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We are all familiar with penalties in sports—but we tend to forget about them in other facets of life.

I watched a lot of soccer games as my sons grew up. Both of them liked to play midfield or offense, so they usually ran up and down the field. Hearing the referee call them out for a penalty, such as being offsides, was normal. They were unhappy when called for a foul but learned there were consequences for breaking the rules.

The talk one year was about the “no-call” penalty in the NFC title game between New Orleans and Los Angeles. We heard endless stories about how the Los Angeles team won on a technicality when the referees did not call a penalty for pass interference. As with any penalty, people pick sides.

One of the most significant outcomes of people sinning was the penalty attached to it: death, physical and spiritual. Yet we still hope for the best and rationalize that if we are good enough we will escape the results of our sin. All the while, we regret our actions and thoughts and wonder if God can use us.

Try as we might, we cannot overcome the outcome God has assessed. It is impossible by ourselves to become right with God. That is why we celebrate how God satisfied our punishment by sending His Son to pay it, even though there was a righteous penalty attached to our disobedience.

Salvation becomes ours when we confess our sins. We no longer need to fear the penalty accompanying our breaking of God’s commandments. Christ’s death removed the consequences of our sin forever.

Rejoice that you can get back in the game without regret, knowing you have been sent there by the Coach.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)