My wife suggested entitling this piece, “A Good Day to Rob a Bank”. She even went so far as to say that today was a good day to rob a bank! In my mind, I said, “What? A good day to rob a bank? No day is a good day to rob a bank! God’s law is very clear: “You shall not steal.” (Ex. 20:15 NIV). And my wife knows this very, very well! Why, then, would she say it was a good day to rob a bank?

As if she understood my thoughts, she held up her fingers for me to inspect. The tips looked—smooth! No ridges, no identifying marks… Where were her fingerprints?

Her knowing smile and twinkling eyes spoke volumes, and suddenly I understood: Without fingerprints, her actions wouldn’t be traceable. It was a good day indeed, to do anything without getting caught!

But … how did she end up without fingerprints???

It didn’t take long for her to unshroud the mystery: She had purchased a strong cleaner in order to get the grease out of the oven, which she had proceeded to use … withOUT gloves! The cleaner cut right through the grease, yes ; but it also cut through her fingerprints. It would be a few days before she would once again leave behind identifying marks on everything she touched!

We all have fingerprints—unless of course you’ve been cleaning the oven without gloves!—and these unique patterns on the ends of our fingers are amazing. No two humans have the same fingerprints; each of us is completely unique, and as such, we can easily be identified. The only way to keep our fingerprints off of things—other than burning them off of our fingers with oven cleaner—is to wear gloves so that we don’t leave behind our telltale identifying marks.

This reminds me of another mark that we all born with: We are born with the mark of sin on our souls, for, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” (Psalms 51:5 NIV). This is because of the sin of Adam: “…just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin…” (Romans 5:12 NIV), and no one is immune to this, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23 NIV).

Therefore, everywhere we go, we carry an identifying mark: We are sinners!

Fortunately for us, there is an “oven cleaner” that will “burn off” the identifying marks of sin: The blood of Jesus. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7 NIV). That’s good news, friends! As effectively as the over cleaner burned off my wife’s identifying fingerprints, Jesus’ blood has the power to remove our identifying mark as sinners! Then it won’t be a good day to rob a bank, it will be a good day to … face the judgment!

There is only one way to ensure that the telltale, marks of sin, the ones that uniquely identify us as sinners, are removed from our souls forever, only one way to ensure that on the day of judgment you will not be identified with the sinners, and that is to accept Jesus’ gift! To say “yes” to the call He has on your life.

Romans tells us, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 6:23 NIV; See also John 3:16, John 1:2, John 14:6, Rev. 14:20, etc.)

This means the first step is declaring and believing that Jesus is Lord.

The second step is believing that God raised Him from the dead.

Confession of our sin and repentance also plays a role, for repentance and confession are outward signs of a changed heart, one that truly desires to be free of the bondage of sin: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 NIV).

No, fingerprints or no, it is never a good day to rob a bank. However, once you are covered by the blood of Jesus, everyday is a good day to stand before the judgment! “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).

If you’ve never given your heart to Jesus, why not make today that day? We’d love to help you. Please click here!

One closing thought: My wife will regrow her fingerprints; but as long as we continue to walk with the Lord, the marks of our sinful nature will never again be seen: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 17 NIV).

Inspired by Rob Chaffart
Founder, Answers2Prayer Ministries