Second Chance

God is into second chances. You may not feel like you deserve a second chance and from a limited human perspective, you may not. This is the residue of sin. Sin, after it runs its course, leaves you in a distasteful position. You feel beat up and used. You are embarrassed and ashamed. The only recourse seems to be wallowing in the guilt of your shame while receiving verbal pelts from the “righteous.” This is not where God wants you to remain.

Yes, sin brings guilt. Yes, there are those who will rub it in your face. They may need this to cover up and soothe their own hypocrisy. Yes, sin has its consequences that you may have to live with in this life and the next. Yet in Christ you are not condemned. You are not condemned! Christ was condemned on the cross for the crimes of mankind. He is your passageway to freedom from sin’s condemnation.

This is the beauty of laying your life prostrate before Jesus. He does not stone you with rocks of self-righteousness. Instead, Jesus lifts up the broken sinner and puts him back together. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men cannot put you back together again, but Jesus can! He lifts you out of your unrighteousness into His righteousness. This is the counterintuitive way of Christ. Grace gives you a second chance.

We will all “mess up.” There is no doubt about this. But, Lord willing, we will learn from our failures and not continue in sin. To confess and repent of sin is freedom from condemnation. To be caught in sin and then continue in sin is condemnation. It is foolish. A fool gambles with the patience of God. When confronted by God, capitulate. This is wisdom. Let Him lift you up, and then go and sin no more. Therefore, there is no more condemnation in Christ.

There is a little bit of Pharisee in all of us—the condescending attitude that elevates people over the ones they are condemning. This is the nature of pride. It is twisted in its motivation. Somehow my public criticism of your sin tries to justify my private sin. But, what is done in the darkness will come to light. It just takes time, and time is infinite to God.

As the accuser, be quick to confess your own sin before you judge the sin of others. This is a prerequisite. It is a big enough job to keep a clean account of one’s own sins, much less try to manage the sin accounts of others. Most likely you do not have the time or expertise to be someone else’s outsourcing for sin management. Your example of confessing and repenting of your own sin will facilitate the same in others. By God’s grace you can provide a safe environment for others to work through and exit their sin. Transparency leads to healing. Give others permission to be real.

Concealed sin kills; revealed sin can lead to healing. Unconfessed sin will eat away at your body, soul and spirit. This is why we need each other. Refrain from kicking those who are down. You may be down one day and need to be lifted up. Hold back from hitting the hurting over the head with the Bible. You will hurt one day and need acceptance for healing. Give others a second chance— God has. He has for you and He has for them. Second chances are God’s way. By following the way of God everyone wins!

Taken from the Dose 14 reading in Boyd Bailey’s Infusion. This 90-day devotional book is a compilation of the reader’s favorites from Wisdom Hunters daily devotional. Andy Stanley says, “I have walked with Boyd for over 20 years and I am definitely wiser for it. You are going to love this book!”