You Are Forgiven, Live Like It

Shame, we like to pile the shame on the sinful self hoping to subdue it through an accumulation of guilt. It's no wonder the mind gets so messed up. The law given to Moses did a real good job of pointing out our sin. Any of us can go to the books of the law in our Bible and find out that we are the filth at the bottom of the earth. In deeds or thoughts, in what we read or watch on a screen, we find sin rampant in this life. Trying to avoid sin, we find it pursuing us like a depressed high-school sweetheart. How will any of us be saved?

Of course, we have some knowledge of that answer, and it is good news! We know it from the Gospels in those same Bibles. With men it was not possible to be saved by our own effort. Earning our salvation by keeping the law caused more rebellion in the sinful flesh and concentrated our efforts on the self. Turning to the Christ, the one who never sinned and was born in grace, gives us a way that any can keep. Why can we keep this way? We are kept by the Way!

Shame exists in the failure of our efforts to reform. We look at God's perfect law and we cannot measure up to His standard. Jesus didn't free us from the law of sin and death for us to wallow in shame. Shame is the giant club the Devil uses to beat us down. We have sinned, but we are forgiven in Christ. We will sin in this life, but we are forgiven. This is not to say that we are not sorry and repent of our sin. Resist the Devil and his club of shame. Swing the sword of the Word of God, even if, like Bunyan's poor Christian you must swing while laid out on the ground. Get up! Hold up the shield of faith and swing the sword with your all. Jesus will come to your aid! Whatever the situation, don't let the shame continue to beat on you, And for goodness' sake and your own sake, quit helping the Devil beat on your poor self with the club of shame!

David wrote, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:6) Let them come into your home in place of shame and sin.

Bucky