Grow to Know How Forgiven You Are

"But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. " (2 Peter 1: 9)

We are forgiven of all our sins.

All of them.

For me, though, I still struggled with the thoughts and feelings which would bubble up within me.

Everyone has them.

Paul the Apostle identifies this reality as "sin in the flesh".

We have been purged from these sins, as well.

Yet so many Christians, such as myself, have been convinced into thinking that we can do something about the flesh, this dead Adam, old man which we have been delivered from.

We do not have to do anything, because everything has been forgiven.

"13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2:13-15)

Every time that we fail, we can receive a fresh revelation of God's grace in our lives.

Instead of wasting our time trying to perfect ourselves: our thoughts, feelings, actions -- let us rest in the perfection which Christ has paid for, and let His ministry continue to bless us in all that we do.

We are called to grow not just in how forgiven we are, but that this forgiveness is an overpayment, a never-ending river of grace:

"16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)" (Romans 5: 16-17)

Jesus outdid the one sin of Adam with multiple, innumerable showerings of His favor to the world (for lack of a better way to phrase the outpouring of His love for us).

Grow to know how forgiven you are in Christ, and you will find the grace and truth to reign in this life!