Freedom in Forgiveness

[intro]As a Christian, I have struggled at times with understanding the full picture of how the Gospel affects my standing before God.[/intro]

When I was saved, I understood and accepted the work of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection and at that moment was made right before God. His work washed me clean, once and for all. But then I sinned. And sinned some more. I wondered how God viewed a Christian who was still broken. I had accepted the work of Jesus but was imperfect.

I remember hearing a teaching at Riv years back that finally explained my position in Christ. What I never understood before was that once I became a Christian, God viewed me as clean. No amount of messing up could change that. There was literally nothing I could do to add or take away from the work of Jesus.

This idea that the gospel work of Jesus stands on its own was a revelation. Take that, think about it, let it sink in. While God asks us to live for him, he also promises us that if we have accepted the Gospel, there is literally nothing we can do to somehow lessen the power of his eternal promise to us. He views us as clean, and there is no amount of wrongdoing that can change that.

The Problem of Legalism

Sometimes we can focus so much on following God’s commands that we lose sight of God’s grace. Legalism is when we do not understand that the work of Jesus was complete and try to add on additional requirements for our salvation.

In Mark chapter 14, there is an account of Jesus standing before the Sanhedrin on trial for his life and accused of blasphemy. The Sanhedrin was the supreme council or court in Israel at the time and this trial was the precursor to the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross. While the Romans ultimately crucified Jesus, it was the Sanhedrin who heard the claims of Jesus and pushed for his death.

The story is striking and heartbreaking as it unfolds. The question that immediately stands out is why the religious leaders of the day were so intent on ordering the death of THE Savior. The answer? In many ways, Jesus did not look like the Savior that they expected. Ultimately, the religious elite had constructed their own ideas of what a savior might look like, how the Son of God would act, and Jesus did not fit that description.

Jesus came to bring forgiveness and erase the separation that was caused by sin. The Sanhedrin was so focused on the law that they could not recognize the grace message that Jesus came to bring. They were legalists who focused so much on the letter of the law that they missed the Savior who was standing in front of them.

The death and resurrection of Jesus brought the gospel to us with no strings attached. Simply said, the law can no longer save us. Only the grace of God can bring forgiveness and right standing with God.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. — Romans 3:23-28

Because Jesus paid all for us, our obedience to Jesus can come from a place of joy. We can celebrate his gift to us by serving him and living a Gospel-centered life. Freedom is found in our understanding of complete forgiveness with no strings attached. God never made our obedience to his commands a condition of our salvation. He offers salvation to us if we simply believe and as followers of Christ asks us to obey him so that we can lead a life of worship and point others to him.

Image credit: Josef Grunig