We are all used to hearing and/or reading all kinds of news. Some of it is good and some of it is bad. Other news may be somewhere in the middle. What if I told you that I could offer you the best news in the universe? Think about the best news that you have ever heard. Would you believe me if I said that the news that I can offer you is better than that? Take the next few moments to soak in this truth. Let the best news in the world change you forever.
In order to fully grasp how good this news is, we must first discuss some bad news. In Jeremiah 2, God calls out Israel for forsaking Him. He had delivered them time and time again, and yet they were still chasing other gods and putting God on the back burner. For their laundry list full of idolatry and sin (and ours), God spoke some pretty horrific news through the prophet Jeremiah. If you feel the weight of this bad news, you will treasure the best news.
“‘Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me,’ declares the Sovereign LORD.” (Jeremiah 2:22)
To summarize: the verdict that was over the Israel, and us, was GUILTY. No matter how much we try to clean ourselves from our sin and idolatry, the stain of our guilt is always before God. We cannot scrub hard enough or use enough soap to change this reality. An abundance of cleansing powder does not remove our stain in God’s eyes. He is perfect and cannot accept imperfection. This is bad news! No matter how hard we try to be better or make ourselves clean, we still remain stained. There is good news, however!
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.” (Ephesians 1:7-8)
Paul offers us the best news on the planet! In Christ we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Those sins (anything that goes against God’s perfect laws and ways) that could not be scrubbed off with soap are now redeemed by Jesus’ blood on the cross. That stain of guilt that we could not remove in our best effort is now gone. God has lavished His grace on us! This is not a small portion of grace that has been sprinkled over us. No, this is a load of grace that has been dumped on us!
Rejoice and rest in the best news the world has ever known. Do you feel as if you have been trying to make up for mistakes or earn God’s favor in some way? Drop your cleaners and trust in the cross. Scrub no more as you rest in what Jesus has done for you. You no longer stand condemned before a perfect and holy God. Grace has been lavished on you and you are now clean. The bad news in Jeremiah 2 has been covered and removed by the good news in Ephesians 1. Your acceptance has been purchased. It is found only in Jesus. Stop trying to scrub yourself clean and walk freely in His sacrifice…the best news in the world.