It's Not All About You

I came upon a quotation from Martin Luther and thought it was very relevant to the Christian who is going through feelings of failure in her Christian life and frustration at her own persistent shortcomings and sinfulness. I can't be the only one familiar with this situation, can I? 

Says Luther,

'A Christian is at once a sinner and a saint; he is wicked and pious at the same time. For so far as our persons are concerned, we are in sins and are sinners in our own name.


But Christ brings us another name, in which there is the forgiveness of sins, that for HIS sake sins are remitted and pardoned.


SO, both statements are true: There are sins, for the old Adam is not entirely dead as yet; yet the sins are not there. The reason is this:


For Christ's sake God does not want to see them.


I have my eyes on them. I feel and see them well enough. But there is Christ, commanding that I be told I should repent, that is, confess myself a sinner and BELIEVE the forgiveness of sins in His name.


For repentance, remorse, and knowledge of sin, though necessary, is not enough; Faith in the forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ must be added. 


But where there is such a faith, God no longer sees any sins; for then you stand before God, not in your name but in Christ's name. He adorns you with grace and righteousness, although in your own eyes and personally you are a poor sinner, full of weakness and unbelief.'

***

Romans 5:20-21:
'...sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that's the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.'

It's comforting to be reminded that it's not all about our performance, but rather, what Christ has already done with His perfect life and atoning death on the Cross so that we might live, trusting in Him alone.

Author, Second Chance - A Tale of Two Puppies

Check out my handcrafted soaps at Soap'n'Such