No Condemnation

I used to have a huge guilt complex. I still kind of do, actually. I used to look at God as a Father who punished. I used to look at the bad things that happened not as an opportunity to show that God's grace is sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) but as a punishment for the sins I had committed. I am so immensely grateful for the book of Romans and the opportunity I had six years ago to study it in depth at BSF. God really broke a lot of these chains of guilt as I studied that book. I learned that He suffered to make me free, I learned about grace and how I could never, ever meet His standards of the Law on my own, but that we need Jesus in order to be sanctified and have a relationship with God. We cannot ever be "good enough" on our own. I continue to fall more and more in love with Jesus every time I open His Word. I continue to be struck in awestruck humility at His choice to come to earth and extend me mercy and grace.

At church on Sunday, we studied John 7:53-8:12, which is the story of the adulterous woman who was brought before Jesus for judgment. As Jesus wrote in the sand (the tenth commandment? the Pharisees' sins? who knows but God alone) and the Pharisees dropped their rocks, only Jesus the Perfect, sinless One and the woman remained. Now, Jesus who is God-Man, could've taken the opportunity to condemn her for her sins. He could've punished her. However, He chose to extend grace and mercy to her. He still hated the sin, but He let her go, telling her, "Go now and leave your life of sin" (8:11b).

In BSF this week we are studying Ephesians, which is described in the notes as presenting the "theme of the believer's relationship to Christ. Perhaps nowhere in all of Scripture is the believer's own preciousness to Christ and to God so gloriously revealed as in Ephesians." How precious to know that God has included this sweet part in His love letter to us. With the Holy Spirit's help, He enables us to be enlightened to the words of the Bible, in order that we may know "the riches of His glorious inheritance" (Ephesians 1:18b). God doesn't want us to remain in guilt, focused on our sin. He wants us to know "the rich glory of His inheritance in every one of His saints is to know our value to Him and to be enabled to approach Him with great confidence and joy." (BSF Notes, Acts of the Apostles, Less. 23, p. 6). Praise God for His rich grace and love, so that I no longer have to be stuck in the mindset of a guilty conscience or feel like I'm being punished.

Finally, our pastor gave a wonderful quote yesterday, which I'd like to share with you. "So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: 'I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know that One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!'" - Martin Luther.

Are you still holding onto your past sins, remaining in your guilt, punishing yourself with your thoughts of inadequacy to ever be good enough? When will you give it to God who set you free in Christ so that you can share in His glorious inheritance?