Not Guilty
Even though the law (Ten Commandments) is good, it produces guilt (see Romans 7:7-24).
It shows us the moral way to live.
It is based upon love.
But we don’t live according to it.
We don’t love.
We lie...we steal...we covet.
That’s just three things we do.
Jesus said if we get angry in our hearts toward another person, then we are guilty of murder (Matthew 5:21-22).
He said if we have lust in our hearts for another person, we are guilty of adultery (Matthew 5:27-28).
Therefore, The Ten Commandments shows us our sins and produces guilt.
But that is what it was designed to do.
Then there are The Two Great Laws...The Two Great Commandments...that supersede the other Ten.
You know them...Love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love others as you love yourself.
We break these too.
Jesus often used the Two Great Commandments to convince the Pharisees - those who prided themselves on their “obedience” to The Ten Commandments - of sin.
We don’t love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
We don’t love others as we love ourselves.
We get irritated, frustrated, impatient, judgmental, angry, critical, etc...
The more we strive to love, the more we see how much we don’t love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, or people as we love ourselves.
We know we are guilty...The Ten Commandments…The Two Great Laws...The Two Great Commandments show us we are.
We are in bad shape!
Some people don’t need The Ten Commandments to show them their sin.
They do not need The Great Commandments of Love to show them they are unloving.
They just know it.
They live with guilt every moment of every day.
Guilt is their way of life.
It’s all they know.
If this is you...if guilt has become your way of life...be encouraged.
God is calling you to grace.
God wants grace to be your way of life.
What is grace?
Grace is God’s unmerited kindness to you through Jesus.
Grace is Jesus taking all of your guilt upon himself and offering you his innocence.
How do you receive God’s grace?
You receive his grace through faith in Jesus...simply believing that Jesus took all of your guilt and freely offers you his innocence (Romans 3:21-25).
I know you don’t believe you deserve God’s grace...but that is why it is called grace.
Grace is God’s undeserved, unmerited kindness freely given to you in Jesus and received simply by faith.
I know it sounds too good to be true….but that’s why it is called grace.
There is nothing like grace.
It’s the greatest message rarely told.
But it is true.
And it is from God to you.
He is calling you today to be free from guilt by receiving his grace.
He loves you.
Today, receive his grace through faith in Jesus.
Just say, “I believe.”
