FORGIVENNESS AND RECONCILIATION. Our selfishness, low self-esteem and blindness are manifestations of the fallen nature of man/woman. The first people, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God and tried to make themselves equal with God. Therefore, this created a separation between God and man/woman (which still goes on today) and is the main cause of our low self-esteem, selfishness and blindness. Sin is defined as separation from God, trying to make life work by our own devices/abilities. See what we are doing? The very same thing that Adam/Eve did, make ourselves our own God. Evaluate it - how are you doing as your own God?
Life only works properly when we function as we were made to function, in a deep, abiding and dependent relationship with God.
Sin requires punishment, the shedding of blood. That is what Jesus did for us on the Cross. His blood was shed so our sins could be forgiven and we could come back into the proper relationship with God.
We move back into that proper relationship, when we recognize the problem we have, sin, causing separation from God. If we confess our sins, repent and then accept Jesus' sacrifice as payment for our sins, we then can move toward making Jesus the Lord of our life and be guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Notice that we did nothing to deserve being restored into a proper
relationship with God. It is simply a free gift from God - Grace. Does
God love us? John 3:16