Grace And Peace

"Grace be unto you, and peace." 1 Cor. 1:3

As some dyes are darker than others, some sins stain the deeper. Intellectually we know that when Christ paid for the sins of His elect on the cross, no stain remained on them. ‘Though our sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.’ Upon believing, we receive complete remission of all our sins and are clothed in His perfect imputed righteousness forever. That is why Christ says to His bride, ‘Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.’ It's true. It's immutable.

Yet often, the child of God does not feel unspotted. The reasons for this are three: they have newly discovered sin; they have remaining sin, cast in a new light; and they have old sins, once-thought-dead, startling them awake by memory. And some of those sins stain the conscience deeply. ‘My sin is ever before me,’ David cried. His conscience stain never left him.

This reveals to us an unholy pair: Sin and Conscience. Left to himself, conscience might remain quiet. But together, they're like two parroting bullies on the playground, freezing us against the wall, taunting us. Is there no help? Yes, dear soul, look unto the hills. The Father and the Son rush to you in this text and say, “Here is one blessing for each bully. Grace for your sin, and Peace for your conscience.”

The Father's grace has wiped away our sin in His Son, and the Son brings peace by His Spirit to a troubled heart. That is why we begin with the greetings of Christ each Lord's Day, "Grace and peace." For the believing soul, Christ stands and says to you, "Grace upon your deepest stain, and peace upon your troubled heart."

As you struggle against your remaining sin, know, dear soul, that grace and peace are Christ's purchased gifts to you. Enter in. Don't let sin so easily beset your worship. Lift your eyes. Let the Law have its convicting work in you. It will make grace and peace all the more precious when you do. Christ has won your victory over sin, death, hell, and the grave. He kept the Law, and then magnified it…for you. There is no spot in THEE.  

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, from God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.