Forgiven!

​​Forgiven! I was forgiven! I was so happy and relieved! I could hardly believe my good fortune. Forgiven! I understood what Jesus had to endure to purchase my freedom from the horrors of sin that had plagued me for years. I was forgiven! I began to love His Word. I couldn’t get enough of the treasures I was finding day after day in my Bible. A new Christian is a delight to watch, and I was one of them.

I assured God that He didn’t have to worry. I knew how horrible my sin was, and I promised Him that I would never forgive myself. Don’t worry, God, I’ve got this. I will never get over the shame and guilt for what my sin cost You, Jesus. I surmised that if I ever forgave myself, I’d be taking the crucifixion of Jesus Christ lightly, and I would never do that. No way. A life of shame would be mine, and then I’d go to heaven someday and maybe be relieved of it then. Perhaps.

There was so much I needed to know. So much about God I needed to learn. So much about His grace, mercy, and love I needed to discover. And discover it I have! Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free!” (John 8:32). Free? From shame? Free from guilt? Free from yesterday’s and yesteryear’s sin and failures? Free from where we blew it?

And blow it they did! Adam and Eve had it all and they blew it all—not just for themselves, but Adam blew it for the rest of us as well. What would God do? … **

Was there a plan? A plan so marvelous that it defies human reasoning? A plan determined in eternity past so is not, and never will be, in jeopardy? A plan of God’s design and orchestrated perfectly by Jesus Christ Himself? A plan so incredible that it
causes most to wonder why we call the day we remember it by: Good Friday.

The Plan: Jesus Christ the perfect One came from heaven to rescue us from sin, all sin; the sin we committed and the sin that was committed against us. All sin.

**Excerpt from Dealing with the Difficult in a God Honoring Way; Chapter 3.