He Died For Sins - Not Excuses

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

People often come in for counseling or encouragement and they tell us all about what they did and how guilty they feel about it. And it's natural for counsellors to say something like: "It wasn't so bad" or "You didn't know what you were doing" or "You couldn't help yourself." But that's often the worst thing we can do. Messiah died for guilt, real guilt, not because 'it wasn't so bad,' but because it was so bad; not because we didn't know what we were doing, but because we did know what we were doing; and not because we couldn't help it, but because we could help it, but did it anyway. If we deny that, we're denying the cross and the price He paid. We have to stop making excuses for sin and own up to it. Confess and let God do the redeeming. Sometimes the best thing in the world is to feel so terrible about sin that the only option you have left is to receive God's grace. Give up your excuses, and trade them for something better, the blood, the grace, the repentance, the mercy, and the power for new life.

From Message #1759 The Proper Care of Your Pet Scapegoat