April 13

"He gave himself for us to set us free from every wrong and to cleanse us so that we could be his special people who are enthusiastic about doing good deeds." (Titus 2:14 NIV)

It is Jesus’ death on the cross alone that has the power to free us from our sins. We are in a sense bound by our human nature unable to on our own make ourselves acceptable before God. It’s not a matter of how capable we are or how morally upright we are. Someone said that it doesn’t matter whether I drown in 3 feet of water or 100 feet. If I drown I drown. In a sense it doesn’t matter if I’ve sinned a little or if I’ve sinned a lot. God doesn’t tolerate sin, and even if He longs ever so much to have a relationship with you and me as His children, He can’t do so unless the sin has first disappeared.

However, when we in faith acknowledge that our sins be forgiven through what Jesus willingly accomplished on the cross for us God approves of us, and when we are washed clean of our sins we become His own people. And the consequence is that we become filled ”of the desire to do that which is good”.

Prayer
Lord, it’s difficult to understand how your death on the cross has anything to do with our cleanliness, but we know many before us took the promise of the cross unto themselves and their lives were transformed. Lord we thank you that it’s possible for all people to come to you and be a child of God. Help us today to be filled with a desire to do that which is good.