Yes, It Does Change What You Did

Length: 8 minutes

We’ve spoken a lot about how Jesus makes us righteous, blameless, and free from guilt (Colossians 1:22). I would encourage you to get a thorough training in those truths. But sometimes, even when you know these things, if you do something wrong, you still have a nagging negative emotion. What is that?

When you do something wrong and are still feeling this emotion, sometimes you simply aren’t established in the condemnation Jesus already took for you. You may need further meditation on His righteousness that you now have. But some people may be meditating on these truths, and it doesn’t seem to be doing the trick. That may be because the negative emotion you’re feeling is not guilt or shame at all. That emotion may be a sadness over damage caused by that sin. 

For instance, you may say something wrong to someone. Perhaps you lose patience or hurt someone’s feelings. So, you meditate on how Jesus was condemned for your sin and made you righteous (as you should). That gives great consolation, but something is still nagging at you. It may be that, although you know you’re righteous, you have a concern for the person you hurt. You know you are righteous inside, but you have a bitter sorrow for the things you have damaged on the outside. 

Simply knowing that you are righteous will not fix this sorrow because you’re not feeling unrighteous. That’s not the problem. You’re feeling concerned about something you damaged – whether that be someone’s feelings, their livelihood, or even their life. You think, “I’m so glad I’m righteous, but that doesn’t change what I did. I still damaged things.”

Here’s what you need to know: You are not only cleansed and made righteous on the inside, but every good, pleasing, and perfect thing in you is intended to come out and make things right in your life as well — even heal things in other people’s lives. Romans 12:2 calls it “proving” the good things in us.

What I’m saying is, the right things you have inside also make things right on the outside. Jesus didn’t just make you righteous for intangible benefits. He intended that righteousness to overflow out of you and rectify real, physical, tangible things in your life or in others.

Knowing this is indispensable. Knowing you’re righteous and perfect in Jesus takes care of guilt and shame, but knowing it comes out to fix everything around you removes the sorrow over anything you’ve damaged. I’m not saying we should approve of sin or any damage it causes. I’m saying that it removes sorrow and instills the courage to look at the situation and say, “The righteousness and perfection of God within me is able to heal that thing. As I believe, righteousness and life flow out of me to make everything right on the outside as well.” 

Through Jesus, God has quite a knack for making wrong things right. The same way that we were full of sin, but God came inside of us and made everything right, so it will be in your life, as you believe. The Lord can manifest this on the outside to rectify anything you may have damaged. 

For instance, if you say something that hurts someone. It’s true you are always righteous and accepted before God. You need to know that. But that righteousness is also able to come out and produce love and gentleness in your words — not only to avoid hurting people’s feelings, but even to reconcile relationships that have already been damaged (Galatians 5:22-23). He can even supernaturally work in their heart to give you favor with them (Acts 2:47, Luke 2:52). I can’t promise you that every person will always accept your love, but that is their choice. You cannot force them. That is between them and the Lord. But as far as you are concerned, God can rectify everything in your life. Why? Because the righteousness and power that God has given us was not intended to stay inside. It comes out!

Another example is, so many Christians have lived destructive lifestyles in the past. They’ve hurt their body through drinking, drugs, or sexual sin. Even if that Christian knows their righteous, many still have a sorrow over the damage that was done. But God didn’t just make everything right inside of you. All of that is intended to come out to fix the damage that was done by sin. He can heal your body, renew your youth, and prosper you with opportunities you may have wasted (3 John 1:2). Jesus is a Savior from both sin and its effects! Sure, you don’t deserve it. None of us do. But we don’t need to. His work earned it for us, so receive this grace!

Another example is, there are people who have had abortions in the past. When they come to know the Lord, they may realize that this was a human baby, not just a clump of cells. That Christian may realize they are accepted and forgiven, but in their mind they say, “That doesn’t change what I did.” But oh… it does! It does change what you did. Being righteous and perfect is not just an intangible thing. It comes out and makes everything around you wonderful. 

I’m not saying you didn’t do it. I’m saying that you’re now righteous and alive, and that certainly changes what you did. There is not a single baby that has ever been killed that cannot be raised back up (John 11:25). You may not see that all right now, but that is a promise through the atonement of Jesus. Yes, you did it, but Jesus carried that sin, made you perfect inside, and that changes everything! Yes, it absolutely changes what you did, if you’ll believe it. 

This goes for all of us: What we made wrong; the cross makes right. There are no exceptions to that statement. There is resurrection, restoration, healing, and prosperity for every part of your body, life, and relationships. Each person must receive it for themselves, by faith, but there are no exceptions to that. God has given you nothing short of perfection inside. You are guiltless, blameless, and perfect through faith in Jesus, and it doesn’t want to stay inside. This changes everything.

I could go on and on with examples:

You may have made poor money choices and put your family in a bind. If you’re in Christ, you’re already righteous and guiltless, but God has also given you empowerment toward wealth, including financial wisdom and temperance, to fix any damage that’s been done (Deuteronomy 8:18, Psalms 112:3-5). You don’t need to deserve it. Jesus carried your folly and gives you what you don’t deserve. If you trust the work of Jesus instead of your own, the Lord will make you so rich, you’ll forget you were ever poor. Yes, knowing Jesus does change what you did.

You may have hurt someone. There’s healing for that. You may have even killed someone. There’s resurrection for that. You may have stolen from someone. There is financial enrichment unto all generosity for that (2 Corinthians 9:8-11). 

I may not have named your circumstance, but it doesn’t matter. Jesus thought of your circumstance and became the damage you and I caused, to give us the solution. 

I’m not saying we should approve of any sin we have committed. I’m not saying we should excuse the damage that was caused. I’m saying you don’t need to worry anymore. You don’t need to sorrow anymore. Wipe your tears away and only believe. What you did wrong, Jesus makes right. What a lovely person He is! And yes, that does change what you did.

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