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FORGIVEN & FREE

April 16, 2022

Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13b-14 NLT

On Good Friday, Jesus died on the Cross and canceled out our sin. Crucifixion was not the only form of execution during the Roman Period, but when used it conveyed rejection and shame – an extreme form of cancel culture. Jesus, who had never sinned, took all the shame and sin of humanity on Himself so that we could be free (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus cancels sin, not people. A woman was caught in the act of adultery and brought before Jesus by a group wanting to kill her. Jesus said, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7b). When the group had gone, Jesus said to the woman, “‘Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?’  ‘No, Lord,’ she said. And Jesus replied, ‘Neither do I. Go and sin no more’” (John 8:10 NLT).

Jesus is reaching out a nail-scarred hand to draw you out of any pit you might be in. Instead of being dismissed, you are included. Instead of being ostracized, you are embraced. Instead of being rejected, you are forgiven. Jesus doesn’t condemn you. Instead, He frees you from the power of sin. And when Jesus makes you free, you are truly free (John 8:36).

God loves you!
Pastor Jeff Perry

PRAY THIS PRAYER: God, thank You for sending Jesus to rescue me. Help me to never forget the moment You saved me and turned my life around. Because I’ve been forgiven much, I can love much. I forgive others because You forgave me. I love because You first loved me. My life is Yours. Help me to do Your will and follow You all of my days. In Jesus’ name, amen. (Luke 7:47; Ephesians 4:32; 1 John 4:19)

can·cel, verb
To destroy the force, effectiveness, or validity of.
To bring to nothingness:  destroy.

Copyright © 2022 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. “Cancel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cancel. Accessed 13 Apr. 2022.