What God has made clean, do not call common. (Acts 10:15 ESV)

When Jesus cleanses us, he washes us with complete forgiveness. The shedding of his blood was the only acceptable means that fulfilled God’s law for our sins. His life became the ransom for ours so we would not have to endure God’s wrath and judgment against all evil.

Once we put on Jesus, who is our robe of righteousness, there is absolutely nothing that can stain it. No sin, accusation, or opinion is able to taint how God views us. In our Father’s eyes, we are now acceptable and clean because he sees his Son all over us, pure and innocent. Without the Son, we become naked and our sins are exposed, requiring that we pay the death penalty.

The plan of redemption offers us two choices: believe in Jesus, or deny him. God did not have to give us these choices. He could have just let us go our own way and destroy ourselves. But out of love, he still aggressively pursued us so we can escape from Satan’s path of destruction.

In Christ, we are a new creation devoted to him (2 Corinthians 5:17). When we look into a mirror, we may not always feel good about ourselves. But Peter reassures us that “anyone who fears [God] and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:35). We are reminded that nothing can “separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:39). Our transgressions have been forgiven and God uses our foibles and failures to mold our character so that we are transformed over time. It may feel like a very slow process, but we must continue to trust and walk with the Lord. He always will lead us back to him and into a life where blessings and joy await us.