I repeat myself alot. Some could say that I do this because I don't take my time to study and therefore don't have many things to say. Others could say that I repeat myself because I am lazy and don't want to come up with new material. However, the reason I repeat myself is because alot of the things I say are things that we need to be reminded of on a daily basis. One of my favorite things to say in teaching, preaching, and in pastoral visitation is, "There is not one sin that Jesus didn't die for on the cross for you." That's the truth. On the cross, Jesus assumed as His own all your past, present, and future sins and, as St. Paul said, "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, ¹⁴ by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:13-14). St. Paul doesn't say that some of our sins were taken by Christ and nailed to the cross, but rather that all our trespasses were taken by Christ, nailed to the cross, and all our debt cancelled. 

There is not one sin that Jesus didn't die for on the cross for you. Try it out and see what happens. Let's take unbelief. Did Jesus die on the cross for unbelief? Did He die on the cross for those times that you don't believe His word of forgiveness, or even believe in Him at all? Well, yes. Remember Unbelieving Didimus, who is commonly called Doubting Thomas, who said in reaction to hearing about the resurrection, "“Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25). Thomas didn't say he had some doubts about things, but that he would never believe. Did Jesus come and condemn him? No, but instead Jesus appeared in peace to him, forgave him his sins, and said, "Stop disbelieving and believe." Jesus came and forgave Thomas his sin of unbelief and caste into his heart faith that trusted in the death and resurrection of Christ for his salvation. Is unbelief something Jesus died for on the cross for you? Are you forgiven your unbelief? Yes, in Christ, you are forgiven your doubt infested skeptical heart. Yes, in Christ, your unbelief and doubt is Christ's and His confidence and faith is yours. 

What about something else. How about lust. Did Jesus die on the cross for the porn addict, the glances at the one who isn't your spouse, the cheater, the lustful thinker, and the dirty mind? Did Jesus die on the cross for the guy who can't stop looking up those websites when no one else is around? Did Jesus die for the woman who cheats on her husband and hopes he never finds out, but in her heart she knows she did something wrong? Did Jesus die on the cross for those who struggle with the sins of the flesh? Yes. There isn't one sin that Jesus didn't die for on the cross for you. Jesus assumed all the lust of every man, woman, and child. Yes, on the cross, Jesus took David's adulterous heart and put it to death, so that, Nathan could absolve David of all the trouble his lust got him into. When you struggle with lust, you shouldn't hide in a worldly despair, as if God could never love you, but instead come to where God is promised to be, as you approach Him in a Godly despair, a contrition of the heart, in which you desire to be forgiven. Does God forgive you, no matter how many times you invite that lustful heart back in? Yes, Jesus forgives you 70x7 times, meaning unconditionally and eternally. 

What if people will abuse this forgiveness? What if, they hear that Jesus did it all, and they are forgiven no matter what? Great. Only those who do not believe desire to abide in their habits and die in their sin, rather than to it in repentance and forgiveness. The reality of the statement, "There is not one sin that Jesus didn't die for on the cross for you," is not a license to do whatever your sinful heart desires, but rather is there for your comfort when you have sinned and hate yourself and feel like God hates you. Only the heart that feels God's judgment desires to be forgiven and rejoices in the message of the atonement. Yes, only we who despair of ourselves, and hate ourselves, and feel God's anger rejoice in the words of holy absolution. Who are those who will abuse this gift? All of us. Yes, all of us abuse this gift and take God's love for granted. Let us repent of this, and rest assured that we are not forgiven because we have a good heart, but rather because God is merciful to us and grants us faith to desire  His forgiveness above all things

There is not one sin that Jesus didn't die for on the cross for you, and therefore there is not one sin that isn't forgiven you in the words of holy absolution. Yes, God sends you your pastor to deliver the gift of the cross, that you may pass from the strife of this life to the joys if heaven immortal knowing that God does not hate you, but loves you and forgives you. God, in Christ, holds nothing against you. NO mater the sin. Go from A to Z, Anxiety to Zebra Art addiction, it is paid for on the cross by Jesus and therefore you are forgiven. Take heart then and know that, in Christ, there isn't anything that accuses you before your Father in heaven, but instead you are justified and righteous by faith in Him. 

Peace be with you, and may the devil be silenced, the world be hushed, and the Old Adam drowned anew so that you may hear only the peaceful voice of your Savior Jesus who says, "I love you. I forgive you. I claim you as My own forever," Amen.

Jesus' Sheepdog