Your Daily Devotional for May 29, 2007

 

May 29,  2007

 

 

Forgiven by His Righteousness

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre."

 

Mark 15:42-46

 

 

Yesterday, we saw that Mary Magdalene remained faithful to Jesus even during His trial, crucifixion, and death. Even when the disciples forsook Jesus and returned to their old ways of life, Mary remained faithful through it all.

 

In our verses today we see Joseph of Arimathaea. Joseph was a wealthy man who was saved earlier in Jesus' earthly ministry. Joseph wanted to preserve Christ's body and requested to bury it in his own tomb. Although Pilate was shocked, he allowed Joseph to dress and bury the body of Jesus.

 

Verse 46 says, "And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre." Joseph bought fine linen to wrap around Jesus' body. This linen was a picture of righteousness.

 

When we accept Jesus Christ and die to self, we are wrapped in His linen of righteousness. As we ask Him for forgiveness from our sins, we are declared righteous before God's throne. Christ's death and resurrection is a picture of forgiveness and righteousness.

 

Sometimes it is hard for us to comprehend God's forgiveness because our human forgiveness is temporal. When we ask God to forgive us, He never remembers our sins again! While many times we may struggle to "forgive and forget," God forgives us and declares us righteous.

 

A man who was telling his friend about an argument he had with his wife said, "Oh, how I hate it. Every time we have an argument, she gets historical." The friend replied, "You mean hysterical." "No," he insisted. "I mean historical. Every time we argue she drags up everything from the past and holds it against me!"

 

As humans it is easy to remember the faults of someone else, but because we have been forgiven and are clothed in God's righteousness, He never remembers our sins! We must strive to forgive others of their mistakes just as Jesus did. He even forgave those who had crucified Him!

 

Have you forgiven others for their mistakes? Forgive those who have wronged you even as God has forgiven you.

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 7-9 • John 11:1-29

 

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