November 4, 2022 -- Romans 6:1-8 -- Accepting Forgiveness

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What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
Romans 6:1-8 ESV

The character inspection focus today is accepting forgiveness. The passage so powerfully spells it out. In Christ Jesus we died to sin. We are a forgiven people. In Jesus you rise to newness of life. Your sins are buried. Your past is dead. Everyone who belongs to Jesus has resurrection life in them. In fact, you are not to offer the members of your body back to old patterns of sin (Romans 6:12-13 makes this clear in this context).

Let me be clear, all people deal with the consequences of their sins. The broken relationships and shattered trust. You know your own specific consequences. Whatever these are, now they are all pointed stakes driven into the ground, strung with barbed wire that is electrified defining your past so that you don't go back, or if you do, you know the world of hurt you have to climb over and the trouble to which you are returning.

One of the great self-deceptions Christians speak is this: “I can’t forgive myself. I know God has forgiven me, but I can’t forgive myself”. It is a lie from hell. It means you are carrying guilt about your past and ignoring God’s generous love. You are in effect saying to the Mighty One of Heaven, “I know You can forgive everyone else, but my sin is different from everyone else’s sin. I am unique.” There is a perverse pride in this. It is a tremendous insult to the Living God Who in His great love gave Jesus His Son for the sin of the world.

Let your guilt do its work, bad feelings driving you to your knees. Thank God for the great gift of His forgiveness. As often as you feel guilt, turn to the word of God. Read and memorize a text like this: “Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins” (Romans 3:24 NLT).

Then get up off your knees and thank God for His glorious forgiveness. Demonstrate this thankfulness in the way in which you live, speak and think.

Today's prayer is Psalm 51:1-14 ESV

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

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