My Christian life began with gratitude. Christ saved me from sin, guilt, judgment, and the death I deserved. Gratitude became joy, joy became love, and Jesus’ words made complete sense: “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Obedience was not the price of salvation. It was the response of a man who had been saved and wanted to please the One who saved him.
Then came a truth every disciple eventually has to face: wanting to obey Christ does not make sinlessness possible. Pretending otherwise produces either deception and spiritual pride, or a spectator Christianity in which a man talks about truth because actually living it exposes too much failure.
The better road is older than us: honesty, confession, repentance, humility, worship, and getting back up. When I sin, I do not hide like Adam. I call the sin what God calls it. I confess it without self-defense. I let grief and embarrassment do their work. I receive repentance again as mercy, remember why the Cross was necessary, agree with God that I cannot save myself, and begin the next leg of the race.
Repentance then becomes an act of worship. My failure drives me back to the Cross, where gratitude begins again.
- Gratitude for salvation.
- Joy and love for the Savior.
- A desire to obey because I love Him.
- Honesty when I fail.
- Confession and repentance without hiding.
- Humility at the foot of the Cross.
- Get back up and follow Him again.