Benefit #1 — Forgiveness

All the prophets testify that everyone who is trusting in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. Acts 10:43

Among all the benefits we receive when Jesus saves us, forgiveness is both preeminent and prominent. It is like running away from the edge of the cliff as the walls collapse behind us. It is like the opening shock as our parachute catches the air and ceases to be a burden. Forgiveness lifts the weight of our responsibility for our sin off our shoulders and allows us to walk on level ground with God rather than in the gutter with our misery. Like relief from debt, it doesn’t put us into positive territory, but it gets us out of the red. Forgiveness opens the door to the joy of grace. Jesus is the key. His reputation with the Father secures release from our unbearable burden. The prominence of our forgiveness relates directly to the preeminence of Jesus as a savior. Because he took on the guilt of our sins and experienced God’s wrath, we can live free from fear. The prophets looked forward to this, but we can see it occur as we entrust our future joy to him day by day. Every day, when our faith falters, he intercedes with the Father on our behalf. No wonder the angels sang when he was born!

Gracious Savior, resting in your faultless name, grateful for the freedom you make mine each day, I walk by faith into the future with you.