Emptied of Sin, Filled with Righteousness

Are you visiting the foot of the Cross frequently? To be filled with righteousness you need to be emptied of sin.

February’s Awakening, Day 20

Look once again to Jesus Christ in his death upon the cross. Look and try to understand that what he did and suffered, he did and suffered for you, for me, for us all. He carried our sin, our captivity and our suffering, and did not carry it in vain. He carried it away.

 —Karl Barth

Thou must be emptied of that wherewith thou are full, that thou mayest be filled with that whereof thou art empty.

 —Augustine of Hippo 

Forgiveness is the answer to the child’s dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is again made clean.

 —Dag Hammarskjold 

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:34, 36 NIV

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. Romans 6:6, 11, 13 NIV 

            Our lives are filled and overflowing with sin, but we do not need to remain in that disparaging state. Christ has carried away all our sin, pain, sorrow, and shame and has set us truly free. What was broken is made whole again and what was soiled is now made pure and clean. We can now empty ourselves of all those burdens and encumbrances which have kept us in bondage and be filled fresh and anew with Christ’s righteousness and peace. It is a daily trip that we must take to the foot of the Cross and lay our baggage of sin down and be emptied of it. We must reach to Him to fill us to overflowing with His holiness and walk each day in it. The Cross of forgiveness must be visited daily or we will soon be overtaken by our sinful selves again, stuffed to the brim and needing a complete transfusion of His forgiveness and righteousness. But that’s what the Cross is all about—come and be emptied and filled with Him.