I “love” how many Christians read this verse for its first part, the part where God keeps His covenant throughout generations. But then they fail to add the last part of the verse, that this covenant keeping is with those who keep their agreement with God. This was true in the Old Testament system. Though God is a god of grace and mercy, especially when we don’t deserve, this verse very clearly dictates terms. We may lean on God’s grace for all things, but it seems disingenuous when we ought to know better, and have been told what He expects of us. We become selective in our exegesis, conveniently eliminating those pieces that we feel we don’t need anymore, because we are “under grace and not under law.”
Did we forget that under The grace of Christ, He still expects us to keep His commands as proof of our love for Him? He still expects us to make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them to obey His commands. The New Testament is not a “do what you want! It’s all good!” But “do this and you will be saved!” “Do this because you are my disciples!”
When quoting Bible verses, quote them in context. Don’t pick and choose translations to best for what you want the verse to say. Study all of them, for they all contain nuance of the languages behind the translation. Study your Bible. Don’t just read it. This is the Word of God written down for your benefit. Don’t go praying to the heavens for a “WORD” from the Lord until you’ve exhausted the written word and wrung out all its meaning. Read. Pray. Study. Learn.
God bless you today.
Meritt Musings 