Although I've been a Christian since before I can remember, I have only recently begun to understand the vast implication and glory of the new covenant of Grace. Our entire identity rests in what Christ has done for us. His death, resurrection, and ascension to the right-hand of the Father changed everything. If we don't understand who we are now in Christ, we won't understand ourselves, and we will fall short of our destiny.
Grace is the unmerited favor of God lavished on us through faith in Jesus Christ.
It's H U G E. It's everything.
When we come under God's grace by choosing Christ as our savior, all our sins (past, present, future) are forgiven once and for all. The Father Himself said "I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.”Heb 8:12
There is no sin, in your past or that you may commit in the future, that Jesus Christ has not taken upon Himself and paid the price for by His death. He has pronounced you innocent and blameless. Now, you can live in the freedom Christ has purchased for you. Stop focusing on sin and shortcomings and remain focused on the Love of God, and your identity in Jesus.
Not only are we completely forgiven in Christ, but we are also now sons and daughters of the Creator, Sustainer and King of all things! God has adopted us into His family. There could be nothing more beautiful. Not only that, but because of Jesus, God sees us as His righteousness. (2 Cor 5:21) When He looks at you and me, He sees His perfect Son. What does this mean? Well, because of Jesus' finished work on the cross, our standing with God is no longer based on ourselves or our works. It is based entirely on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We never have to strive to earn the love of our Heavenly Father. It is unconditional. Our relationship and standing in the love and favor of God is unconditional. In the eyes of God, you are totally righteousness and unconditionally loved.
We are now free to live according to the new covenant of Spirit and life in Jesus. If we only fully understood these truths and these realities, there would be no limit to our expansion of His Kingdom. The curse of the law and sin over us has been broken forever. Sin is no longer what's true of us. God himself has ERASED and forgotten our sin. Did you get that? Erased and forgotten! Even if you are feeling guilty because of sin struggle you are currently in, God sees you as 100% forgiven and 100% righteous. He sees the blood of His only begotten Son covering you, His adopted child.
Let God's kindness over you sink in. "The kindness of God leads you to repentance." Rom 2:4 Repentance literally means to "change your mind." To receive all the Grace (unmerited favor) God has for you, you must believe. So believe all that Jesus has done for you. Believe that you are totally forgiven of any sin you could ever commit, and that God himself has forgotten them. Believe that you are a son or daughter of God, and that He loves you every moment of every day. Believe that you are now the righteousness of God in Christ.
Jesus has defeated sin. So the only only way to defeat sin in your life is to apply the victory of Christ, and to live in the grace He has bestowed upon you. Let God's grace drive the spirit of condemnation (which comes from the Law & Satan's attempts to accuse) out of your mind. And the next time accusation rears its ugly head, remember and speak this truth. "I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus."
Put your faith in Christ. Always remember whose you are. You are God's beloved child. You are dead to sin and ALIVE to God. (Rom 6:11)
