Psalm 51:5
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
We are sinners from birth, and sin corrupts every aspect of our lives. Our thoughts, intentions, motivations, desires, everything is cursed by sin. As the apostle Paul states in Romans 7, sin is a law that is working in the members of our bodies.
This sin separates us from a holy God. We are born apart from God and cannot draw near to Him, for God cannot even be around sin. God is perfect, holy, radiant, lovely, and glorious, and we are not. All that we are and all that we bring before the Lord is nothing more than a filthy rag.
How do we know all this to be true? It is the very Word of God. God’s Law condemns us before a holy God. God’s Word, and God’s Word alone, makes known to us who God is and who we are. We can never on our own justify anything from the Lord. We can never come before a holy God with anything less than perfection. Paul, in thinking through this, said, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
“But God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with which He loved us, even while we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ Jesus—by grace you have been saved.”God the Father sent His only Son to take the wrath that our sinful nature fully deserves. He bore the wrath of God in His body on the cross for those who are His. What beauty, what glory, what grace, and what mercy.
Isaiah 64:6, Romans 7:24, Ephesians 2:4–5
Father, You have sent Your only Son into the world! Jesus, who is fully God and fully man, came into the world and took the wrath that my sin so deserves. Who am I that You would do such a thing? Who am I that You would do this for me? I was conceived and brought forth in sin. I have nothing I can stand on or justify myself, and yet You knew me and sent Your Son. I praise You, Father, for Your redemptive work. Help me to know my sin in light of Christ’s redemption that I may see the beauty, truth, and goodness of Christ and glorify You, my Father who is in heaven! In Christ’s name I ask this. Amen