Grace does all the work.

Church, it’s not forgiveness that keeps you from sinning, but the teaching and training of grace. We are to stop 🛑 asking God for something He has already given us in Christ, something that is already ours in Christ, the forgiveness of our sins and the sins of the whole world:

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7)

If someone wrongs me and I forgive them, it will not be by their asking. I may forgive them and still they have no knowledge of it. They may still be walking around fearing that I will retaliate at the next opportunity. Without the knowledge of my forgiveness of their wrongs, they will have no peace to rest in. But if I meet with them and reconcile them to me by sharing with them the knowledge of my forgiveness of their wrongs to me, then they will feel released of all the guilts they had in regards of their wrongs against me.

The gospel is the good news for the church and good news for the world to be saved from despair and hopelessness.

It is the teaching and training and empowerment of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, Church, the teaching and training and empowerment of Christ in us that enables us to repent, to say “No” to Sin, to rejoice in the glory of God, the glory of his love for us.

The knowledge of the forgiveness of our sins puts our minds at ease so that we do not sink into fear of punishment and despair. By the blood of Christ, we are at peace with God. We are to celebrate 🎉 such peace. We are to repent by such peace. We are to rest in such peace and not in our wish to never do anything wrong. By grace, we are free to repent and rejoice in Christ always.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11-14)

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them–yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10)