Transformed – teen devotion – November 17, 2024

Jesus is the standard.

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:24-28

Free from Judgment

Don’t judge me by my clothing! Don’t judge me based on my family! Don’t judge me based on one bad decision, or by my grades, or the way I look…and the list goes on. No one likes to be judged and evaluated by someone on the outside, because it’s scary! We know our own flaws and imperfections, and we tend to spend a lot of time and energy trying to cover them up.

From that perspective, it’s an even more scary thing to imagine facing judgment before the almighty and all-knowing God, yet that is something that awaits every person who has ever and will ever live. The writer to the Hebrews points out that for a child of God this appointment before the judgement seat of Christ doesn’t need to be a scary thing, because we already know the verdict that will be rendered.

Even though Jesus already knows your flaws and imperfections, he chooses not to judge you by those. Instead, he chose to lay down his own life and suffer God’s anger and judgment in your place! The writer to the Hebrews says that Jesus was sacrificed once for sin at the cross, and according to God’s perfect judgment that one sacrifice was enough! Your sins, whether known or hidden, are all gone. That means you have salvation already now. You’re a member of God’s family, already now. Stop living in fear of judgment! And someday, when Jesus returns, it won’t be to deal with your sin again, but to bring new life in heaven and eternal salvation to those who wait for him. What a day that will be! Amen.

Prayer:
Jesus my Savior, you suffered God’s judgment in my place and took my punishment on your own back. When I feel guilt and shame over my sins, or when I fear being judged for my thoughts and actions, remind me of this truth. Amen.