"Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18).
The Lord Jesus Christ died once and for all. His blood was the payment needed to satisfy the requirements of God's law. Because of what He did, our sins have been forgiven and we have been given the privilege of becoming children of God. Jesus went through all of the pain and anguish because He saw all of us on the other side of the cross (see Hebrews 12:2). What are you going to do in response?
Some do not understand what Jesus did. Some think they can earn the forgiveness of God. Some think that living a good, righteous life marked with kindness and charity will benefit them with God's salvation. Both are wrong.
The Bible tells us that salvation is not by works, so that no one should boast (see Ephesians 2:8-9). If our salvation could be achieved by doing something good, then Christ didn't need to die. But because of the truth that no one could ever attain salvation because of what they could do, Jesus came to purchase it for us.
An insult to God
We should understand that Jesus Christ has already paid for our freedom in full, and that He's not offering it for sale or trade. No, He's not hoping that we would do something in exchange for His acceptance and forgiveness. Both are already offered on the cross, and we can get it if we do our part: to repent and put our faith in His finished work.
Knowing this, we must realise that trying to perform well or be a good person to attain God's love is an insult to His grace. Why? It's like trying to buy from your dad what he has already worked hard for you to have a good life. You don't pay your dad for his goodness to you! You simply thank him for it, receive his grace, and respond in kind.
In the same way, God does not expect us to pay for the forgiveness of our sins through Christ. He just wants us to live a new life, founded in His grace.
Not just cleaned, but made new
The Bible says that in Christ, we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). That's what you are if you are with Jesus Christ. Your old life is gone. Your sins have been erased. You have been given more than just a clean slate – you are made into a new slate.
You don't live your life now in such a way that you're always worrying that you might put a spot in that new slate, thinking that if you ever make it dirty again it will never be cleaned. Rather, you take care of that new slate because Jesus paid for it. He owns it. He loves it.
Live the new life in thankfulness, making sure that how you live glorifies the Lord and gives Him pleasure.
