I had a “teaching moment” with my 4 year-old granddaughter this morning that I needed just as much as she did.  I should have realized that she was enjoying her shower last night just waaaaay too much—when she got out, smilingly, she informed me that she “cleaned” the shower.  I asked her what she used, her washcloth?  She just smiled and didn’t say a word.  It wasn’t until after bedtime stories and she was tucked in for the night that I found out she used up most of my bottle of facial cleanser for her ambitious endeavors.

I’ve talked to her about leaving grandma’s things alone when she is in the shower, this wasn’t something new to her; so this morning I reminded her that what she did was wrong and she needed to apologize and ask for forgiveness.  I was about to go on and tell her to promise that she would never do it again when the Holy Spirit stopped me with the realization that kind of promise is unscriptural.  The Bible tells us that, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

…doesn’t say anything about promising to never sin again!

I don’t want to alienate myself from God by sinning, and for the most part I am willing to align my choices and activities to avoid active rebellion; yet there are times when my thoughts or attitudes are much different than my appearance belies—for I am by nature a sinner, although saved by grace, “not of works, lest [I] should boast” (Ephesians 2:19).  The apostle Paul writing as the Holy Spirit directed, confessed “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.  Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me….O wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?  I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:18-20, 24-25).

I did not realize that Paul was speaking of a future event—“Who will deliver me?”  It hadn’t happened yet, but by faith he claimed victory “through Jesus Christ our Lord!”  What a release from condemnation!  (“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1).

The problem with the promise “I will never do that again” is that it is about me and what I will do instead of what Jesus, by the Holy Spirit is doing in my life—my strength, my righteousness, instead of His.  Jesus promises to forgive us when we humble ourselves in repentance and He cleanses us from all unrighteousness.  “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.  But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:3-7).

I know that there are some that believe people will “go all crazy like” on the grace of God, accepting permissions that our Father never intended.  However, it is not the wrath of God that holds our lives in check, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this:  that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).  The scripture goes on to say in verse 17:  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

I remember as I raised my children, just how important it was to me to make sure that they were well behaved, and strictly disciplined—it did not even dawn on me to teach them about the grace of God.  Much to my regret.  I recognize that punishment and legalism were deeply rooted in my life and I am sad that I passed that heritage on to my kids.  But for the grace of God…  He has given us opportunities to mend our pathways and to experience the grace and forgiveness that comes from intimacy with our Savior.

May you have a grace-filled life, walking in faith and forgiveness; knowing that,

“The Lord is merciful and gracious,

Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

He will not always chide,

Nor will he keep his anger forever.

He does not deal with us according to our sins,

Nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

So great is his steadfast love toward those who fear Him;

As far as the east is from the west,

So far does he remove our transgressions from us.

As a father shows compassion to his children,

So the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

For He knows our frame;

He remembers that we are dust.”

 Psalm 103:8-14