Acknowledging Our Guilt

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

The Dutch artist Rembrandt sometimes took liberties with the paintings he was working on. On one occasion, he was so impacted by the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 6:5-7, he kept reading them over and over again:

“If we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.”

These verses impacted Rembrandt deeply. They touched him spiritually, and he was inspired to create a painting of Jesus on the cross. What was more inspiring is that as he was painting Jesus on the cross, he also painted himself at the base of the cross in the center of the crowd that was crucifying Jesus.

Most of us wouldn’t have done that. Most of us would have made ourselves the hero or the heroine of the painting, put ourselves on the side with tears streaming down, painted ourselves on our knees, begging that Jesus’s life be spared.

But Rembrandt, based on Paul’s words, became so convicted of his sin and his distance from Jesus that in the painting he tried to portray himself as one who was guilty of putting Jesus to death. When he was asked why he did it, he said it was because it gave him a chance to check himself daily and to ask himself what he was perhaps thinking or doing that puts him at the center of the crowd, crucifying the Lord afresh.

It’s only God’s presence in our hearts and minds that can cause such reflection and inspire such repentance.

The whole world may be under the impression that you’ve got it all together, but Jesus knows the depth of your sin and is able to help you face the reality of your shame. When you confess your true self to Jesus, He can then be allowed to transform you by the renewing of your mind.

Today, acknowledge before the Lord just how sinful you are inside, and then ask Him to make you into a clean vessel to be used for His glory.