No More Condemnation (2)

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” – Romans 8:1-2 (NIV 2010)

Leviticus probably ranks high up there for some of us as one of the most legalistic books of the Bible filled with ‘the law of sin and death’. Yet when we approach it with the light that grace brings we find even here the shadows of ‘the law of the Spirit of life’ in operation as we see very clearly God’s eternal answer for man’s guilt in passages like Leviticus 5:1-13.

It starts by saying: ‘If a person sins…- even though he is unaware of it, he has become unclean and is guilty’ (vs. 1-2). Man’s guilt comes from sinning against God. Man has offended his Creator and because of his vital link with God, the disconnection that sin produces leaves a weight upon man’s soul. This is why the problem of guilt is too deep to be resolved by man-made solutions.

So what is God’s solution for guilt? In verse 5 we read ‘he must confess in what way he has sinned’. The first step towards freedom from guilt is not to deny your sin or try to justify yourself. It is to agree with God by confessing your sin. Confessing our sin is taking sides with God against ourselves. Think of a court-room where you stand guilty of your sins before the righteous demands of God. Now imagine that at the same time you also have the opportunity to be your own advocate – to defend yourself. But instead of being your own advocate by defending yourself, you become God’s advocate by defending his verdict on you and declaring yourself guilty. That is what we do when we confess our sins – we take sides with God. ‘Let God be true and every man a liar’. (Romans 3:4 NIV)

Our problem today is that we are often not willing to take sides with God against ourselves. We would rather hide or excuse our sins hoping that it will make the guilt go away. Confession of sin is not just what our mouth says but what our heart is saying. This is the powerful first step to deliverance.

‘If we claim we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness’ – 1 John 1:8-9 (NIV)

Immediately we take sides with God, we receive forgiveness on the basis of the sacrifice of Christ. This is so aptly illustrated in David’s example when he sinned in 2 Samuel 12:13. Confronted with the conviction of God, David takes side with God against himself;

‘Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die’.

Notice that God’s immediate response through Nathan was forgiveness. God took away the sin and freed David from his guilt.

In verse 6 of Leviticus 5, we read ‘and the priest shall make atonement for him (the guilty one) for all his sins’. Can you see that God provides a way out of sin and guilt! Essentially God was saying bring this and do that and your guilt with be taken care of. He comes as the Great Physician to deal with the sin-sick heart. Even in the Old Testament God provides a way out from guilt for helpless men. God provided these sacrifices to make a way out of guilt. God was not in need of their goats or bulls, he was providing a way out of guilt. And those sacrifices were pointing to the Perfect Sacrifice to come – the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

And there is no sin that he does not take away. Yes God’s will is that we live free from sin, but if we sin there is forgiveness and cleansing.

‘My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” – 1 John 2:1-2 (NIV).

In verse 13 of Leviticus 5 God says, ‘and he will be forgiven’. That is the goal of God – to provide a way out of sin and guilt. Listen, it is not God’s desire that any man should live in guilt. Once he has forgiven you, he has forgotten it. It is finished. What he forgives, he removes; it does not exist again.

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us” – Psalm 103:11-12 (NIV 2010)

Picture the court-room again: You have sided with God and declared yourself guilty. Then God, whose righteous judgement had declared you guilty and worthy of punishment, now takes sides with you – not to say you are not guilty but taking your guilt upon himself! He steps forward and provides a Way out. He steps forward through Jesus and pays the price. You are free, there is no more condemnation! Let it sink in – God has forgiven and forgotten. He calls you now to leave the past behind, and to go on and grow into Christlikeness.