A New Year: Clean Slate

A New Year dawns and people try to change their outlook. Some people make resolutions or promise themselves to make changes, go someplace special, or try new things. Others want a clean break or a drastic change. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have a completely clean slate? In other words, no past failures, problems, or difficulties? The bad things you did, are like they never happened? What would happen if it were possible? What if people didn’t remember your past mistakes? A clean slate would be a type of Wonderland or Utopia.

What if I told you it could or did happen? In some respects, it can. When we do something bad, wrong, or make a horrible mistake, we remember and those around us remember. We live with the consequences of our actions. Let’s face it, we as people make mistakes. I have done wrong things to myself and others. I’ve told lies, said bad words, and done mean things to others. I’m sure you have too. Some of those things I’ve done wrong have hurt people and they remember those hurts.

I wish there was some way to erase those hurts and wipe my slate of my actions clean. There is. God wipes the slate clean. When Jesus, God’s Son, died for the sins of the whole world, He paid for all sin and wiped the slate clean. All my past, right now, and future sins are all washed away. They were paid for on the cross. It was done, finished. Jesus was the only one who could clean the slate. He cleaned the slate with His blood. He poured out His blood and covered or erased our sin.

Jesus paid for all sin for all mankind and settled His part of the deal. His part is finished. Our part is to accept Him and what He did. If we know about Him and what He did but do nothing, our part of the deed is not complete. We need to accept Him and His free gift. Otherwise, we are lost, gone from Him forever and will spend eternity forever away from Him. Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? He is the Redeemer. Redeem means to purchase or buy back. Jesus purchased you with His blood by dying. His life in exchange for yours is a free gift—but you need to accept the gift.

Let’s say you were put into jail for a terrible crime. You stole all your siblings’ toys. All of them. The toys were found in your room, under the bed and in your closet. Your fingerprints were all over them. Cameras caught you in the act of taking the toys. Your best friend overheard you talking to yourself about taking the toys. Everyone knew you were jealous of your sibling. Now, you are in front of the Judge. The Judge is about to give you a sentence of prison.

In walks someone you have never met who says to the Judge, “Your Honor, I want to take the place of this child. I will pay the penalty for the crime committed of stealing toys.”

The Judge is amazed. You are surprised and uncertain. The Judge's gavel comes down and his judgment is for the stranger to take your place. You are free and can go home.

All eyes turn to you and see you shake your head. “I won’t accept it.”

Off to jail you go.

If you would have accepted the offer the stranger offered, you could walk out that courthouse door a free person. The choice was yours.  It’s the same as the gift of salvation from Jesus. The choice is yours.

Have you made that choice? If you have any questions, please feel free to place them in the comment box below.

If you have chosen to accept Jesus, God has forgotten all your mistakes, bad things, and sin. He will never bring them up or remember them. People have a harder time forgetting. People should forgive but it is harder to forget. At least with God all your sins have been forgiven and you can take comfort in that. With Him, your slate is wiped clean.

Memorize: Acts 16:31 …“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved…”

Verses in NKJV unless otherwise stated