"To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood." Rev 1:5

This short, and powerful, sentence was written by John the Apostle, who was also a simple fisherman.

Here's a short thought from a Bible scholar on this particular thought, and word, from John to the Church:

"The graphic description of Jesus "who loves us" appears only here in the present tense. Notice that the present tense is juxtaposed with the past tense of "set us free" to heighten the contrast of a continuous act and a completed act. Jesus shows us his abiding love, which comes to expression in his finished work on Calvary's cross. There he released us from sin and guilt once for all. We see the vivid contrast between the ruler over the kings of the earth, who shows his love by shedding his blood for sins, and us, who are undeserving sinners."

Jesus gave Himself for me. That makes me feel awkward, and full of joy at the same time. He took all my hundreds of thousands of sins upon His broken body, and God forgives me of every one. And not only that, but Christ gives me His righteousness, freely, and with joy He gives .

I am forgiven and righteous. I am a saint and an heir with Christ. Yet, I must never forget, only because of Jesus' death, and resurrection. Only because He first loved me, and gave Himself for me.

And who can change this promise and truth? No one, and no thing. Not in heaven, nor in earth, nor under the earth.

If you are a Christian, then you should ponder this Gospel, or good news, every day, and even every hour by faith in its truth.
It will fill your heart with joy and peace like nothing else can.

And if you are a genuine born again believer, then you will have times of feeling convicted, and even guilty. And that's okay. It's an evidence that you love Jesus, and know how rotten your sin is. yet, it changes nothing. Nothing.

There are many who live an indifferent life, and cling to this same truth, but don't know Christ at all. They are self-centered, and not authentic Christians. Like Judas, they are with other Christians, and even Christ, but they are still dead in their sin.

We need to venture back often to the truth of the Cross.
We must think about, and mediate upon, all that the Cross is to us.
And especially those magnificent triumphant words that Christ proclaimed just before He died, while He suffered with spikes hammered into His hands and feet, which were holding Him up between heaven and earth on that Cross, with His broken body full of pain and misery, as the Lamb of God: "It is Finished!"