“No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:16-17
The gospel of forgiveness and life through faith in Christ cannot be used as a patch for a religion of rituals and traditions, nor is the true Christian faith compatible with a system of outward works and rites. Combining them destroys both. Rather, God’s offer of pardon and forgiveness for the sake of Christ Jesus and His cross moves believers to faith and joy in God’s grace and mercy in Jesus.
O gracious and merciful God, grant that I trust in Christ alone for forgiveness and life and glory in Your grace rather than trying to be pleasing and acceptable in Your sight by man-made rituals and traditions. Amen.
[Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]