Come to the Light

 

Come to the Light

Comments on Galatians with an ear to Luther’s commentary

Scripture Text: Galatians 2:14 and John 1:9-13

Series: Comments on Galatians

Today's Scripture Jigsaw

Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We generally think of this as a request that God’s purposes would be accomplished on earth, just like they are in heaven. We may not think about what this petition specifically means. If we do, I suspect it is in terms of the earth being a better place for us to live. God must be interested in this too but I wonder if Jesus had more in mind when he taught us to pray this way.

What if we applied this petition to ourselves in the area of sin? Our sin. Not the other guys’ sins. It is easy enough to think, Sure. Thy will be done. Make me sin no more! But again, there must be more to it. After all, God knows we sin. And we know it too. Hopefully, you try to live up to God’s grace by keeping his commands. But it goes without saying that you will fail in the effort. You will sin. So, with that knowledge in mind, can we apply the petition to the fact of our sin?

God’s will is that we have eternal life with him. So, when you sin, and the righteousness of the “earthly” law accuses you, and the devil then urges you to give up your pie-in-the-sky belief, pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” In heaven, under God’s gracious gospel, you are forgiven. His will in your sinful life on earth is that the righteousness of his grace would always outshine the accusations of the law, which if you only listen to it, will keep you in the dark. May his will be done as you keep your conscience exposed to the light of the gospel truth that you are not birthed by the will of the flesh but by the will of God (John 1:13).

Share this post

Log in to add a comment

Click Here For Content Archives