A Faithful and Just God
One of the central aspects of the gospel message is that every human has fallen short of God’s moral standard. We have all sinned, or missed the mark of living rightly. We’ve all messed up, made mistakes, and acted in a way that goes against God’s way of living.
Sin separates us from being in a right relationship with God. But while we were separated from God, Jesus made a way for us to return back to God through His death and resurrection.
Now, we can be in a relationship with God again. But even though we’ve been forgiven for our sins, it doesn’t always feel that way. We frequently carry around the guilt and shame from our sinful actions even though we’ve been forgiven by Christ.
That’s why 1 John 1:9 is a great reminder: when we confess our sins to God, He is faithful to forgive us. Our forgiveness is not based on our own faithfulness— it’s based on God’s faithfulness. Since we know God is faithful and cannot lie, we can trust that He will forgive us and purify us from everything that keeps us from Him.
This means that we don’t need to live under the weight of our own guilt. We have truly been freed in Christ. Forgiveness should empower us to continue to live righteous and faithful lives with God.
Take a moment and thank God for forgiving your sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Thank Him that you are now a child of God, free from the guilt of the past. Ask Him to strengthen you as you walk in that truth.
Luke 18
“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed ...
Want a Clean Heart?
King David made some great decisions, but he also made some terrible ones...
During his reign, David chose to abuse his power by taking the wife of one of his military leaders, and then arranging for him to die in battle. For someone who was considered “a man after God’s own heart,” David really messed up.
In 2 Samuel 12:13 we see David confess his sin against the Lord. And in Psalm 51, we see his prayer to be made new:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10 ESV
David failed, but God redeems. God restores. David still had to face the consequences of his decisions, but in that journey, God met him there.
If you want to be made new by God but believe that your past is too messed up, you can follow the path David showed us: confess, repent, and ask God to make you new. You can even use David’s exact words as you pray... "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit ...