How wonderful it is to know our sins are forgiven when we accept Christ as Savior! But have you ever felt like you were walking under a cloud of condemnation, feeling like you just couldn't measure up? That's our old enemy, Satan, accusing us day and night, making us feel like we're just not good enough. But Romans 8:1 says, "There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." No condemnation! Why? Because in Christ we have forgiveness!
When the sinful woman anointed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair (Luke 7:36-47), she demonstrated great love for Him. Jesus used this to teach the principle that he who is forgiven little, loves little, but he who is forgiven much, loves much. The application of this teaching is that our love life with the Lord is in relation to how much we sense we have been forgiven and the realization of all He has done for us.
I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." So if we confess or agree with God that what we did was sin, and ask Him to forgive us, He will do so. And if we are purified from unrighteousness, what is left? Righteousness! Not on our merit, not something we deserve--it is a gift of God's grace. Romans 5:17 calls it the "gift of righteousness". When we are in Christ, we have this gift. Part of our inheritance is the very righteousness of God in us! What a realization! Doesn't this cause you to love Him more?!
So don't let yourself be turkeyized*--living and thinking like the world around us. Don't live with a defeated attitude of "I'm nothing but a miserable old sinner". To do so belittles what Christ did for us on the cross. Live in the knowledge that we have a wonderful, victorious inheritance in Christ. We are qualified to share in it, we are rescued from sin, we are brought into His kingdom, we are redeemed, and we are forgiven!
Becky
Back to our home page!
*see Monday's page