Dear First Pres,
We finally finished Ezra! I hope you enjoyed our study of this Old Testament book as much as I did. I found it to be a wonderfully rich experience academically and spiritually. But as we ended on Sunday with a passage that was hard to swallow, I wished I would have emphasized one more element of God’s amazing grace. Good thing I send a letter to the congregation every week!
Ezra 10 makes absolutely clear that sin, in every form, is devastating. And, that devastation is far reaching. Our sin never just impacts us individually. It always impacts our relationships and our community.
But here is the good news. Our God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in faithfulness and love. He sent His Son into the world to bring about God’s salvation for all those who believe. For those who are in Christ, our sin is forgiven. Hallelujah! And, as we confess our unfaithfulness to the Lord and repent of it, by His grace, He purifies us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). This is something I tried to make really clear on Sunday.
What I wish I would have added on Sunday is this: Jesus also restores. That doesn’t mean that He takes away all the natural consequences of sin. But in the midst of our brokenness, God graciously brings healing. By His grace, I’ve seen the Lord restore marriages after there was unfaithfulness. By His grace, I’ve seen the Lord bring reconciliation between persons who were at war. By His grace, I’ve seen the Lord rebuild a fruitful life in people who were formerly criminals. And, by His grace, I’ve seen the Lord bring health and wholeness to those who were wounded by another’s sin. No one is beyond the restorative power of Jesus, but we access that restorative power, always, through the surrender of our lives to Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
So, Beloved, if there was some sin in your life that seemed to be brought into the light over the past few weeks, remember this: in Christ, that sin doesn’t define you. In Christ, you are a new creation. In Christ, you are rooted and established in His love. In Christ, you have received mercy. In Christ, you are lavished in His grace. In Christ, you are called according to His purposes. This is who we are in Christ.
In Christ, there is restoration that comes out of His forgiveness. God repairs.
Blessings,
Jeremy
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