Finding Transformation Through Christ

“Then Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?” And Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’” (Luke 7:48-50, NLT)

“Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’” (Mark 2:5, NLT)

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” (Romans 5:1-2, NLT)

Imagine standing on a hillside among hundreds of people as Jesus begins to speak. At first, his words are comforting: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). But as he continues, the message becomes unsettling. Love your enemies. Forgive those who hurt you. Don’t lust. Don’t hate. Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

As the crowd slowly disperses, you realize something uncomfortable. You haven’t lived this way. In fact, you can’t. If this is God’s standard, who could ever stand before him? You realize that more than anything else, you need forgiveness. You walk away from that hillside knowing that you need to be transformed, and transformation can only happen through Jesus. This happened to many who heard Jesus’ words, and we see evidence of that in Scripture. We may not have Jesus on a hillside speaking his words, but we have his words saved for eternity in the Bible. His words can change you. His words can save you; you need only believe that what he said is true.

After reading and meditating on the Sermon on the Mount, we have reason to be uneasy—at least if we are trying to please God by obeying what Jesus taught. Jesus calls us to forgive others, but we realize that we need to be forgiven by God himself. How might this happen? Can we know we are forgiven by God?

Jesus gives the answer in several accounts in the Gospels. At a dinner party, a woman of bad reputation anointed Jesus’ feet with costly perfume. Some in attendance were aghast. Instead of rebuking her, Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven. . . Your faith has saved you” (Luke 7:48, 50). In another situation, after seeing a paralyzed man, Jesus said, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). This scandalized the crowd, since only God can forgive sins, but Jesus went on to heal the man and verified his divine ability.

We are told that Jesus appeared to Saul of Tarsus, who had persecuted Jesus, and forgave his sins (Acts 9). Saul (often later known as Paul) went on to write most of the New Testament and to clearly explain just how Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection ensures the forgiveness of sins to those who trust in him: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2; see also Ephesians 2:1-10).

Jesus and Paul are of one mind on how Jesus’ death and resurrection pays the penalty for our sin, reconciles us to God, and gives us eternal life. Read through 1 John 1:8-10 and consider what you might say to God in light of the promise given there. Confess your sins and be forgiven.

As you think about how Jesus can transform your life, consider which part of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount challenges you the most. Have you ever tried to earn God’s approval through your own efforts? How can you trust Jesus more fully to forgive you so that you can be fully transformed by him?