We Are Forgiven
1 John 2:12 “I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name”
As Christians, we hope to live a life within the confines of what the Bible teaches us. The challenge, however, is that our human nature is flawed and the standard is high - so high, in fact, that it’s impossible to meet it. So how are we to live a life that seeks to follow the teaching of Jesus without continually feeling condemned or like a failure? The answer, is by living the freedom of forgiveness.
We will daily, if not hourly, fall short of the impeccable standard that Jesus set for us. We don’t want to give up and say, ‘It’s too hard, why bother?’, nor do we want to continually live under the banner of feeling like irreparable damage has been done to who we are, or our relationship with God.
When Jesus died on the cross for you, He paid the price for all your sin - past, present and future. When we get things wrong, or neglect to respond in a Christlike way, there is an open invitation for us to repent (say sorry) and receive God’s forgiveness - which makes way for a clean slate.
There’s a group of young kids who play on our street and, as I’m sure you can imagine, there are daily disagreements and upset. However, I’m continually astounded at the speed and conviction in which children can give and receive forgiveness. Literally seconds after a dispute has climaxed and apologies have been shared, they bounce on about their day as if nothing had happened in the first place.
Failing to walk in the fullest freedom of forgiveness that Jesus has bought for us can impact our identity, our confidence, and ultimately what we believe God might have in store for us. It’s important to take time to remind ourselves that we live under the banner of forgiveness and that in God’s eyes, as it says in Ephesians 4, we are righteous and holy.
Pray: Ask Jesus to give you a fresh revelation of the power and scale of the forgiveness He bought for you. Perhaps ask Him to reveal if there is anywhere you are holding a false sense of condemnation.
Respond: Try living out your day under the banner of knowing you are forgiven, righteous and holy - see if it positively affects the confidence and freedom with which you approach situations.
Mike Darbandi