“Most Christ followers have a general idea that Jesus paid for their sins. But rare are the Christians who actually experience the freedom and peace from guilt God has provided.”- Chip Ingram
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork . . . “- Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)
Chip Ingram moves on in Chapter 10 of Discover Your True Self as he talks about how Jesus’ intervention rescued us from condemnation. In addition, Pastor Ingram states, that intervention met us at multiple points of need and redefined us. Above all, it lifts us out of the constant recycling of suffering. A world system that trapped us both as offenders and the offended.
Consequently, Chip asks, why do you do what you do? For example, why do you mask your guilt as you sedate your pain of stimulate your pleasures? And how well do you think your approach is working for you? However, changes begin to occur when you answer the why question.
As a result, Pastor Ingram explains how God solved your problem. Chip writes:
“[God’s] solution is not a Band-Aid. a little bit of improvement, or a temporary fix. He intervened in order to eradicate and obliterate your guilt, not just hypothetically, theologically, and abstractly, but at the experiential level of our emotions and everyday lives. He’s given us everything we need to be free. . . . God does not help those who help themselves; He helps those who receive His help by faith.”
In conclusion, Pastor Ingram reminds us that we received an inheritance of sin from all past generations of human history. Most significantly, we also receive the righteousness of Christ as sons and daughters of God.
Today’s question: What provides freedom and peace from guilt for you? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: The extravagant gift of salvation”
