The Story

We often think that we must be good enough to receive love, acceptance, or intimacy from God. We may feel that we need to prove ourselves worthy before we can approach Him. But this kind of thinking is not the gospel before God. No one can atone for their own sin. The law is not a receipt that tells us we are righteous, but a mirror that shows us that we are sinners who desperately need grace. But Jesus Christ has completely cleansed our sins on the cross. He did not merely cover our sins temporarily, but bore our sins in reality. Therefore, those who are in Christ have no remaining debt of sin before God. So we do not have to hide because of fear when we sin. We do not have to be hopeless or pretend nothing has happened, but we can come to Jesus, the One who has forgiven our sins, and receive mercy from Him. Dear heavenly Father, who is just and full of mercy, I praise you because you have completely forgiven my sins in Jesus Christ. Please forgive me when I try to earn your love by my actions, or hide from you in fear when I sin. Thank you, Jesus Christ, who bore our sins on the cross. May the Holy Spirit make us confident in the good news, live by faith, humble ourselves, and pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.