How We are Made Free from Sin. (Pasche)

"Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Rom. 10:4.

The salvation of the soul is not by works that we are doing, so that we would have to earn heaven by fulfilling the Law, nor can it be purchased with sacrifices and offerings of man. St. Paul writes to the Corinthians: “Ye were bought with a price.” We did not ourselves purchase our own freedom, we were purchased, redeemed, by God Himself. What ransom, what price, God paid for us Paul states Rom. 8, 32, saying: “ God spared not His own Son, but de­ livered Him up for us all.” The price for our liberty was high — it cost God His only Son. And now every one that believes in Him receives God’s forgiveness.

In what manner does God forgive sin? There are many who believe that God forgives sin by making us good and holy, expelling all sinfulness from o u t nature. They say: If a man wants to know whether he has forgiveness of sin or not, let him search his heart; if he still finds any sinfulness there, then his sins are not yet for­ given. But that is a terrible doctrine and must fill a sinner with despair. For who can say: “I have made nay heart clean, I am pure from all sin and iniquity” ?

How, then, does God forgive sin? God’s Book answers: “Blessed is he whose sin is covered.” God forgives sins by covering them, by hiding them, as it were, from His sight. How can God do that and still remain the just and righteous God who cannot break His own Law, but must carry out its fearful threat: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” ? He can do it because He has already punished our sins in Christ. God’s own dear Son, in our stead and for our sakes, paid the penalty pronounced upon our sins by the Law. He was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification. God in His mercy, for Christ’s sake, does not charge the believer’s sins to his, but to Christ’s account, and Christ’s all- sufficient, saving merit He charges to the sinner’s account.

Prayer.

Eternal and merciful God, if Thou wouldst deal with me according to my deserts, I should be, and forever remain, a child of wrath and eternal damnation. But, O my loving God and Father, I take comfort in Thy great mercy and in Thy grace un­ fathomable, infinite, unspeakable, and without measure; a grace Thou Thyself dist promise and confirm. Therefore, I do not despair, but confess unto Thee all my sins, my evil thoughts and desires, my sinful words and deeds, both secret and known, and plead guilty in Thy sight of being a great malefactor and evil­ doer, fully relying on Thy dear Son’s complete fulfilment of Thy Law in my stead and on His bitter suffering and death, wherewith He atoned for all my sins, merited Thy grace and favor, and opened heaven for me. Amen.

My hope is built on nothing less 

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.