I’ve encountered a few situations recently that remind me how badly we all need to have a firm grasp on who we are in Christ. On multiple occasions I’ve heard people say that they have a fear of the Judgment Day because all our sins will be made known. One author (I think it was Mark Driscoll) addressed that fear this way—if God has said that there is now no condemnation for us in Christ (Romans 8:1), then why would we be faced with an upcoming day of shame? Several Scriptures come to mind:
- 1 Peter 2:24- “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness…”
- Colossians 2:13-14- “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
- Psalm 103:12- “As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.”
- 2 Peter 1:9- “For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.”
- Isaiah 43:25- “I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”
- Isaiah 61:10- “…He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness…”
We have this mental image of our lives being projected on a giant screen for all mankind to see. However, these Scriptures and many others make it clear that we have nothing to fear, for if we are in Christ our sins have been removed from our “life movie.” I imagine it as if when my name is called, the movie that will be shown is the life of Christ, for I am clothed in His righteousness. “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).
