Nothing to Hide, Prove, or Lose
In Christ, we have nothing to hide, nothing to prove, and nothing to lose.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
Recently, a few visiting pastors joined the pastors of Immanuel in prayer before a Sunday service. One of them prayed over the preacher that he would remember that before Christ, he had “nothing to hide, nothing to prove, and nothing to lose.” What a magnificent reminder!
Before Christ, we have nothing to hide. On the one hand, he knows all, so there is no point in hiding or pretending. And, on the other better hand, we have nothing to hide because “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Tim. 1:15). Jesus not only knows our sins, he came to save us from them. He’s unshockable, for “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
Before Christ, we have nothing to prove. “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). We don’t earn anything from Jesus. He is gracious because he is gracious. He delights in us because he made us and because he has made us children of God. On our best days, he doesn’t love us more than he does on our worst days. Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28) We are his. He loves us perfectly. There is no improving on that!
Before Christ, we have nothing to lose. How can this be? Christ already lost it all on our behalf. He paid our debt and took our punishment. Second, in Christ, our hope is secured. “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul,” (Heb. 6:19) that Christ is our risen savior, rescuer, and mediator. He holds our future, and “I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).