inheritance from God.
Nevertheless, God sent forth His Son to redeem us. He did what we are unable to
do: He fulfilled the Law for us. Having been set free from bondage to sin and
to the Law, we have been made sons of God, heirs of all His blessings. Eternal
life with God is the inheritance in all who are sons of God through faith in
Christ Jesus.
It’s easy to see faults in others. Do we find them in
ourselves? Self-righteousness makes a person consider one’ self without flaw or
error; without responsibility there can be no blame. That’s why we begin each
service confessing our sins using the first person personal pronoun “I” “I
am poor miserable sinner, confess all of my sins with which I have ever committed.”
Any harm or wrong done to our neighbor is ultimately aimed
at God; for our offenses are directed to him. Yet with the LORD there is mercy,
and with him is plenteous redemption. Psalm 130:7
Our help is
in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 124:8
Prayers for
deliverance from sin: We implore You, O Lord, in Your kindness to
show us Your great mercy that we may be set free from our sins and rescued from
the punishments that we rightfully deserve; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Almighty
God, our heavenly Father, You desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that
we turn from our evil ways and live. Graciously spare us those punishments
which we by our sins have deserved, and grant us always to serve You in
holiness and pureness of living; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who
lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. [2]
[1] Luther’s Seal, copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] Prayers for deliverance from sin, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St, Louis
[3] Collect for Thursday of Pentecost 2, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
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