You = Your Pastor = Jeffrey Dahmer = Adolf Hitler

(Image courtesy of gettyimages.com.)


"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 3:23-24).
What do the following people share in common: you, your pastor, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Adolf Hitler? Yes, we are all human, and because we are all human we also share in the same guilt before God because of our sin.Do you think about yourself in the same category as Hitler? God says that all have sinned and, therefore, all fall short of meeting God’s demands to go free. In other words, we are all guilty before him. In God’s courtroom, you and I are just as guilty of breaking God’s laws as Adolf Hitler or the serial killer Jeffery Dahmer.

Thinking of our sin this way – in the same category as Hitler – is a humbling place to be; in fact, it’s the best place to be when sharing Christ with others. Christians ought never to be proud of our accomplishments, since we are just as bad as anyone else! Instead we ought to boast of our Savior, who loved us and gave himself for us – and for others like us!

But we don’t have to remain guilty.

Through the death of Christ Jesus in our place, God offers us a free gift of pardon and redemption, that any who renounce their former ways of sin and trust in Christ will be justified. What does it mean to be justified? In God’s courtroom it means to be counted righteous, morally perfect, without spot or blemish! This is, indeed, a marvelous gift of grace!

Do you feel guilty for past sins you’ve committed? That’s a good place to be. Go to Jesus every time you feel that way; he alone can make you clean and give you peace.

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