Should we be encouraged or discouraged to find out we will never be good enough to please God and escape his just wrath against sin?

One of the most telling stories in the Bible takes place at the death of Jacob, one of the patriarchs of Israel. The family was living in Egypt under the protection and care of Jacob’s son, Joseph, who was second in command in that great nation. The other sons, Joseph’s brothers, who years earlier had hated, betrayed, and sold Joseph into slavery, were afraid that after their father was out of the picture Joseph finally would take vengeance on them. They could not imagine that their brother held nothing against them for their previous treachery.

They approached Joseph with what appears to be a fabricated story begging him to spare their lives on behalf of their father. Joseph’s response tells us a lot about God’s heart toward us.

...And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. 21 “So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:17–21 (NASB95) — 

Joseph’s brothers imagined that he would be unable to let go of his offense. They did not understand that forgiveness is a complete release from a debt. Nothing remains to be paid or collected. All motivation toward revenge disappears without a trace. The memory and knowledge of what happened remained, but not the offense or any thoughts of revenge. Many Christians are like those brothers. We may have a difficult time releasing others from what they owe us and imagine God is like that, too.

I remember when my youngest son, Clark, was about 5 or so. He was sitting on my lap as I explained to him that Jesus did nothing wrong but chose to die for our sins. He took our punishment upon himself so we could go free. He turned to me and asked a most insightful question: “Daddy, does he still like us?”

It is difficult, if not impossible, for us to fathom the depths of the love of God’s Son, who freely laid down his life for his enemies, or of our heavenly Father who allowed it to take place.

We often think that surely we owe God something in return. Surely somehow we can pay back this debt we owe to him! Such thinking is the tap root of legalism, the attempt to gain or maintain a right relationship with God through self-effort.

The self-effort of legalism cannot produce life. It is impossible to be good enough on our own to gain or maintain God’s acceptance and favor.

Such striving always ends poorly in anger, discouragement, despair, or self-righteous pride, depending on our personality and how well we think we are doing. Since it is impossible to be good enough for God, the sooner we give up on this poor venture, the better.

Jesus taught a parable that perfectly illustrates this way of thinking. It’s found in Matthew 18:21-35. I encourage you to read it now. You can click on the linked Bible passage to easily do this.

This servant was hopelessly in debt. There was no earthly possibility that he could repay the enormous sum. He begged for more time, thinking that somehow he could actually pull it off. The master knew that the only way out was to release him from the debt completely, which he did. The servant, however, either did not hear or did not accept the master’s mercy. He still determined to pay back the debt. The human heart dislikes receiving “charity.” We want to earn our way. We want to be “self-made.” That was the sin of Adam and remains the driving force much of human behavior today. Simply put, we want to be like God.

It is humbling to realize that we are unable to pay back to God what we owe him.

The wages of sin is death, and unless we die, we still owe God, unless someone else substitutes for us. Even though the servant was totally absolved of his debt, he did not accept it and began to work hard at collecting all the debts owed to him. He mercilessly threw a fellow servant into prison because he was unable to repay a small debt. This is something we Christians sometimes do.

Because we are unable to receive fully God’s mercy, we find it impossible to be merciful to others.

If we think we are “pretty good” people who just need to try harder, we deceive ourselves into thinking that our offenses are not so bad in the grand scheme of things. Our sense of needing God’s mercy is lessened, and our appreciation for the mercy he has shown us is diminished.

Merciless people illustrate their own poverty of understanding.

Jesus taught that only those who understand their impoverished spiritual condition will be able to enter the kingdom of God.

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 (NKJV)

The word translated “poor” is the Greek word ptochos, which means a cowering beggar, someone without self-confidence.

We should have zero confidence in our own righteousness!

If we are unable to fully grasp of need for God’s mercy, we may become like that servant. He heard the master fully release him, but he could not really hear it. He could not believe it or receive it because he had yet to come to terms with his spiritual poverty.

Jesus gave us another clear illustration of this principle. 

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!” 40 And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.”41 “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other, fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:36–50 (NASB 2020) —

Our recognition of our own poverty in relation to God sets us up to fully receive his mercy.

When we imagine we need little or no mercy from God, our hearts are closed to his amazing offer of complete forgiveness, but when we know we are sinners without a prayer besides God’s mercy, we fully receive it and share it with others.

If we doubt whether God has fully forgiven us, we reveal that we have not truly understood the good news that Jesus completely and irrevocably released us from the debt of sin.

When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, every sin that we ever would commit was in the future. God foresaw it all and made provision for it.

By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. 11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES ARE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 “THIS IS THE COVENANT WHICH I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, DECLARES THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEARTS, AND WRITE THEM ON THEIR MIND,” He then says, 17 “AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL NO LONGER REMEMBER.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required. Hebrews 10:10–18 (NASB 2020) —

Many people think that Jesus simply erased our past sins, but maintaining a right relationship with God in the future is still in our hands. What we do from here on out is up to us. This kind of thinking puts us on the treadmill of trying to be good enough. People on that hopeless errand eventually collapse in discouragement, despair, or even anger against God, all because they did not understand or receive the full forgiveness of God when it was offered.

Let me share a couple of verses that have greatly impacted my own heart and helped me escape the lost cause of trying to be good enough.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:8–11 (NASB 2020) —

I hope you have “ears to hear” what this passage says.

• Jesus died for us before we ever made any move toward God. We were his avowed, inveterate enemies. We were spiritually dead and actually incapable of doing anything to save ourselves. Nothing in us deserved the mercy he showed to us.
• His death not only provided forgiveness. It also transferred to us his right standing with God. Because we now are justified and found not guilty in God’s eyes, there is nothing to make him dissatisfied with us. We will never be condemned! (John 5:24, Romans 8:1)
• In addition, because of Jesus’ resurrection, we shall be saved by his life. That means that if Jesus lives, so do we. As long as he is alive, we will never die. His well being translates into our well being. His favor with God is our favor with God. Everything he has and is has been given to us. God’s own Spirit lives inside us, making us authentic children of God with complete access to the Father’s heart and blessings! We have passed from death to life.

Some of us believe that there must be a “but” in there someplace. The gospel cannot possibly be this level of good news. Well, if that is you, I am glad to tell you that you are mistaken.

The gospel is far better than people allow themselves to believe, just as the master’s declaration of complete release from debt was too good for the servant to believe.

Here is another life-changing verse, if you can hear it and receive it.

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT) —

If you can believe this one verse, you will be set free. Jesus clearly confirms Paul’s words. We cannot ever again be condemned for our sins. Why? Because once a debt is paid, it is no longer owed. The devil and our own hearts condemn us by deceiving us into believing that God has not truly or completely or irrevocably released us from our debt of sin, but that is a lie.

Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NASB 2020) —

We cannot die because we are already dead. We cannot be condemned because Jesus took our condemnation. When Jesus died, so did we. When he arose, so did we. We cannot go back and undo what he did for us on the cross. Why would we want to do that? The good news is that we have already escaped from the shadowland of legalism and death and have been transported by the Spirit into the wonderful new realm of life in the Son of God. We cannot ever die again!

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” John 11:25–26 (NLT) —

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I ask you to reveal this glorious truth more fully to me. Deliver me from every form of legalism and self-striving. Let me believe the good news completely. Amen.

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