Matthew 9:16-17


Putting new wine in an old
wineskin would rupture the wineskin.
Mending an old cloth with new material
would eventually tear the cloth.
In both cases, everything would get ruined by
trying to mix the two different “materials.”
The same is true with trying to blend the law
and religious traditions with grace and faith.

Each has their place, but they are not the same.
The law was to teach people that they
could never be good enough to get to heaven,
so they needed something else.
That something else, of course, was
the righteousness of Jesus, given
to us when we receive Him by faith.

Law keeping and holding to traditions
cannot be made a part of salvation.
So, trying to mix the new covenant of grace
with the old system of law just won't work!
We must be careful not to put
too much emphasis on good works,
keeping rules, or church traditions.
They are great for practical faith actions but
have nothing to do with actually becoming a Christian!

If we try to mix them, we are likely
to ruin the whole thing and
people will not know how to be saved!


Prayer: Father, help us to focus on the right
things at the right times. Keep us
focused on grace and faith for
salvation and on good works as a result.

P.S. This reminds me of the Acts Devotion - Day 15.
Remember when the Jewish Christians wanted
to burden the new Gentile converts
with Old Testament Jewish laws and traditions?
This parable came way before the events in Acts.
They should have known better!


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