2021 Daily Devotion - Day 343

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A pastor finished his message early one Sunday, and he wanted to check his congregation’s understanding of it. So, he asked, "Can anyone tell me what you must do before you can obtain forgiveness of sin?"

There was a short pause and then, from the back of the room, a small boy spoke up, "You have to sin."


This is a cute little story filled with an important truth. The Bible says all of us have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. But even though the Bible teaches this, there those who do not believe it applies to their lives. Instead, they compare themselves to people they see in the news who have done such terrible things and think – everything is fine with me. Using this comparison, there are those who do not think they are sinners. The fascinating thing about this is with God, sin is basically sin. There are no real degrees of sin with God. There are degrees of consequences from the damage our sin might bring about, but basically, all sin is the same to God. I have always asked people who don’t think they are sinners, “If you think you are not a sinner, why did Jesus had to come and die?”

Hebrews 9:22 ESV
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

A price for sin had to be paid. And God Himself paid it. He became a man in Jesus and paid for our sins with His own blood so that we can be made right with God.

Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, we owed a debt we could not pay, and You paid a debt You did not owe through Your sacrifice on the cross. Help us to come to full recognition of our sinful condition, so the good news of the Gospel will mean everything to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
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