I know Jesus has forgiven me. But too often I live like this forgiveness isn’t full or free. I allow my past to define me. When I fail, I fear God will be mad at me. And though I don’t admit it, I’m still trying to prove my worth so that God will accept and approve of me.

But the resurrection proves I am forgiven.

The resurrection proved that Jesus died, not for his own sins, but ours alone. “For death has rightful claim only over sinners” but death had no hold over Jesus (Acts 2:24). The resurrection proved that Jesus had the authority to forgive sins and showed that God not only accepted Jesus’ sacrifice and payment for sin, but He declared Jesus innocent by raising him from the dead.

What does this mean for me today?

It’s not on me. Salvation is not a trust in Jesus + self-reliance combo. There is nothing I can do to make God love me more. The work of Jesus is finished (John 19:30). It is by faith in his work alone that makes me right with God. Any reliance on my own performance to gain approval or acceptance from God is to nullify grace and deny Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross (Gal 2:21).

If I believe in Jesus and confess Him as Lord of my life…

Guilt and shame no longer run my life. Guilt results from doing wrong and our failure to keep God’s moral obligations. Shame can be defined as “a hemorrhage of the soul”; the belief that there is something inherently wrong with me, resulting in feelings of condemnation, isolation and worthlessness. Both guilt and shame were put to death on the cross. This now means…

I am no longer judged or punished for my sins (now or later). Jesus removed my guilt when he paid the penalty for sin. God turned the full force of his wrath away from me and onto the cross. Because Jesus took all that anger and punishment for me, God is no longer angry with me (Isa 44:22). My sins are no longer counted against me. Keeping a record of wrongs would mean there is no forgiveness and a demand for justice and punishment still exists. But God chooses not to remember my sin (Heb 8:12, Ps 103:12). Because of my faith in Jesus, God no longer keeps account of my sin or failures because Jesus has paid for it in full.

I am now accepted and adopted into the family of God. Shame says I am worthless, but Jesus says I am worth dying for. Shame says I am unlovable but because of Jesus’ sacrifice, God now loves me the same way He loves His Son (John 3:16). Shame says I am rejected, but because of Jesus I am now accepted by God and made part of His family. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).

“We can have confidence that our sin has been fully and finally atoned for because of the resurrection of Christ. There is nothing left to be done to pay for sin. If we trust in Jesus, we are covered by His blood forever.”

Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, I am forgiven, accepted and loved. Every time I mess up, I can humbly come to Him and ask for forgiveness, confident that I am forgiven (1 John 1:9).

---

Did you miss the other posts in this series? Check them out below!

A Living Hope: rediscover the power of Easter

Day 1: I am forgiven

Day 2: I am secure

Day 3: I am free

Day 4: I am alive

Day 5: I am fearless

 

Want to read more on what forgiveness means? Check out these articles:

4 Things Forgiveness is Not

Forgiving Often: 6 things you need to know