Scripture readings
Devotional 📖
Jesus’ ministry was one of reconciliation.
Sin is the biggest obstacle preventing a person’s relationship with God. It blinds a person from seeing their depravity and need for God, and distorts their view of Him. Jesus came to earth for many reasons, one of them being to free humankind from the bondage of sin.
The scriptures say in Hebrews 12:14 - 'Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:’.
It also says in Matthew 5:8 - 'Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
In both scriptures we see that the requirement for deep intimacy with God and seeing Him accurately is holiness. The presence of sin in our lives stop us from walking in the holiness that is necessary to see God. God is holy and those who come to Him must regard Him as holy. He dwells with those who are pure in heart and walk in holiness. He is not found in the congregation of sinners, and yet extends His hand of reconciliation to them so that they can be in relationship with Him once more.
Jesus coming to Earth was God’s outstretched hand of reconciliation to sinful humanity. He possessed the power to forgive men of their sins because of His ministry of reconciliation. If He couldn’t remove humankind’s biggest obstacle to God, His mission would have been unsuccessful.
What we see in Luke chapter 7 is Jesus revealing His deity and showing that even before the cross, He had the power to forgive sins.
So if He could always forgive sins, why did He need to die?
In the Old testament, the Israelites would come with their offerings and sacrifices every year to atone for their sins and God would forgive them. However, Hebrews 10:2-4 says:
'For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.'
Though the Israelites were forgiven of their sins, they had to remember them every year in order to bring the right sacrifice. God set up the levitical system in order to allow the people to stay in close relationship with Him through forgiving them of their sins and making them holy, however, the blood of bulls and goats could never take away the consciousness of sins.
Jesus is not only the forgiver of our sins, but His blood removes us of the consciousness of sin. This means that not only can we live free from guilt and shame, because He has atoned for us once and for all, but also that He has done such a deep inward work, through the cross, that our nature is no more one of sin. Every sin is now under the blood, forgotten by God and does not get unconvered. It’s already been paid for!
2 Corinthians 5:17 - 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. '
Christ has created a new nature in us and set us free from being a slave to sin. This means that if we live habitually in sin, it’s no longer because we are slaves to sin but because we have chosen to sin. Jesus died and gave us a choice. We now have the power within us, the precious Holy Spirit, to resist temptation and live holy lifestyles. Everyone makes mistakes, we all fall short sometimes, but Jesus set us free from living in sin. A mistake is different from a choice. We may have fallen short, but we can choose to get back up again, repent and turn completely away from that sin and into deeper relationship with God! His grace is not a license to sin but the empowerment to do His will.
The truth is Jesus is the forgiver and cleanser of our sins. You are no longer enslaved to sin. You have been set free by the blood of the Lamb and now we can live in peace with God.
Prayer 🙏
Jesus, I repent for all my sins. I ask that you wash me clean with your blood and give the grace to live a holy life. Thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you for setting me free from the bondage of sin. Thank you that you have wiped away the consciousness of my sins and purged me of all desire to sin. Thank you that the sins of the past cannot plague me anymore because you have made me a new creation! I am new in Christ Jesus, the old has passed away!
Help me to make better choices and bring me into deeper intimacy with you.
Thank you Jesus
In Jesus name,
Amen