(The following is the June 23 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Romans 8 and pay close attention to verses 1-2.)
Bear with me as we take an unpleasant trip down memory lane. Think back through your life as far as you can remember and recall as many of your sins as possible. What did you do as a child that disobeyed God’s Word, hurt others, or disrespected your parents? What godly teaching did you ignore as a teenager in your desire to do things your way and feel good? What sins of thought, word, or deed were commonplace when you spent time with those who enjoyed sin more than godliness? What people or substances did you abuse for your pleasure? What behaviors in school or college dishonored God?
Have you sinned in the workplace through business practices, relationships, speech, or actions with others? How have you treated your spouse, children, and other family members? What have you done when alone? Have you wished harm to others? Who have you hurt with lies and gossip? How godly have you been on social media? Has your language honored Christ?
In addition to the above sins of commission, what sins of omission litter your past? Whose needs have you ignored? What acts of love and kindness came to mind but were left undone?
If we published all our sins, they would comprise the thickest book in any library. We battle a sinful nature before knowing Christ and still fight the flesh once we know him. But then the incredible truth of Romans 8:1 washes over us: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” For those in Christ, God pulled that giant record of our sins from the shelf and cast it aside forever. No longer condemned by sin, “Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death” (v. 2).
Rejoice, believers, in this marvelous truth, and never cease to praise the One who made it possible.
Next Step:
Praise God for his forgiveness through Christ. Pray that your life from this point forward will honor him more faithfully than in times past.