Deuteronomy 26:17-18 Thou hast avouched the Lord. This day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statues, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments.
Our response to God’s grace and salvation is to avouch, publicly declare and proclaim, that the Lord is my God. We believe in the heart and confess with the lips that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. The Christian does this at least once in a lifetime when he confirms his faith before the church or publicly confesses Jesus is Lord. We are publicly proclaiming every time we go to church, go to Communion, and go to Bible class. We do so every time we do a kind deed or say a good word to another from a believing heart, in Jesus’ name. We do so any time that we witness to our Lord in word or deed.
The result of avouching the Lord as our God is that we will walk in his ways, keep his commandments, and listen to His Word. Once we let the world know that Jesus is our Lord and our God, we will live up to the Name and do what He says. When we fail (which is every day) we repent and reaffirm our faith in Jesus, who gives daily, instant, and constant forgiveness.
This lifestyle is ours because the Lord has avouched us as His special people, and me as His special person upon whom He has set His favor. When we believe this Gospel we naturally respond with a godly life: “Whatever you do, do it all in the name of Christ the Lord Jesus Christ.” At our Baptism the Lord avouched (publicly proclaimed to the visible and invisible world) that I am His special person. At Confirmation and at Communion I avouch that Jesus is my only Lord.