Christian singer-songwriter Austin French is opening up about why he once wanted nothing to do with Christianity and how a change in his understanding of grace inspired his new song, "Guilty No More."
In a post on Instagram, French recalled growing up in church and feeling that following Jesus meant keeping up appearances. He thought he had to hide his mistakes and prove he was good enough. For a long time, that understanding of faith made him want to walk away from it.
"But everything changed when I realized that Jesus wasn't asking me to clean myself up before coming to Him," French wrote. "He was offering me the kind of grace I could never earn on my own."
French said that realization is at the heart of "Guilty No More." He wrote about the song with listeners in mind who still think about things they wish they had done differently. For French, the cross means those failures no longer get to define who they are.
"We all have things in our past that we're not proud of, and we all fall short," he wrote. "But because of what Jesus did on the cross, our guilt and shame don't have to define us anymore."
French pointed to Romans 8:1, which says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The verse speaks directly to the fear he described from his years growing up in church. He once thought he had to get his life in order before he could come to Jesus. Now, he hopes the song gives listeners who feel that same pressure a way to hear the promise that changed his own understanding of faith.
French invited fans to comment GUILTY on his Instagram post to receive a link to listen to "Guilty No More." Austin French on Instagram
