Take off the mask

Unholy Sinners

The grace of the gospel, which is so hard for the pious to comprehend, confronts us with the truth. It
says to us, you are a sinner, a great, unholy sinner. Now come, as the sinner that you are, to your God
who loves you. For God wants you as you are, not desiring anything from you - a sacrifice, a good deed
- but rather desiring you alone. "My child, give me your heart" (Prov. 23:26). God has come to you to
make the sinner blessed. Rejoice! This message is liberation through truth. You cannot hide from God.
The mask you wear in the presence of other people won't get you anywhere in the presence of God.
God wants to see you as you are, wants to be gracious to you. You do not have to go on lying to
yourself and to other Christians as if you were without sin. You are allowed to be a sinner. Thank God
for that.

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer -
from Life Together 108
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005