Saved Sinner

No one likes to be told they’re doing something wrong, even when they know it’s true. We know we all get stuff wrong now and then, but what if the reality is more serious than just a mistake here or there?

Right back at the beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 3, we see Adam and Eve disobey God and do what they wanted to do instead. That’s what it means to sin. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin entered the world. But it’s not just them – all of us are sinners, too. We’re guilty of disobeying God and living our lives the way we want instead. God has every right to turn away from us for disobeying him as our Creator.

Except that’s not what happened. Instead of giving us what we deserved, God loved us so much that he rescued us from our sin by sending Jesus. Sin entered the world through Adam, but we were made right with God through Jesus’ death. He took the punishment we deserved for our sin. What great news!

God chose to save us not because we deserve it, but because he loves us. We all share an identity as sinners, but when we accept what Jesus has done for us, we gain a new shared identity: saved sinners; rescued children of God. And it’s because of that new identity that we can live new lives – that we can turn away from the things we’ve done that are wrong, and live more and more as God wants.

Questions:  

1. Who do you think the two people mentioned in verses 18 and 19 are? What did each of them do?  
2. Why did God choose to rescue us from sin? How do you think you should respond?  
3. Some people might feel like they’re worthless because they’re sinners. How could you encourage them with what you’ve read today?

Prayer:

Holy God, thank you for loving me even though I disobey you. Thank you for sending Jesus to take the punishment I deserve so that I can be made right with you. Please help me to live my life in a way that honours you. Amen.