Completely Clean!

Christian, have you been reminded today that God has forgiven all of your sin? 

If you're anything like me, it's easy in the daily battle against sin to forget that despite your constant failures and rebellions, you've been forgiven.  

And not just "kind-of" forgiven.  

Jesus has carried the penalty for all sin from those who trust Him for salvation.  "All" is a really big word, and there's a messed-up part of my thinking that refuses to completely accept the fact that I've been completely forgiven.  Not just barely forgiven, or grudgingly forgiven, or "You're-off-the-hook-for-outer-darkness-but-you-don't-really-belong-with-me" forgiven, but completely and joyfully accepted by God as clean.

And not only am I clean, but because I'm united by faith to Jesus, I was crucified with Him (Galatians 2:20) and so the penalty of my sin has been paid and I stand before God not only free from the penalty of my sin but also accepted as beloved!  

So even in the ongoing grief at offending God that I experience as part of this life of repentance that I now lead, I am stirred to ever deeper humility and gratitude that He would have done such a thing for me.

May God bless you today, Christian, as you continue to trust in Jesus' sacrifice of Himself on your behalf for the forgiveness of your past and future sins.  And may God give you joy as you look forward eagerly to the day when He will complete the work He started, removing not only the penalty of sin but also the ongoing presence of sin in our lives.