I hear people say all the time, “I am going to turn over a new leaf”. Now that may sound good in theory, but this logic when applied to reality does not quite fit. The problem is that even if we are able to turn over a new leaf, our past failures and shortcomings are still there. They have to be dealt with.
Let me explain it like this. Let’s say that I owed 25,000 dollars on my credit cards, and I decide to write a letter and tell them not to worry about my past bills as I have turned over a new leaf, and if they will forget my past debt, I will promise to pay them 100% on all my bills in the future. Not only would they say no, but they would think that I was crazy to make such a proposal. As ludicrous as this may seem, there are people every day that offer this kind of deal to God for their future without any regards to their past.
The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:15 that God will call our past into account. God’s standards are high and demand that our past sins be accounted for, settled, and paid for according to His righteousness. There are many in today’s society that are able to evade detection for their crimes and live many years as perfect citizens under the radar, undetected by the criminal justice system. But under the law, they are still criminals, and sooner or later they are discovered and their crimes are called into account and they are punished.
We all are criminals guilty of sin in God’s sight, deserving of punishment for our crimes. We cannot simply “turn over a new leaf” without being held accountable for our sins. So what are we to do? The answer is found at the foot of the cross where a loving Savior became incarnate flesh and gave His life for us, so that in turn He would be held accountable for our sins that we might be presented before God holy and blameless. He died to save us from the penalty of sin, and He lives to deliver us from the bondage of sin. In Christ we are no longer condemned by our past sin, but made righteous by the precious blood shed at Calvary.
How many of us, be we one or all, in our moment of distress, or in fear of circumstance have promised God that if He would rescue us from our predicament, we would turn over a new leaf? How many of us have said, “God if you will fix this, I will make a pact to turn over a new leaf and be a better person”? The funny thing is that none of these promises matter to God. The only promise that carries any weight with God is the promise of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:1 assures us that there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ. Any complaints or grievances that God would have against any of us are erased by the blessing of grace in Christ Jesus. The sentence for our sins was executed upon the body of our Lord. We were redeemed from death and made alive in Christ, passing from death to life by His grace.
I have failed God miserably on more than one occasion in my life, and my life was filled to the brim with sin. I have no fear that I will be held accountable for my sins, deeds, actions or words because Jesus paid the price for me on Calvary, where Divinity became humanity in order to redeem the world from sin.
John 5:24 tells us “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
Such is the power of God’s grace.
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Categories: Bible Verses and Scriptures, Christ, Christianity, Cross, Forgiveness, God, God's Love, Grace, Jesus, Repentance, Salvation, Thankful
Darrell Creswell - A Study of Christian Grace 
maybe, rather than saying,
“I am going to turn over a new leaf”
we should say,
“I am going to turn over my old life” 🙂
Amen Heidi, I visited your page at http://heidiviars.com/ and loved the content full of grace n mercy. Thanks so much for stopping by to share, hope to see you here again. In Christ, Darrell
Praise the Lord we do not have to turn an old leave over to a new leaf by our good intentions and works for Jesus offers to give us a brand new leaf by His grace and mercy. Our works of righteousness are as filthy rags in God’s sight. We have to do it His way to be accepted – the only way through Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
Good analogy Darrrell, thank you for the reminder. May I share this coming Sunday? Thank you.
Amen Evelyn, 🙂 I’m glad to be a filthy rag , saved by His mercy. As always I’m honored and thankful for my blog to be shared at Christian Blessings. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and share, in Christ, Darrell
I have often expressed that our “turning over a new leaf” and “getting our lives together” never equals the spiritual transformation God intends for us in the gospel. Thanks for dealing with this.
Thank you Mike, appreciated :-). I visited your page at http://mikeforchrist.com/, and thoroughly enjoyed what I read. Thanks for sharing Christ and Him crucified . Blessings, Darrell
Thanks, Darrell. I’ve been wanting to ask your thoughts on the Strange Fire Conference. Please share with us, if you’d had chance to view or read up on any of it. I’ve just reblogged some good entries on it, too. Cheers!
Thanks Mike, I myself am a continuationist, but find it unhealthy to argue theories of faith within the fact of grace. Saying that, I’m very conservative and believe that all facets of the faith should be followed with decency and order. Our job as believers is to share Christ and Him crucified. Blessings in Christ, Darrell
That’s good, Darrell!
Thank you brother, always glad to see you here . Thanks for sharing, in Christ, Darrell
Ah yes, I remember well the days of trying to desperately make pacts with God. Funny how following Christ sounds so restrictive until we truly embrace His grace. Only then can we see and experience what real freedom is. Nice post!
Thank you Rebeca – I stopped by your page at http://rebecajones.wordpress.com/ and was definitely inspired. Thanks for sharing God’s grace – In Christ Darrell
Very True Darrell, when we do come to True heart repentance, it does mean as you said we have sorrow for the evil we have done as it has greatly hurt God, others and ourselves and we then choose to reject all evil and do good by the empowering of the Holy Spirit, our past sins are forgiven and we walk in Righteousness Peace and Joy and this shows we believe in Jesus in our heart.
1 John 3:9 No one who is Born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been Born of God.
The word cannot in the Greek, means absolutely never.
We cannot earn our Salvation it is a free gift , which we show we have, if we don’t we are still in darkness, yes we can be forgiven if we sin but it means our flesh has not been put to death, we are not Born again, we remember that no Temptation is greater then we can bear, Jesus has set us free from the slavery of sin.
John 8:34-36 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Galatians 24 -26 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Romans 8 :12-15 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. or if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons/daughters of God.
We are no longer just human, when our flesh has been put to death and we are perfected in Love, we have God’s seed or Nature and the mind of Christ so we don’t choose to sin.
1 John 3: 1-11 ( 6-7 ) Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man/woman deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.
1 John 4:17-19 Herein is our Love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.
God tells us that when we repent from the heart He takes our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west and chooses not to remember them anymore, He keeps no record of wrongs, which means we are not condemned and because we now walk in the Spirit not the flesh, our accountability will be for rewards not punishment, we are no longer under judgment, we are washed and cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, spotless made white and purified.
Romans 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
We can’t live the Christian Life in the flesh, only Jesus can in us by the empowering of the Holy Spirit but we must choose to obey God, He never goes against our free will, we are to aim as Paul said to be perfected in Love, leaving our Childish understanding behind and receiving the crown of righteousness as he did.
1 John 4:17-19 Herein is our Love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in Love; but perfect Love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in Love. We Love Him, because He first Loved us.
1 John 3: 1-12 ( 6-7 ) Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.
1 John 2:4-6 He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the Love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.
Thank you for letting me share God’s Truth Darrell, so many are confused today, yes seeking God but not knowing Him but if they seek after Him with all their heart, they will know Him and also know He hates sin because it hurts. 1Corthians2:9-16
Christian Love from both of us – Anne
I love when you share Ann, I am always blessed – Thank you so much, appreciated – IN Christ Darrell
I agree. Someone very close to me was molested as a sixth grader…due to the negligence of a very well-known and largely attended church camp. We didn’t discover this until she was nearing the end of her junior year in high school, and we only found out at that point because she was again hurt by a young man she had started dating. At that time the one thing that helped me keep my sanity was the fact that I knew both men would eventually be held accountable for their actions. My preference is that they would repent here on earth and get their hearts right with God…and then confess what they did to the authorities. I realize that is highly unlikely, but there is still peace in knowing that they will one day answer for their evil deeds.
Amen Sue, Thanks for sharing. I visited your page at http://rockiesuefordham.wordpress.com/ and loved it. Hope to see you here again. Blessings in Christ Darrell
because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins.
Thank you May for sharing – Blessings in Christ Darrell