Most of the time when we hear it said we are to live the gospel, it’s said as encouragement to live each day for God’s glory. God’s glory should be our goal and obedience to His will matters, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:14-15). The apostle Paul asks rhetorically in Romans 6:1, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” He then answers, saying “By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:2). So yes, living the gospel means that we are to walk in a manner that pleases God.

            But living the gospel also entails our accepting the full forgiveness we have in Christ. Though one day we will be, we are far from perfect and sin stills dwells within us. If it were not so, would Paul have written to those in the church at Rome to not let sin reign in their mortal bodies? (Romans 6:12). Would he have told the Galatians to walk by the Spirit so not to gratify the desires of the flesh? (Galatians 5:16).

            It is easy to let the moments when we are less than who God calls us to be keep us from pursuing who we are in Him and fulfilling the purpose for which He created us. We must always remember; God has saved us from the just judgment we deserve apart from Him. Our sin was cured at the cross. Christ has become our righteousness. The simple and glorious truth is that when Jesus said, “It is finished”, He meant it.