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one citizenry

Deuteronomy 23:19-20 (JDV)

Deuteronomy 23:19 “Do not charge your brother interest on silver, food, or anything that can earn interest.
Deuteronomy 23:20 You may charge a foreigner interest, but you must not charge your brother Israelite interest, so that Yahveh your God may empower you in everything you do in the land you are entering to take possession of.

one citizenry

Charging interest on a loan is the quickest way to create a separate class of citizen. That was not to be in the covenant community. The outsiders were those who were not part of the covenant. Within the covenant, there was only one citizenry. You do not take advantage of fellow citizens.

Likewise, in the new covenant with Christ, all the old barriers and classes were to be broken down and absolved. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28 NASB).

Lord, keep us from any activity or any structure that creates barriers between us and our brothers and sisters in Christ.