Grace Abounds

But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,

Romans 5:20

I’m not perfect by any means. I’ve done bad things and I’ve struggled with character weaknesses. But Satan is the great accuser, and he whispers in our ears to remind us of our past and to weaken us to live in shame.

But the Bible tells us we should not allow this. Once we are washed in the blood of Jesus, our sins are no more. We are forgiven. We don’t need to constantly seek re-forgiveness. Sure, in our human frailty we remember mistakes often with regret. But we must remember that the Bible promises us that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more!

I regret hurts I’ve caused people. Bad choices I’ve made. Character flaws I’ve let go unchecked. But I’m forgiven. No one on earth can take that from me. And to point to my sins as being worse, or so bad they can’t be forgiven, seems like a form of idolatry to me. A way of saying God isn’t big enough to absolve me.

Does this grace permit us to go forward and continue to sin to perpetuate the cycle of grace. Paul tells us in the Bible “God forbid!” We are not to live in a cycle of sin. But we are to rejoice in our forgiveness.

We must walk like we are forgiven. Talk like we are. That we are children of the living God. That we are precious in His eyes. We are not to be downcast and ashamed because that is where Satan will lurk to tempt us away from what should be our new lives.

But we live in a world where other humans like to remind us of our transgressions, or our pasts, and of their grudges. But we must remember that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

We don’t earn our forgiveness. We don’t earn it through penance or through good deeds, and we can take no credit for it. We receive it through grace and we must respond to that joyfully because we are loved by our Creator.

And we must be courageous and wise in the face of those who would try to force us to wallow in shame.