March 4th, 2026
Wednesday, March 4
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of evil, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. ~ Romans 6:12-14
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. ~Luke 15:20
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of evil, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. ~ Romans 6:12-14
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. ~Luke 15:20
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For many Christians, Jesus’ death on the cross is understood in terms of a transaction: I sinned, Jesus died to pay the price for sins, and I get righteousness and salvation. There’s truth to these statements, but it’s not the whole story. Jesus’ death on the cross is not a transactional deal. That would be a shrunken or incomplete version of the story.
In Matthew 20:28, Jesus says that he “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” In Galatians, Paul writes that Jesus’ death on the cross redeemed us from sin and brought us into a new position as adopted children, not slaves. This ransom idea is more than a transaction and a price paid; it is a transfer into a new existence.
When you think of God’s forgiveness, what comes to mind? The word “forgive” or “forgiveness” we see in our Bibles is associated with releasing or freeing someone from something. It’s the same Greek word the gospel writers use when they talk about Jesus “casting out” a demon or illness. Jesus released or separated the illness from the person, not to return. In the cross, Jesus’ death “cast out” sin, and released you from its rule over you.
The cross of Jesus means that you have been released from a life of guilt and shame, thinking you’re under God’s judgment. Paul writes “there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). It’s not just that when you sin, Jesus forgives you (transaction). You’ve been transferred into a new existence where sin does not reign and you are no longer condemned.
Peter, Jesus’ disciple, says that “Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Once. For all. It’s not like you turn in your parking ticket every time you sin to get it validated. Jesus’ death releases us to a new existence. The cross of Christ is the thing that kicks down the wall that had separated us from the life God created us for: unity with God and peace with others. You are home now. Because of the cross of Jesus, you are in a different place with a new identity: child.
I’m reminded of the lyric from the song “From Now On” from The Greatest Showman. It narrates the return of P.T. Barnum from a life of chasing fame to a life seeking meaning:
For many Christians, Jesus’ death on the cross is understood in terms of a transaction: I sinned, Jesus died to pay the price for sins, and I get righteousness and salvation. There’s truth to these statements, but it’s not the whole story. Jesus’ death on the cross is not a transactional deal. That would be a shrunken or incomplete version of the story.
In Matthew 20:28, Jesus says that he “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” In Galatians, Paul writes that Jesus’ death on the cross redeemed us from sin and brought us into a new position as adopted children, not slaves. This ransom idea is more than a transaction and a price paid; it is a transfer into a new existence.
When you think of God’s forgiveness, what comes to mind? The word “forgive” or “forgiveness” we see in our Bibles is associated with releasing or freeing someone from something. It’s the same Greek word the gospel writers use when they talk about Jesus “casting out” a demon or illness. Jesus released or separated the illness from the person, not to return. In the cross, Jesus’ death “cast out” sin, and released you from its rule over you.
The cross of Jesus means that you have been released from a life of guilt and shame, thinking you’re under God’s judgment. Paul writes “there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). It’s not just that when you sin, Jesus forgives you (transaction). You’ve been transferred into a new existence where sin does not reign and you are no longer condemned.
Peter, Jesus’ disciple, says that “Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Once. For all. It’s not like you turn in your parking ticket every time you sin to get it validated. Jesus’ death releases us to a new existence. The cross of Christ is the thing that kicks down the wall that had separated us from the life God created us for: unity with God and peace with others. You are home now. Because of the cross of Jesus, you are in a different place with a new identity: child.
I’m reminded of the lyric from the song “From Now On” from The Greatest Showman. It narrates the return of P.T. Barnum from a life of chasing fame to a life seeking meaning:
From now on, these eyes will not be blinded by the lights…
And we will come back home, come back home…home again!
And we will come back home, come back home…home again!
Because of the cross, your eyes need not be blinded by the ways of broken humanity. The cross means the door is open for you to come home. And in case you have lost your way home, the way of the cross is also the way to get there; if you are even unable to take a step to make the journey, the cross is God’s act of picking you up and carrying you. The cross of Jesus is God’s welcome home.
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For reflection:
Prayer: God our father, you have welcomed us home in Christ. Teach us to live our lives as if this were real and true, so that we might know the freedom of your grace. Amen.
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For reflection:
- How have you understood Jesus’ death, or how have you been taught to think about Jesus’ death on the cross? In what ways have you understood it as transactional?
- What does the image of forgiveness as “releasing” or “setting free” mean for you? What does coming home to God mean to you?
- For those with kids: Give an example of how you don’t feel” at home” in your life at school or with friends. What things keep you from feeling welcome or accepted or loved? What if Jesus’ death on the cross took those things away?
Prayer: God our father, you have welcomed us home in Christ. Teach us to live our lives as if this were real and true, so that we might know the freedom of your grace. Amen.
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