Forgiven but not free: the radical call to live the cross-shaped life

We thank God daily for His forgiveness—the most precious gift, that transforms our lives. If it weren’t for the grace of God, our lives would be totally different. But sometimes we stop there. However, Jesus didn’t save us so we could remain comfortable; He called us into radical obedience. So, as Luke Loeber puts it, let us move beyond feeling forgiven toward actively following our King!

Forgiveness is the gift, following is the response

I find so much joy in the topic of forgiveness. It’s what we often sing about in our churches, and I know that without the grace and forgiveness of God, I would not be who I am today. It’s wonderful to thank God for His forgiveness, knowing that without it, we have nothing; we receive everything purely by His grace.

Yet, I think sometimes we stop there. We talk constantly about being forgiven: “I’m forgiven, I’m forgiven”, but we forget that Jesus has actually called us to follow Him. Receiving forgiveness is the first step, but then He says: “now follow me”. That call takes everything to a whole other level.

We see the power of this forgiveness immediately when Jesus is hanging on the cross. The first words He speaks are, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). These words, covered in blood, were an incredible demonstration of pure power. That was love being poured out over people, even while they were rejecting Him. This moment shows me that Jesus did not die so that I could simply remain comfortable just to receive forgiveness. He died to make me bold and courageous and to live the life that He lived. He is my example, and I am called to follow in His footsteps.

The truth is, forgiveness is not the end of my story. It is the very beginning of my new life in Jesus. When I say yes to Jesus, I am immediately forgiven and translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. This is not a subtle shift; it is a total change in citizenship and purpose. My acceptance of His grace immediately removes the stain of sin, but it simultaneously imposes a new identity: one where I am owned by the King. I am no longer pursuing my own feelings or convenience. I cannot mistake the profound transaction on the cross for a mere ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card; actually it is a mobilization order, giving me the authority to live the mission He lived. The question stops being “am I forgiven?” and shifts to the vital question: “am I following?” Forgiveness is the gift, but following Him is the response of giving my everything to Him.

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”—Colossians 1:13-14

The cost of discipleship and canceling your excuses

I have to tell you, this new life we have been given is not a life of comfort. It is instead a life of radical obedience wherever I might be in the world. Jesus’s words leave no room for misunderstanding when he speaks to anyone who wants to follow Him: “Pick up your cross every day and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

When Jesus speaks, I know I must listen. His commands are not suggestions. I cannot operate only when it feels safe or comfortable. I must live by the commandments of our King Jesus.

His forgiveness does free us from the penalty of sin, but it does not free us from being obedient of what He tells us to do. It does not give me the permission to live for myself; rather, it gives me the authority of living the mission that Jesus lived. Living this life for Jesus is going to cost us something.

This is where the challenge lies: too many people want the forgiveness of Jesus but don’t want the lifestyle of Jesus. We want to be forgiven, but we want to remain in our comfort. But Jesus is calling us out of comfort and into our calling, to be sent by Him into our city or nation. Since I was paid for by His precious blood, I don’t belong to myself anymore; He is King over me, and He leads me. Jesus doesn’t look for excuses; He just looks for my “yes”.

This leads us to the pinnacle of everything: the forgiveness of Jesus cancels our sin, and the cross cancels our excuses. I call this the cross-shaped life. I cannot claim to follow Jesus and be afraid of what people will think. I cannot say I love Him and stay silent when He calls me to do something that is against the culture. Real forgiveness changes everything: it changes how I live, how I speak, how I love, and how I look at my neighbor and my enemies.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”—1 John 2:15

True freedom: living a surrendered, eternal life

I am forgiven of my sin, yes, but I want to be perfectly clear: I am not free to live as if nothing happened on the cross. I am not free to live a life of comfort, nor am I free to hide my faith when following Jesus might be unpopular. My life is simply not my own anymore.

The world defines freedom as doing whatever you want, whenever you want. But as a follower of Jesus, I have discovered that true freedom is the opposite. True freedom is finally being able to do what He wants, what He’s telling me to do.

Jesus did not die on the cross for me to pursue a life of safety. He died and gave everything so that I could live a surrendered life unto Him. We are forgiven, but we are not free to live our lives how we want to live them anymore. Those who say yes to Jesus belong to Him. And this, I believe, is the greatest freedom of all. There is no greater freedom than following Jesus, because that freedom is eternal, not temporal.

We must avoid living in a perpetual state of just receiving, constantly repeating “I’m forgiven, I’m forgiven, I’m forgiven”. Instead, we must declare: “I’m following, I’m following, I’m following Jesus!” Yes, He loves me—but the critical question is, do I love Him? Forgiveness is the gift, but following Him is my radical, total response to that gift.

The decision to follow Him completely allows me to receive the Holy Spirit, who is the One who helps me truly live out of the bondage of sin, fear, and anxiety. The Holy Spirit brings the realities of Heaven down to earth. When I allow Him to lead, I move from being a coward to a bold witness. When I surrender my life, I become a living sacrifice, equipped to pray for the sick and operate in the power of the kingdom. This is the eternal life offered to me.

I encourage you to reflect tonight: are you just mesmerized by His forgiveness, or are you truly living as a disciple of Jesus in His freedom every single day?

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Romans 6:23