You don’t know what I’ve done,

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ²¹ so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21.

Sn separates us from God.  It creates a wall that seems impenetrable.  Too high to climb over, too wide to go around, too deep to go under and too thick to make a hole in it.  There is the feeling of hopelessness and being stuck.  This feeling is true whether we are saved or lost.

When I have shared the gospel with an individual.  I tell them that God knows them and loves them just like they are.  They hear that God loves them, but then they remember their past sin.  Possibly they have let anger run wild and have hurt people.  Maybe they have physically, sexually, or emotionally abused and scarred people for life.  Maybe they have plotted evil and murdered someone.  Perhaps they have made a series of wrong choices through addiction leading to isolation from their family and friends. Regardless of the sin, it becomes a wall that appears to break down our ability to receive Grace.  Our fellowship is broken.

Sin builds the wall a brick at the time.  But Grace is like the leader of the wall demotion crew.  This crew is awaiting instructions to dismantle the wall. The sin wall is like a Lego wall and Grace is the full size of the child playing with the bricks.  One swoop if his hand and the wall is torn down.  But Grace is waiting for the command of the one who built the wall to say in brokenness, ‘it’s an ugly wall, and I am helpless to remove it, would you please remove the wall?”  Grace instantly springs into action to dismantle the barrier.

No matter high or big the wall, grace is bigger.  The wall starts with just one sin.  BUT grace covers ALL sin.  Have you ever heard the phrase, “I could never forgive that person”.  That phrase is not in God’s vocabulary, except for those who reject the free gift  of forgiveness that Jesus paid for with his life.

Grace is unmerited.  It is all about the character of the one extending grace.  The ball is in their court to forgive, because the offense was against them.  God says that He is aware of ALL of our sins, but He chooses to forgive us anyway.

Father, thank you that your grace can be received.  Thank you that you know perfectly how to remove the effect of sin that destroys our relationship.  Thank you that when it is hardest for me to receive you grace, it is beyond comparing how you forgive.  Help us to walk in humility knowing that grace was paid for on the cross with the death of Jesus.  Father, may more people let you tear down the wall of separation.  In Jesus Name, Amen.