But even that is not all, for, unless we truly repent, that is unless we see our sins through his holy eyes and sincerely renounce them by turning to him in penitence and love and willing obedience, then so far as we are concerned, all his sufferings will indeed have been in vain.  For not even God can save those who resist him by deliberately siding with their own lower sinful selves against him.

It is true that Christ died to free us from the power of our sins, but what difference can that make to us if we by our own will, hug those sins to ourselves?

Then indeed our guilt is three-fold: guilty of sin itself; guilty of our own share in the Crucifixion; until finally we become guilty of rejecting the salvation which the Crucified Christ himself offers.  One then incurs the judgement of which he spoke, “…this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light…” (RSV, John 3:19).

If you are touched by the Saviour’s love and the Saviour’s sufferings, turn to him with all your heart.  Then with true penitence, seek and secure his forgiveness and enter on that new life with him to which he is calling you.