Just As If I’d Never Sinned

In review of Hebrews 4:16 it says, “Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most”

Bottom Line:

Mercy and grace are found at the throne of our gracious God. We can come to him boldly for the help we need.

What this means to me:

I can come boldly to the throne of my gracious God. When I come to him I can be assured of receiving his mercy and grace that I need.

Today's verse comes from the last part of Hebrews chapter four. In this Paul is explaining that since Christ is our high priest who has entered heaven, we can hold firmly to what we believe. Christ understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet did not sin. Given this, we can come boldly to the throne of our gracious God, receive his mercy and find grace to help us when we need it most.

Paul assures us that we can come boldly, we don’t need to be hesitant or shy about approaching God for forgiveness. Today’s verse says, “Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16 NLT). Paul is saying that at the throne of grace, I will not find scolding, punishment, or rejection. When I go to God with my sin, I receive his mercy, and I find his grace.

His mercy is forgiveness for all the things I’ve done in the past. His grace is the power to change in the future. And I need both. Mercy for all the things I’ve done wrong in the past (forgiveness). And grace, the power to change, in the future. God says that when I come to him with honesty and humility, I will receive his forgiveness.

Forgiveness doesn’t come by:

Begging God. He wants to forgive me more than I want to be forgiven. I won’t have to beg.

Bargaining with God. I won’t need to bargain or bribe. “God, I’ll never do it again! I’ll live this kind of life. I’ll tithe 20 percent.” I don’t bargain, bribe or beg.

Forgiveness comes by just believing. Believing in God’s promise in Hebrews 4:16. I do it by confessing. Confession is not saying, “God, I’ll never do it again.” It’s saying, “You’re right, God. It was wrong. I was wrong.”

The Bible says in Romans 5:1, “Since we have been justified (that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God) by faith, let us grasp the fact that we have peace with God ... through our Lord Jesus Christ” (AMP).

Justified in this sense means, “just as if I’d never sinned.”  No matter what, God can wash my heart clean.