THE FAMILY ALTAR

September 15.

"And Jesus said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they

that sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves, Who

is this that forgiveth sins also? And He said to the woman, Thy

faith hath saved thee ; go in peace." Luke 7:48-50.

We know the joyful answer to the upbraiding question of these

Pharisees that ask : "Who is this that forgiveth sins also ?" It is

Jesus, the sinners' Friend and Savior, God's Son made manifest

in the flesh just for this merciful purpose to save sinners. He has

paid in full for all their sins with His holy, precious blood, and

now has the blessed, the adorable right to grant forgiveness as

a free gift of His compassionate love to all who come to Him with

a penitent heart for forgiveness and salvation, as did this woman.

And where He forgives sins, there peace, sweet peace, fills the

fearing, troubled conscience; there you know and feel yourself

under your almighty Savior's protection, and all the tribulations

of the world cannot rob you of that deep serenity of soul. How

do we attain to this precious peace? How can we keep it ours in

spite of all the changeful feeling of our heart in this troublesome

life ? Jesus tells us when He says to the woman : "Thy faith hath

saved thee!" No sick person is ever cured by merely telling the

physician of his pain or ailment. The most necessary thing for

the patient is to use the remedy the wise physician prescribes. If

this woman had only sorrowed over her sins and had never come

to Jesus and believed in Him as her personal Savior, she would

never have found forgiveness and peace. Painful sorrow over sin

will save no man, will give him no peace of heart, if he does not

turn to Jesus and accept by faith the forgiveness and peace his

Savior offers him in the Gospel. The faith that keeps its eyes

fixed on Jesus and His word of pardon: "Thy sins are forgiven

thee " has and retains that blessed peace of God which passeth

all understanding and which keeps our hearts and minds through

Christ Jesus unto everlasting life.