October 22, 2023 - INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE HEART

By Abby Cheng

IFH: October 22, 2023

In my experience as a Christian person growing up in church, I've noticed two different stances on sin among people. There's one where people say, "I'm a good person; I haven't really done much wrong." In those without a personal relationship with Jesus, this translates into a denial of the need for a Savior ("I'm not a sinner so why would I need to be saved?"). In believers, this mindset looks like the person that is complacent in their Christian walk, not visibly growing in righteousness, perhaps even judgmental towards "other sinners."

On the other hand, I've seen people who admit their sin but then allow shame to envelop them and their sin becomes their identity. These people are despondent over their sinfulness, believing themselves to BE something wrong, as Zach Zehnder wrote, rather than having DONE something wrong.

As we delve into the first letter of the SCARS acronym (The Five (5) Phases Leading To Freedom) this week, I pray that God opens our hearts and minds to admit our sin and respond to it according to His truth and way. May the Holy Spirit show each of us the weight of our sin but also the boundless love and grace of Jesus to forgive us our sins. As His Word says in Romans 3:23-24:

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.