Your Responsibility

It’s the first thing we default to - “I must be doing something wrong.” When it doesn’t turn out as it should. When the wrong seems to win in your life. When we stumble and we fall.

Deep down, it’s the default response of every human being. Because we naturally carry the responsibility to make our life good and right. We all do. It’s been there from the beginning. It has. The desire to be like God, to be wise like God (Genesis 3:4-6). So we carry the responsibility to do right, to be good, to make right, to see good. For ourselves. This is the root of all sin. For “…every intention of the thoughts of [our] heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5, Jeremiah 17:9). It’s true. It’s only ever always been about self. To do right, make right, be good and see good for ourselves. So, when life fails, we naturally default to “I must be doing something wrong.” For we carry the responsibility.

But it is not your responsibility.

Your salvation was never about you doing it right. You know it isn’t. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8). It’s God’s gift to you. Salvation belongs to the LORD! (Jonah 2:9). It is not your responsibility to do right, make right, be good and see good for yourself, or for anyone else. We only default to thinking we’re doing something wrong then.

But remember, our wrong was taken care of at the Cross. It is not our responsibility to make right and good again.

It is up to God. And not only does He take the responsibility from you, He goes one step further. He removes the guilt and shame. Because that’s what God does!!

And the wrong you did is never pointed out. Your sinful behaviour is never spotlighted, never used to condemn, never taken note of, but rather looked past instead.

Because that’s what God does, all through Christ Jesus our Lord!

So that instead, everything that God does right is proclaimed, loud and clear, to cover over all that you did wrong. And your sinful behaviour, the wrong you did, is forgotten. Instead, He simply tells you to sin no more.

Because that’s what God does!

So you can know and experience grace, amazing grace! And you can walk forward in grace!

Because that’s what God does!

Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you; go and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:11)

God intended for it to be that way. Salvation by grace alone. It is not up to you to do right, and be good. Christ has done it!

“[Jesus] himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

It’s the way to walk free of guilt and shame, and to sin no more. Christ Jesus is the Way!

And He will make your default response change. So that everytime you stumble and fall, everytime it’s not right and the wrong seems to win, instead of carrying the responsibility, your default response will be to come to Jesus. Because His grace covers you! Grace that is undeserved, unmerited, and unearned. Grace that is the fullness of Christ Jesus Himself (John 1:16). He really is the Way to be free! Just never stop running to Jesus!

That is your only responsibility, to come to Him to receive from Him. That’s it. That’s all.

It’s the Good News!

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“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live...” - Isaiah 55:1-3 ESV

Laura Nauta