Loved and Forgiven

Loved and Forgiven:

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

Come, oh contrite soul within me, and approach the Lord your God. He sees your weeping remorse; He hears your deeply repentant heart. Don't fear, for He never shames or condemns. He is gracious, oh so gracious.

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7)

I pour out my praise and adoration upon the Lord Jesus Christ, for He has given all for me. All? For me? He gave it all, and He sacrificed His very life on a filthy, ignominious cross.

This cross, so unfit for an Holy and righteous King, was the very cross He bore for the washing of our sins. He was draped so battered and bruised upon that tree. This is the God who came down for you and me.

He set aside His divinity to endure the pains of humanity. This is our Lord. He is not a distant God, whom we are unable to reach. He is our intimate Lover, and He gave all to hold us close in communion.

"And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots." (Luke 23:33-34)

The King of kings, Lord of lords, our Prince of Peace. There He was torn, marred, and wounded not just in body, but in His spirit too. The unrelenting torture of separation from the Father. That separation we shall never feel, because we are covered by His sacrifice, but the very separation we caused through our unrighteousness. He took all the pain, sorrow, and shame that we deserved upon Himself. He paid the price in full, even for those who crucified Him. Surely He has redeemed us all.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:6)

"For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9)

Our sins are what accused us and wrote death on our penalty slip, but the Lord, in His great and ungraspable grace, redeemed us and set us in right standing. We're free to approach Him, for we are now covered in His righteousness. He has clothed us in a new garment of grace and goodness.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)

"and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24)

We are forgiven and cleansed. We are graced with a love so pure and holy. The Lord our God, Christ the Messiah, has displayed towards us love like no other. Worthy to be praised is He! Hallelu Yah! We are freely forgiven by the grace of God the Father through the atonement of Christ the Son.

-The Introverted Evangelist