For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. -Romans 5:19 (NASB)

When we think of Easter, we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, His victory over death, and granting us a direct relationship with God by tearing the temple veil. But He also made a bridge to the final Eden.

In the beginning, when God made the world and the Garden of Eden, with Adam and Eve in it, the Garden was heaven on earth. There was no disease or illness or death. There was no shame or guilt or hatred or murder.

But the very free will gifted to Adam and Eve–the same free will to choose walking in obedience and faith with God, or the disobedience to walk away to follow what someone else (like Satan) tells us is true and better–changed the course of events forever for all mankind. Sure, God could’ve just made mindless robots programmed to love Him, but He wanted children who would make the conscious choice to lovingly follow and obey Him. To this day, we as a race continue to be splintered in our walk with God.

So Jesus, like Jacob’s ladder, and like God in the wilderness the Israelites wandered for 40 years, made a way where there seemed to be no way. In a terrible, dark time where God’s own creations nailed Him to a cross in hate, He used that for good. He used it to make a way to heaven by releasing us from and cleansing us the sin that plagues us from birth.

The Garden of Eden was said to be like heaven on earth, but to be reunited with the Father in heaven, to walk with Him as Adam and Eve did in Eden, is incomparable. Thank You, Lord, that Your finished work on the cross, and your ascension to heaven, made a way to live with You forever. There is no better place to be. Happy Easter.

Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer), Brazil

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. -1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭18-19‬ (NIV)

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. -Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭22-24‬ (NIV)

I have to remind myself of this often, when my flesh rises up. My mind thinks back to some grave mistake I made. I can’t take it back, and I start the downward spiral of remorse, regret, and wallowing.

The enemy is loving this: a follower of Christ, who already stumbled in the sin being recalled—but already forgiven for it—is still stumbling over a memory of it. I’ve basically taken the pieces of the sin, which God already separated from me as far as the east is from the west, and reassembled them.

I’m a sinner like you. We have all made mistakes that are judged here on earth as little or big in the eyes of men, but sin is sin in the Lord’s eyes.

Remember the heavy price God paid to sacrifice His only son to redeem and justify us. Redemption is forgiveness for our sins, and justification is righteousness given us, and the freedom bought for us through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

All that to say: when you sin, you confess it to God. You repent. And you give that burden to Him. Jesus did not die for us so we’d crush ourselves under the weight of our own sins through wallowing and regret. That’s dishonoring Jesus’ work and God’s love, so I then confess and repent of my selfishness in my wallowing and regret, for I’ve taken my eyes off Him…again.

So, the next time you think back on, or are reminded of, a past sin…whether recent or old…remember Jesus’ work for you before you drag yourself down. You’ve been forgiven. Now honor Him and forgive yourself so you can continue to glorify Him in your unencumbered walk. God’s got great plans for you.

Today’s soundtrack

“I am Redeemed” by Big Daddy Weave reminds us that we are shackled and imprisoned by sin, but His loving redemption lets us shake off the chains, because we aren’t who we used to be!