Author: Arkeshia Brown

We are all sinners in this world. No matter our title, position, or spiritual maturity, we were born into sin and shaped in iniquity. Scripture makes this truth clear in 1 John 1:8 (NLT):

“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.”

If anyone states they have not sinned, they are not speaking truth. To say we are without sin would imply perfection—and only Jesus walked this earth without sin. We must never allow pride to convince us that we are beyond repentance.

Yet, here is the glory of the Gospel: God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, in human form to take on the sins of every person—past, present, and future—so that we could have the opportunity for eternal life. Jesus is not only a Savior to the saints, but He is a Savior to sinners as well.

The apostle Paul humbly declared in 1 Timothy 1:15 (NLT):

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I am the worst of them all.”

If Paul, chosen and used mightily by God, could recognize his need for grace, how much more should we acknowledge ours? Salvation is not for those who believe they are flawless. It is for those who recognize they need a Redeemer.

Herbert Lockyer writes, “The Lord Jesus is the Savior of saints in that He seeks to save them from the fruit as well as from the root of sin.” Jesus does not merely address the outward acts (the fruit); He heals the inward condition (the root). He transforms our hearts, renews our minds, and teaches us to walk in righteousness.

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Our Advocate and Atoning Sacrifice

The Word reassures us in 1 John 2:1–2 (NLT):

“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins-and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.”

The Finished Work of the Cross

Jesus did not have to take on the sins of the world to save us. Yet through His obedience to our Heavenly Father, He willingly endured shame, suffering, and pain on our behalf. It was love that held Him there. It was obedience that carried Him through.

Lockyer reminds us, “The appropriation of the finished work of the cross means we are made the recipients of a new life.” When we receive what Christ has already completed, we are not simply forgiven—we are given new life.

We live in a world that is constantly changing. Some changes are welcome, while others arrive without warning—uninvited, unsettling, and difficult to accept. There are moments when we simply do not know how to handle what is unfolding before us.

The psalmist David speaks to this reality of change—“those changes we least expect, changes that disturb, unhinge our plans and arrangements, and frustrate our hope” (Herbert Lockyer). When you find yourself facing change, where do you turn? Do you try to handle it on your own, or do you draw closer to God?

Lockyer reminds us of a powerful truth: “The paradox of faith, however, is that we are built up by being broken.” That is not an easy word to receive, but it is a necessary one. I come to encourage you today that when life brings unexpected change—and even when it brings anticipated change—the first place we should seek is God.

Lockyer writes, “God does by undoing; He makes as He breaks. Reverses and changes are tools for the shaping of character. Change is a phase of divine ministry. God takes us back to move us forward. The waves go out and return with fuller.” What a comforting reminder that nothing we experience is wasted in God’s hands. Even the moments that feel like setbacks are often divine preparation.

Although we may experience seasons of change, there is One who never changes. Our Heavenly Father is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. His love remains steady. His character remains faithful. His purpose for us remains secure. In the midst of life’s shifting landscapes, God invites us to draw closer to Him. When we seek Him, He embraces us fully and meets us with His presence, peace, and strength.

God is without change—and that is our anchor.

I want to close with this beautiful prayer often attributed to Francis of Assisi, a reminder of how God’s unchanging love can flow through us even as the world around us shifts:

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

May this week, no matter what changes you face, you find peace in the God who never changes. 💛