By Pastor Chad
In the American system, when a defendant stands before a judge or jury, it is the responsibility of the judge or jury to decide (based upon the evidence presented) if the defendant is guilty of the accused crime or not. Though rarely observed in the public arena, defendants are seen as innocent until proven guilty. Essentially, that’s the job of the judge or jury: figure out if this person did the crime or not.
When we stand before a righteous and holy God, this analogy breaks down. We are guilty. There is no need for a trial; there is no jury. There is just us, the guilty, and the Righteous Judge. We stand condemned to die for the sins in our life. We deserve the condemnation placed upon us because of our sins. Furthermore, the stain of sin is so strong that we are unable to remove it. The magnitude of sin is greater than our best deeds. Our smallest sin is greater than our best work. Because of our sinful state, our greatest works can do nothing to appease a holy God. Yet, God, in His graciousness, extends us mercy. He offers us forgiveness. Thus, your greatest sin is no match against the power of God.
This forgiveness isn’t offered because God overlooks our sin, and just forgets about it. Our justification is made available due to the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Christ bore our sins; His sacrifice appeases the wrath of God for all who believe. As the ancient theologian Thomas Aquinas said: One drop of the blood of Christ is sufficient to forgive the sins of all the world. For all who repent of their sins, and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, their sins are forgiven. Justification is a sovereign act of God whereby one is forgiven of his or her sins and made right in the eyes of God. Before God, we all stand guilty; the evidence is clear. But when we are declared righteous, our sin and guilt are removed.
As an eternal God, He forgives all our sins–past, present, and future. Though we live in time, God does not. He isn’t bound by our limitations. He sees all of your sin at once. Thus, when He forgives you of your sin, He forgives all your sin.
Romans 3:26 says that God is the “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” For all forgiven, the Judge does not condemn you. You are free. You are given a new slate. God , who is just, justifies us by transferring the judgment that we deserve upon His crucified Son. God withholds that which we deserve and gives us what Jesus earned.
Sure, this doesn’t mean we are perfect. We will still sin. Furthermore, it is necessary to continue asking for forgiveness for the sins we commit so that we may live a righteous and holy life, and walk with God with a clean conscience. This does mean, however, that we no longer stand under the condemnation of God. We can be assured: that which we seek to be forgiven has already been covered by the blood of the Lamb.