“We need to ask for forgiveness and receive it too.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today –April 23, 2023
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:18
In the past, I was a spinner. That’s the kind of person who keeps spinning around the same problem from the past, the same guilt from poor choices, the same anxiety over how I messed up and could have done better. I’ve wasted numerous days asking, “What if?” What if it had been different? What if I had chosen differently? For days, I have been stuck spinning.
I wasn’t stuck because I hadn’t asked for Christ’s forgiveness. From the time I was small, I had heard to ask Christ for forgiveness for my sins. And, I had asked him to forgive me over and over. Hundreds of times. I was stuck spinning around my sins because I hadn’t received forgiveness.
For full restoration to happen and to be free from the condemnation that is not ours in Christ, we need to not only ask for forgiveness, but receive it too. Otherwise, the power of forgiveness is not fully realized in us.
The power of the Christian life is that He came to set us free from the power of sin over our lives. He came to set us free from guilt. He came to set us free from regret. He came to set us free from spinning around “What if?”
For the child of God, being set free means knowing that He is working all things together for good—even our biggest sins and our greatest mess ups. Being set free means being set free from self-hatred. Being set free isn’t just asking for forgiveness; it’s receiving and accepting it too.
Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…”
Freedom from condemnation isn’t just the freedom from the condemnation of hell. It’s also freedom from present condemnation from the devil. To embrace one’s identity means that the devil has no power over you. It means that when he tries to blame you, shame you, and tell you that you have blown it so bad that your life is ruined, that you hold out Romans 8:28 to him and say, “Get behind me, Satan! God is working all things together for my good! You have no power over me and in Christ, there is no condemnation for me!”
Freedom from condemnation also means that every experience and every choice we make is a way to make us more like Jesus. There is nothing that He cannot use to grow me into more of who He wants me to be. Even the poor and sinful choices that we make can be used to make us a greater witness for Him. Grace shines where it’s darkest.
If you feel stuck in any area of your life, perhaps it’s because you have asked Christ for forgiveness, but you have not fully received and accepted His forgiveness.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Prayer
Lord, help me to not only ask for forgiveness, but to receive and accept your forgiveness too because I am forgiven. Amen.
Application
Tell the Lord that you receive His forgiveness.
Related Reading
Galatians 3:13; Romans 5:1; 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
Worship Resource
Jubilee Worship feat. Jennifer Ese & Anthony Brown: No Bondage
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