You Don’t Wash Before the Bath: The Scandalous Grace of Jesus

Series: The Truth > The Enemy's Lies

Hi Friends,

There’s a dangerous lie that keeps many from the arms of grace:

1️⃣ Lie: I need to clean myself up before accepting Jesus.

➡️ Truth: He meets us in our brokenness. "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18.

It may sound noble to tidy up your life before coming to Jesus—but that’s not the Gospel. That’s self-righteousness in disguise.

The truth? The Gospel is the bath. The blood of Jesus is the cleansing. Just as we don’t shower before stepping into the tub, we don’t purify ourselves before receiving Christ. He does the washing. He does the saving.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8.

Our part is simple: receive the free gift of salvation.

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

If We Could Save Ourselves, Jesus Wouldn’t Have Come

Let’s be honest: if we could make ourselves holy, walk in perfect uprightness, and flawlessly keep every command of God, the Cross would’ve been unnecessary.

But the Word says otherwise: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

We’ve all missed the mark—every single one of us. Yet, the sweetness of the Father is this: He didn’t leave us fending for ourselves. In our weakness, He drew near. In our wandering, He made a way. Even before creation, His heart was set on salvation, a love that knows no conditions.

"Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace,

with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through

his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace."

Ephesians 1:4-7.

“Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”

2 Timothy 1:9.

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

The Problem: Sin. The Answer: The Cross

How can a holy God accept sinful humanity?

The answer is found at the Cross—the place of divine exchange. I can never get the imagery out of my mind from Leviticus. "He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. Then he shall kill the bull before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting." Leviticus 1:4-5.

At the Cross, the love of God kissed the justice of God. There, the sinless Lamb of God bore our sins, paid our debt, and offered us what we could never earn: grace, forgiveness, and sonship. He paid a debt we owed, and we were set free from a debt we could never repay. Soak in His love.

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

What About God’s Perfect Law?

Without the Law, we wouldn’t see our need for God. The Law reveals God’s perfect standard—and how far we fall from it. It is holy, but it cannot make us holy. It’s like a mirror, capable of reflection but powerless to cleanse. The Law shows us our sin, but it cannot save us from it. And no matter how hard we try, we cannot clean ourselves up enough to meet God's perfect standard.

“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the

law comes knowledge of sin.”

Romans 3:20.

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.”

1 Corinthians 15:56

A simple analogy:

Have you ever driven down a street without a posted speed limit? You most likely cruised along at the normal rate of speed without a second thought. But once you see the speed limit sign, something changes. The flesh is awakened, stirred. Suddenly, you want to go just a little faster. This is how the Law works. Why? Because sin is like sediment at the bottom of a glass, and the Law is the straw that stirs it up. It doesn’t cause sin; it reveals it.

And just in case someone feels they can meet God's standards, let's look at heaven's plumbline.

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

The True Weight of the Law: The Sermon on the Mount

In Matthew 5, Jesus raises the bar not to condemn but to expose the heart and our need for Him.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire." Matthew 5:21–22.

Jesus reveals that sin isn’t just about outward actions; it’s the condition of the heart. And let's say that you never get angry or engage in sexual immorality; God is holy, holy, holy. Therefore, it isn't about keeping one of His laws—a person must keep all of them. That means walking flawlessly, not just in a single moment but for a complete lifetime. I gather to say that ship sailed for all of us at the age of accountability. James brings it out: “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” James 2:10.

Another significant revelation is that trying to become righteous without Christ implies we feel we don’t need a Savior at all.

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

The Gospel Is the Invitation into the Bath of Grace

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 3:23–24.

There is a gift waiting to be received: the righteousness of God in Christ. And here’s the miracle: it’s already paid for.

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

Romans 5:6.

“But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:21.

Jesus didn’t die for the cleaned-up version of us. He died for the broken, messy, real you and me, and loves us entirely just as we are. His sacrifice has the power to transform us, to make us whole.

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

No One Will Be Able to Say Payment Wasn’t Made!

Every soul will stand before God. No one will be able to say Jesus didn’t pay the price. However, many will have to admit they rejected the offer.

No sugarcoating:

• God is real.

• God is love.

• God is merciful.

• God is gracious.

• But God is also just, and sin demands payment.

The only sin that eternally separates someone from God is the rejection of Jesus Christ, His Son, the Spirit of Grace.

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

As Ministers of Reconciliation, Grace Matters

Remember the woman caught in adultery?

Dragged into public shame, she stood exposed, humiliated not only by her sin but by the self-righteousness of the crowd. Stones clutched in hand, they waited for judgment. But Jesus, full of truth and grace, bent down into the dust of her shame and met her there with mercy.

He didn’t begin with, “Go and sin no more.” He started with compassion. “Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more.” — John 8:11

Only Jesus had the right to throw a stone. Only He was sinless. And yet, He chose not to condemn her but to redeem her. His mercy wasn’t a pass for sin; it was a pause of grace, a moment of divine interruption where guilt gave way to grace, and judgment was swallowed by mercy. Why?

Because He was going to the Cross, He could freely offer her forgiveness, for He would soon bear her guilt. He would become sin for her and us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

This is why grace matters.

This is why the Gospel is good news.

This is why we, as the Church, cannot afford to forget the mercy that met us in our mess.

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18.

To be ministers of reconciliation is to lead with grace. Not with stones. Not with shame. But with the same mercy that met us in our sin and clothed us in righteousness. We don’t condone sin, but we also don’t condemn sinners. We share the Cross and the forgiveness of sins. We proclaim freedom, not fear.

So when we see the broken, the ashamed, the prodigal—may our first words echo our Savior’s: “Neither do I condemn you.” May our hearts carry the hope of restoration, pointing always to the One who bore our judgment so we could walk free.

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

Grace Isn’t Fair—It’s Better

Salvation is not something we earn; it is a gift freely given by a loving God. This grace is a testament to how much He values and cherishes each one of us. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23.

The enemy leverages a host of lies around salvation because the grace of our Lord Jesus is the most beautiful and life-altering experience, and never extended to him.

"In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 2 Corinthians 4:4.

Friends, Jesus paid it all and more. He is the overpayment, proving the efficacy of His sacrifice for all times. How do we know this?

We can consider the Old Testament prophet Elijah, who was on Mount Carmel before the priests of Baal prepared the sacrifice. It says, "Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench." 1 Kings 18:38. The fire fell, and nothing was left, not even the altar. God's judgment was greater than the sacrifice.

At the Cross, Jesus drank the full cup of God’s wrath. Then He said: "When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19:30. Jesus' sacrifice was greater than God's judgment, for he drank the cup to the dregs and then declared victory.

And now we can say: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” Romans 4:7-8.

The blood of Jesus is sufficient. Forever.

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

If You’ve Never Received Jesus, You Can Right Now!

You don’t have to fix yourself first- just come as you are! The word of the Lord says, "But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." Romans 10:8-10.

Pray this from your heart:

Lord Jesus, I admit I am a sinner in need of the Savior. I accept Your death as the payment for my sin. I recognize Your mercy and grace are gifts You offer to me because of Your great love, not based on anything I have done. I receive Your forgiveness. Cleanse me. By faith, I accept You into my heart as the Son of God and as Savior and Lord of my life. Help me live for You by the Spirit. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

🙋🏾‍♀️ If you’ve dedicated your life to Jesus today, leave a comment or share this with someone who needs to hear.

🕊 Plug into a local Gospel-preaching church and come back here for encouragement. Let’s grow together in truth and grace.

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

✍🏾 Two Journal Prompts to Reflect On:

1. What lies have I believed that made me feel like I needed to “earn” God’s acceptance? What truth from God’s Word can I use to replace them?

2. How can I extend the grace of “no condemnation” to someone in my life who may be caught in sin or shame?

❁⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁𖧷⸻𖧷❁

Let’s Break the Lie.

Let’s preach the scandalous, beautiful, undeserved grace of Jesus.

No additives. No conditions. No pre-wash. No prerequisites are required.

Keep on the lookout for my upcoming post

#Truth > #Lies.

🫶🏾

𝒜𝓃𝒹𝓇ℯ𝒶

𝒴ℴ𝓊𝓇 𝒹𝒾𝓈𝒸𝒾𝓅𝓁ℯ𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓅 𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝒻𝒶𝒾𝓉𝒽