Devotionals by Dr. M. Craig Barnes
I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist; return to me for I have redeemed you. --
Notice that the Lord doesn't say, "return to me and I will redeem you." No, this verse makes it clear that we are able to return home to God only because he has already redeemed us. Our sins have been swept away. They're gone, without a trace. That is why Jesus last words on the cross included the phrase, "It is finished." There is nothing we can do to add to our salvation.
I think that the reason Jesus enjoyed hanging around really big sinners is because they knew it was impossible to return to God by trying to clean up their life a bit. They were in too deep. Grace was their only hope. By contrast, those who were making some progress on the road of spirituality by trying harder never quite understood Jesus. And they never quite made it home. None of us is going to get there without forgiveness.
In Christ, you have already received all the grace necessary for the journey home to the heavenly Father. So it is pointless to drag a lot of guilt behind you on the way home. It slows you down and makes it impossible to enjoy the journey. It also makes it impossible for others to enjoy being on the journey with you. And once you arrive, you're just going to have to leave the guilt at the door because the heavenly Father doesn't allow it in his house.
-- Craig Barnes