When you and I, Christians, look to our Heavenly Father, he doesn’t look back with eyes that remember our shameful moments. My “history,” as far as God is concerned, is Jesus’ perfect life.
Even as he [God the father] chose us in him [Jesus, his Son] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him…
— Ephesians 1:4
He who knows my heart only sees His Son’s perfect heart in mine. We trust God, the one who is capable of this miracle:
To the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. — Romans 4:5
That sin — the angry thought or the harsh text message — is still real evil and horrible before God. My sin, even secret sin, is great. But Jesus the Sin-bearer is magnificent.
We can be really sure God looks on us happily, without thought of that sin, because Jesus’ bloody death already paid for it. What a glorious God — who has the ability and the desire! — to forgive every sin, every fault.
My garments stained with sin and guilt,
I came to Christ, his peace I felt;
And now my heart with love doth glow,
His blood — it washes white as snow.I do not doubt, nor will I say,
“I hope,” “I guess,” I’m clean today;
For in God’s word, I read it so,
His blood doth wash us white as snow.— Barney Elliott Warren, “My garments stained with sin and guilt”
