Boyce Mouton
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AN INCREDIBLE BLESSING

Boyce Mouton · 10 pages · 5,341 words

AN INCREDIBLE BLESSING

“Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him” (Rom. 4:7).

  • This quotation, as you may know, is from David in Ps. 32:1-2.
  • It doesn’t say “Blessed is the man who never sins”, for in that case no one would be blessed, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).
  • Sadly, we also sin after we are saved. John wrote this to Christians: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 Jn. 1:8). In fact, if Christians claim not to sin we make God a liar (1 Jn. 1;10).
  • SO THE INCREDIBLE BLESSING OF OUR TEXT IS NOT FOR THOSE WHO NEVER SIN, BUT FOR THOSE WHO DO SIN AND YET THEIR SIN IS NEVER COUNTED AGAINST THEM! This blessing almost seems too good to be true!
  • The Greek word for this “count” that is forgiven is “Logizomai”. It is found 40 times in the N.T. Scriptures. It means to “to reckon, count, compute, or calculate”.
  • Most are familiar with a “credit card”. When you can use a “credit card” your account is “charged” for the price of what you have purchased.
  • David, however, described the blessing of sinning and not being charged for that sin.
  • The same word “Logizomai” is used in Rom. 4:3, and 4:22 to explain that Abraham’s faith was “counted” to him as righteousness.
  • Abraham was not really righteous! Nobody is righteous! Remember “There is no one righteous, not even one”! (Rom. 4:10) Thus, even though Abraham was not righteous, he was “counted” as righteous because of his faith.
  • Let us explore this “incredible blessing” in greater detail!

BY LAW THE JEWS WERE CONSTANTLY INSECURE

  • The Law constantly reminded the Jews of their uncleanness.
  • There were innumerable ways a devout Jew could become unclean. Please consider: “If a person touches anything ceremonially unclean – whether the carcass of unclean wild animals or of unclean livestock or of unclean creatures that move along the ground – even though he is unaware of it, he has become unclean and is guilty” (Lev. 5:2).
  • This fear produced a saying among the Jews: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” (Col. 2:21). They never knew if what they handled, touched, tasted was unclean. The most conscientious follower of the Law could accidentally become unclean and not even know it!
  • Uncleanness was like an infectious disease. A sick person can touch a hundred healthy people and make them sick, but a hundred healthy people cannot touch a sick person and make them well. Haggai wrote: “If a person carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, oil or other food, does it become consecrated? The priests answered ‘no.’ Then Haggai said, ‘If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these thing does it become defiled?’ ‘Yes’ the priests replied, ‘it becomes defiled’” (Haggai 2:12-13).
  • This problem was compounded by the fact that the devout Jew could not only become unclean by what “he” did, but also by what the “priest” did. Please consider: “If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt upon the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull without defect
  • as a sin offering for the sin he has committed” (Lev. 4:3). Yes! By law you could be guilty for what an anointed priest did!
  • Remember! Seventy thousand innocent people died because of a sin committed by David (2 Sam. 24:11-17).
  • If this seems unfair to you, remember that the Law was not given to save us but to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith (Gal. 3:24).

THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

There was, however, one day in the year when the devout Jew was not insecure. One that one day he could be confident that he was not unclean. That day was called the Day of Atonement. On that one day the Jewish high priest entered into the Holy of Holies with blood which he offered for himself and for the sins the people committed in ignorance (Heb. 9:7). On that one day the devout Jew could be confident about his salvation!

Leviticus 16 describes the ministry of the high priest on the Day of Atonement in great detail. Here is a brief summary:

  • He bathed.
  • He dressed in holy garments of white linen.
  • He offered, or presented at the door of the tabernacle a bullock for a sin offering for himself and for his house.
  • He presented at the same place two goats for a sin offering for the congregation.
  • He cast lots upon the two goats. One of the goats was to be sacrificed, and the other was to be let go in the wilderness.
  • He sacrificed the bullock.
  • He passed from the court, through the Holy Place, into the Holy of Holies with a censer and incense, and filled the space with a cloud of smoke.
  • He returned to the court for blood from the bullock and passed again within the vail to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat and seven times before it.
  • He returned to the court and killed the goat upon which the lot for sacrifice had fallen.
  • For the third time he returned to the Holy of Holies and did the same with the goat’s blood as he had done with the blood of the bullock.
  • He purified the outer part of the tabernacle by the sprinkling of blood and placed some of it on the horns of the altar of incense (Ex. 30:10).
  • He returned to the court and placed the blood of the bullock and goat upon the horns of the altar of burnt offerings and sprinkled it seven times.
  • He offered the remaining goat, laid his hands upon it, and confessed the sins of the people.
  • He consigned the goat to a man who was to take it to the border of the wilderness and release it.
  • He bathed and changed his linen garments for the regular high priest’s clothing.
  • He sacrificed two rams as burnt offerings for himself and for the people
  • He burnt the fat of the sin offering upon the altar.
  • He saw to it that the remainder of the sin offering should be burnt without the camp.
  • ON EVERY OTHER DAY OF THE YEAR THE PEOPLE WERE INSECURE, BUT ON THIS ONE DAY THEY WERE CONFIDENT BECAUSE THEIR HIGH PRIEST WAS AT THAT VERY TIME MINISTERING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD ON THEIR BEHALF!
  • Please consider that Jesus is our high priest: “But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Heb. 9:11- 14).
  • Please consider that Jesus is right now in the presence of God ministering for us: “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Heb. 9:24-28).
  • PLEASE CONSIDER THAT AS LONG AS JESUS, OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST, IS MINISTERING FOR US IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD, OUR SINS ARE NOT COUNTED AGAINST US!

“IN CHRIST” THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

  • There are only two possibilities. Either you are “in” Christ Jesus or you are not!
  • If you are “in” Christ Jesus there is no condemnation.
  • If there is even one sin against you, however, you are condemned!
  • One sin was all that it took to condemn Adam and Eve.
  • James wrote: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking it all” (Ja. 2:10).
  • As we have said, if there is even one sin against you, you are condemned!
  • If you are “in Christ”, however, you are not condemned. This means that “in Christ” you do not one sin against you. “In Christ” at this very moment you are “without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:27). Remember! There is “no” condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus!
  • After explaining that Christians still sin, John wrote: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn. 2:1-2 KJV).
  • John didn’t want us to sin, but he knew we would. In fact, he had just said in the previous verse that if we claim not to sin we make God a liar (1 Jn. 1:10).
  • But our sin is not counted against us because Jesus Christ is the “propitiation,” or “covering” for our sins!

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS CONDEMN US!

  • Here are some statements from the Bible about the Law!
  • The Law was not given to save man, but that every mouth might be stopped and all the world become guilty before God (Rom. 3:19)
  • The letters written in stone brought death! (2 Cor. 3:7).
  • When the Law was given, 3,000 people died (Ex. 32:28).
  • In fact “The strength of sin is the law” (I Cor. 15:56.)
  • Also by the Law is the knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:20.)
  • Further, the Law brings wrath (Rom. 4:15).
  • Sin was in the world before the Law was given, but sin is not imputed where there is no law

(Rom. 5:13.)

  • The Law entered that the offense might abound (Rom. 5:20.)
  • If you are not under Law, however, sin does not have dominion over you (Rom. 6:14.)
  • When we were in the flesh, our sinful passions were aroused by the Law (Rom. 7:5.)
  • Paul would not have known sin but by the Law. He would not have known lust of the Law

had not said: “Thou shalt not covet.” (Rom. 7:7.)

  • Without the Law sin is dead (Rom. 7:8.)
  • But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the Law (Gal. 5:18.)
  • The Law, of course, is good if it is used lawfully. It was, however, not made for righteous people. It was made for the unrighteousness (I Tim. 1:9-10.)
  • The Lord Himself, Who wrote the Old Covenant, found fault with the people who lived under that covenant (Heb. 8:8.)
  • Therefore, God determined to write a new Covenant. This time, however, the covenant would not be written in stone, it would be written in the minds and hearts of believers (Heb. 8:7-12).
  • This New Covenant promised to put God’s Spirit within man and cause him to walk in the right way (Ez. 36:26-27.)
  • When the New Covenant became a reality 3,000 people were saved (Acts 2:41).
  • Those who receive Christ in this way have a “righteousness without law” (Rom. 3:21.)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WERE COVERED

  • The Ten Commandments were in the ark of the covenant. Moses wrote: “The Lord wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the Ten Commandments he had proclaimed to you on the mountain, out of the fire, on the day of assembly. And the Lord gave them to me. Then I came back down the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark I had made, as the Lord commanded me, and they are there now.” Deut. 10:4-5).
  • The Ten Commandments, however, were covered by a lid of pure gold (Ex. 25:17-22) This covering was called the “mercy seat”.
  • Modern Jews call the Day of Atonement Yom Kippur. “Yom” means “day”, and “kippur” means “to cover”.
  • The idea that sins needed to be covered dates back to Eden when God made coats of skins to cover Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21).
  • David used the same terminology when he wrote: “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” (Ps. 32:1)
  • On top of the mercy seat were two cherubim facing one another with their wings outstretched and their faces were looking downward toward the “covering” or “mercy seat” (Ex. 25:17-22).
  • God promised to meet with his people above the mercy seat and between the two cherubim (Ex 25:22).
  • The Hebrews feared cherubim because God placed them at the gate of the garden with flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life (Gen. 3:24).
  • It is both interesting and significant that the entrance to the tree of life was on the east side of the garden (Gen. 3:24). Ez. 47:1 states that the temple faced east, and this was also true of the tabernacle. Scholars say that eastern facing temples are unique to Hebrew worship. Approaching God from the east apparently dates back to Eden.
  • But when the cherubim, on top of the ark of the covenant, looked down they didn’t see the Ten Commandment, or any sin. They only saw the “covering”.
  • This “covering” was Jesus. He is the “propitiation” for out sins.
  • It is interesting that when Jesus was raised from the dead Mary bent over, looked into his tomb and saw two angels in white seated where the body of Jesus had been. One was at the head and the other at the foot of where Jesus had been (Jn. 20:11-12).
  • Let us consider again these inspired words: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn. 2:1-2 KJV).
  • If we are covered by Christ the cherubim do not see our sins, they only see Jesus!
  • THIS IS WHY THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION TO THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS!

TO BE ALIENATED FROM CHRIST, HOWEVER, IS TO FALL FROM GRACE

God can forgive all of our sins and heal all of our diseases (Ps. 103:3). But this can only happen if we are “in Christ”. Paul warned the Galatians: “You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace” (Gal. 5:4). “In Christ” there is “no

condemnation”, but “no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law” (Rom. 3:20). That’s why if you are trying to be justified by the law you are alienated from Christ and have fallen from grace.

This is a serious problem! For “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” (2 Pet. 2:20-22).

Even more serious: “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” (Heb. 6:4-6).

HOW CAN THIS BE POSSIBLE?

Jesus said: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30).

Paul said: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:37-40).

On the surface it seems that there is no way to get out of the Father’s hand. Certainly no man or group of men can snatch you out of the Father’s hand. Neither can angels or demons snatch you out of the Father’s hand. But ask yourself this question: “How do you get into the Father’s hand?” Can any man or group of men force you into the Father’s hand? Can powerful governments torture you into being saved? Can angels or demons force you confess Christ? The answer to these questions is “no”! You are created in the image of God and no one, not even God, can force you to be saved against your will. You got into the Father’s hand because you chose to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior! You will remain in the Father’s hand as long as you choose to do so!

Jesus said: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned” (Jn. 15:5-6). According to Jesus some choose not to “remain” in Him!

This is easily demonstrated by the 12 apostles. The Roman government had unlimited resources to torture the apostles and try to separate them from Christ. They utterly failed! Eleven of the apostles were tortured for their faith without denying Christ. The only apostle to betray Jesus was Judas

Iscariot. The Roman Government, however, did not force him to do this. No one forced him to betray Jesus! Judas chose to betray Jesus of his own free will. Judas was a branch who chose not to remain in the Vine. Jesus said of the apostles: “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled” (Jn. 17:12).

Yes! When Christ comes again every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil. 2:10-11). This, however, does not happen now! Now Judas was free to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, Pilate was free to crucify Christ to please the people, and Demas was free to forsake Paul because he loves this present world. God has deliberately chosen, at this time, not to force you to do anything against your will. Jesus patiently knocks at the door and waits for you to open it (Rev. 3:20).

Animals are not created in the image of God. Therefore they do not have a choice. When God told the animals to come to Noah they immediately did so ((Gen. 6:19-21). Man, however, had the ability to say “no” to God. Yes! Noah was a preacher of righteousness but he only “persuaded” his immediately family to get on the ark and be saved (2 Pet. 2:5). God deliberately allowed that world of sinners to choose their own destiny. The winds and the waves obeyed Jesus, but most men choose not to do so. Remember that Jesus wept over Jerusalem and wanted to gather Jerusalem like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but they wouldn’t do it! (Matt. 23:37).

YES! WHOSOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED (ACTS 2:21), BUT NOT EVERYONE CHOOSES TO DO SO. THEREFORE, IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN IT IS BECAUSE YOU CHOSE TO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD AND BE SAVED!

IN CHRIST WE DO NOT LOSE OUR POWER TO CHOOSE

In Christ we are a ‘new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17), but we still have the power of choice. In Christ we have many reasons to remain in Christ, but still have the right to reject him if we choose to do so. We have the Holy Spirit, we have the exceeding great and precious promises of God, we have the privilege of prayer. Further, God monitors our lives so closely that even the very hairs of our head are numbered (Matt. 10:30). Consequently God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear but will always give us a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13). Yet! Christians still have the power to choose! We can choose to remain in Christ, or we can choose not to remain in Christ. People can seek to “persuade” us but no one can change our mind for us! The word for “repent” is “metanoeo” which literally means to change your mind. This is not something that God does for you, it is something that you do for God. The inspired books of the New Testament Scriptures are filled with instructions regarding things that Christians are to “do” and “not to do”. Five of the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 were told to repent! If Christians cannot choose to obey then these inspired instructions in the Bible are meaningless.

Take, for example, this passage from the book of Hebrews: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without

mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. 10:25-31).

You obviously have the ability to choose to go to church, or not go to church. This passage points out that some were in the habit of not going to church. Not going to church is a bad habit. It can lead to other bad habits. If continued these bad habits can result in “trampling the Son of God underfoot”. Forcing people to go to church against their will, however, is not the answer. Henry Halley in his Bible Handbook (p. 867) states: “Emperor Theodosius, 378-395 A D, made Christianity the State Religion of the Roman Empire, and made Church membership compulsory. This was the worst calamity that has ever befallen the Church. This forced conversion filled the Churches with unregenerate people.” God does not force anyone to go to church against their will.

While we cannot “force” Christians to do anything, we can “encourage” them. The book of Hebrews instructs us to “encourage” one another not to forsake the assembly. “Persuasion” is another way we can promote obedience. Paul knew it was a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God and wrote: “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord we try to persuade men.” (2 Cor. 5:11).

There is also a place for church discipline. Just as parents chasten their children in an effort to shape their minds, God also chastens those who he loves (Heb. 12:4-11). Children in the home and Christians in the church, however, still have a mind of their own. Yet the church is commanded to discipline those who are living sinful lives (1 Cor. 5). The ultimate decision, however, remains in every individual. Neither God nor the church can force people to do anything against their will. The book of Revelation describes men in such pain that they gnawed their tongues in agony but still cursed God and refused to repent (Rev. 16:10-11). When Christ comes again, however, man’s ability to choose will come to an end and everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

OPTIMISM

This brief study is about an incredible blessing promised to us by God. This is “Good News” and there is no need to be pessimistic. We have read the last chapter of the book and we know who is going to win. Paul wrote “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Paul’s letters are filled with optimism. Please consider what he wrote to the saints in Philippi: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:3-6).

While warning the Hebrews of apostasy the Scriptures make clear: “Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to

become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” (Heb. 6:9-12)

John wrote: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 Jn. 5:13-15).

Paul wrote to Philemon that he was “Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask” (Philemon 21).

To the Corinthians he wrote: “I am glad that I have complete confidence in you” (2 Cor. 7:16).

Don’t ever forget! “We are more than conquerers through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:38).

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded” (Heb. 10:35).

THOSE IN CHRIST WILL HAVE NO FEAR ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

As long as we remain “in Christ” there is no reason to fear Judgment for there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus!

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 Jn. 4:16-18).

“Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:6-10).

THE CHRISTIAN HAS NOTHING BAD ON HIS RECORD FOR NOT ONLY DOES GOD NOT CHARGE HIM WITH SIN, HE DOES NOT EVEN REMEMBER HIS SINS.

Yes! That is right! God has promised not to remember our sins! Man cannot do this. Man cannot completely forget anything. Our mind is like a computer where all of our memories are stored. While we cannot always recall things, they remain in our minds just the same and can often surface at the most embarrassing times. BUT MAN IS NOT GOD! The things that are impossible with man are possible with God (Lk. 18:27). God has promised: “I will forgive their wickedness, and will remember their sins no more” (Heb. 8:12).

Our sins are not only forgiven and forgotten, they are totally erased – Please consider: “Repent, then and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19). The Greek word describing this process is “exaleipho”. This is a specific way of saying that our sins are completely wiped out! As the Bride of Christ you will be presented to Jesus “without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:27).

Therefore: “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory. Majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24-25).

Indeed! “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him” (Rom. 4:7).