People guarded by Christ’s righteousness move confidently into the presence of God. They move from condemned to confident. That alliteration reorients me every new morning. We know in Ephesians 3:12 that “because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” Can you imagine it? Freedom and confidence to approach the Supreme Ruler of the universe? What a marvelous, nearly incomprehensible privilege! We transform from condemned to confident.
I became confident before God. As I meditated on both Romans 8 and Psalm 103 about not being condemned and God removing my sin, I realized the fact of my righteousness positions me before an attentive God. Soon my mind and my emotions obeyed what I chose to believe was true of my soul.
I’m not condemned. I’m confident.
When we feel condemned, we can retrieve the critical data that we are guarded by Christ’s righteousness and silence the accuser of our souls. We are free to enter into the throne room of God to make our requests and receive the help we need. We have favor with a God who longs to be gracious to us and to bless us beyond measure.
Heather Holleman is the author of Guarded by Christ. She is a speaker, writer, and faculty member of Penn State's English Department. Adapted from Guarded by Christ: Knowing the God Who Rescues and Keeps Us by Heather Holleman © 2016. Used by permission. www.MoodyPublishers.com.
