Devotional Blog Tuesday, July 19

Daily Devotional for Tuesday, July 19

The Condemning Law—Blotted Out

In a teen class at church camp, the teacher creatively illustrated this verse. He asked each student to list all the sins he had committed so far that week. Then he asked each student to add any good deeds he should have done but did not. Then he gave each student a bottle of whiteout, read this verse, and told us to white out all these sins. He explained that this is what salvation is like and quoted Isaiah 1:18, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” That has always stuck with me.

You can also see a reference to the Old Testament Law (ordinances). The Law condemned everyone as a sinner, making everyone guilty before God (Romans 3:19, 20). The Law could never save but only condemn; it could never forgive but only judge. If you were required to keep the Law for salvation, you would be hopelessly lost, condemned by the Law and eternally punished.

But Christ took your sins and nailed them to His cross. The language here is precise. When it says Jesus “took it out of the way,” the meaning is once for all (Greek perfect tense). Jesus nailed your sins to His cross one time, and that was good enough for eternity. He took your guilt and condemnation as exposed by the Law and nailed it to His cross. And notice it says “His cross” just to be clear. Now you are no longer condemned because you have put your faith in Jesus Christ.