I was reminded of something this week – nothing new and earth-shattering, just a fresh glimpse of an old truth that I tend to lose sight of. What was this truth, you ask? Simply this, that I am a sinner.
This past Wednesday I found myself battling a bad mood. My spirit was grumbly and foul for no apparent reason. I couldn’t blame it on circumstances, I couldn’t blame it on relationships – I couldn’t even blame it on hormones! How humbling to see that the only reason for my bad mood was me! I don’t need for there to be anything wrong externally for me to respond sinfully – it is who I am.
In the midst of my moodiness, God helped me to realize afresh that I am not a sinner because I sin, I sin because I am a sinner. I came into this world with a sinful nature and although I am in the process of being transformed into the image of my Savior, sin will continue to be a part of who I am and all I do until the day I arrive in heaven.
Ironically, the truth that I am (and upon this earth always will be) a sinful person brings freedom rather than the weight of condemnation. I don’t have to keep up appearances before my Father – He knows me through and through. He has placed the full punishment for my sin upon His Son. I can rest assured that there is nothing that I need to do to earn His love and there’s nothing I could ever do to lose His love. My ever-present sin keeps me humbly dependent on my ever-gracious God, and deepens my love for the One who is not ashamed to call me His own.
