Episode 79 - Christ Makes Free - Forgiveness

Our yearly theme for 2020 is “Christ makes free.” One aspect of the freedom He brings is the one that comes from forgiveness. With His eternally valid sacrifice, His death on the cross, forgiveness and access to salvation became possible. 
 
When we hear the words in the consecration “…for as often as you eat this bread and drink this wine, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes,” and then receive Holy Communion, we proclaim our belief in Jesus Christ and acknowledge that He died so that our sins, the sins of all mankind, could be forgiven. 
 
However, for us to avail ourselves of this salvific act of Christ, we have to recognize that we’ve done something wrong, confess, and repent (1 Jn. 1:9). When we genuinely do so, and then hear the absolution, we have the assurance that our sin has been forgiven. 
 
In this forgiveness, we recognize His grace and strive to do better, to renounce the devil and follow Jesus as we promised at our confirmation or baptism. That is what the Lord is looking for. And while He knows we're not perfect, even in our imperfection, we're still free with Him.