Just before He died on the cross, Jesus cried out a word which our English Bibles typically translate, "It is finished!" In the Greek of the New Testament, that word is "Tetelestai!"
The word has an interesting history. In the world of the First Century, it was the word which merchants would write across cancelled bills. "It is finished!" is a perfectly legitimate translation of "tetelestai." But especially given its common usage at the time when Jesus spoke the Aramaic words rendered by it in the Bible, it would be perfectly legitimate to translate it "Paid in full!"
Christians with OCD spend a great deal of their time worrying about whether they have sinned. But the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross covers all sins, whether we realize that they are sins or not. We don't have to torture ourselves trying to figure out whether this or that is a sin. Neither do we have to compulsively jump through the hoop of confessing each and every sin, or figuring out which past acts of ours is are sins and which are not.
It's enough to believe in Christ's promise of complete forgiveness, and lay everything we are at the foot of the cross to be forgiven.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, every act, every thought, and every deed of mine- even my good works- is, in itself, tainted by sin. I lay them all at your feet, trusting in your promise of complete pardon not only for everything I have done and left undone, but even for everything I am. In your precious Name. Amen.
The word has an interesting history. In the world of the First Century, it was the word which merchants would write across cancelled bills. "It is finished!" is a perfectly legitimate translation of "tetelestai." But especially given its common usage at the time when Jesus spoke the Aramaic words rendered by it in the Bible, it would be perfectly legitimate to translate it "Paid in full!"
Christians with OCD spend a great deal of their time worrying about whether they have sinned. But the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross covers all sins, whether we realize that they are sins or not. We don't have to torture ourselves trying to figure out whether this or that is a sin. Neither do we have to compulsively jump through the hoop of confessing each and every sin, or figuring out which past acts of ours is are sins and which are not.
It's enough to believe in Christ's promise of complete forgiveness, and lay everything we are at the foot of the cross to be forgiven.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, every act, every thought, and every deed of mine- even my good works- is, in itself, tainted by sin. I lay them all at your feet, trusting in your promise of complete pardon not only for everything I have done and left undone, but even for everything I am. In your precious Name. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment