Do you find yourself asking God to forgive a sin over and over again?
When we’re tempted to sin, the enemy whispers in our ears, “It’s no big deal! Such a tiny sin!†But after we give in to temptation, the enemy yells, “Shame on you! You knew better!â€
How do we respond to the enemy’s attacks? We look to Jesus and His promises. God has promised, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness†(1 John 1:9). This is a truth Christians can stand on! Because Jesus, who never sinned, “bore our sins in his body on the cross†(1 Peter 2:22-25), He has made us clean (Ephesians 5:25b-27). Because of Jesus, God remembers our sin no more (Isaiah 43:25). He is a forgiving God, and He wants us to come to Him, through Jesus, so He can purify us.
When God showed me one of His promises in the Bible, it totally changed my thinking about sin. Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.†Just think about that. Yes, I sin. Everyone does, because we were all sinners from the moment we were conceived (Psalm 51:5). However, if you put your trust in Jesus, you do not stand condemned (John 3:16-18). Jesus took that penalty of condemnation for you when He died on the cross and rose again from the dead, defeating sin and death.
When the enemy reminds me of a sin Jesus paid for, I respond (sometimes shouting out loud), “Shut up, Satan! God has forgiven me for that sin. He no longer condemns me.â€
Instead of cowering in shame, we can thank God that He has removed our guilt through Jesus’ blood. Once you’ve put your trust in Jesus, you don’t need to carry that guilt. Jesus has freed you from that shame! • Sharon J. Morris
• Do you sometimes feel guilty for your sins even after confessing them to God?
• How does thinking about your sin in terms of Jesus’ sacrifice affect how you view your guilt?
• If you want to know more about freedom in Jesus, check out our “Know Jesus” page.
It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:33b-34 (NIV)
Read Verses:
Proverbs 15:1-4; Mathew 5:43-44; Luke 6:27-28; 23:34
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