OPC'n
Puritan Board Doctor
What a blessing it is to know that I am not forgiven at the time I confess my sins, but instead I was forgiven when Christ died on the cross. I am able to come boldly before my Father's throne and tell Him how exceedingly wonderful He is. How I can never repay Him for His mercies and grace. How I love to sing His praises and glorify Him. To pray that He fulfill His promise of teaching me about His holiness and fill me with His love for Him that I may truly hallow His name which will change my nature. How wonderful it is to be free of guilt and stand fully justified before His throne when I ask that my will be forgotten so that I might have His will as my own and thus His kingdom come about. And still before confession crosses my lips, I am able to acknowledge that He is my earthly, mental, and spiritual Provider. To peacefully know that He is my Healer and Comforter. To be able to ask freely from Him all that I need, is to dip from a fountain that never runs dry. All this I can do before I confess my sins, because I was forgiven 2000 years ago. But the grace continues. He out of sincere love for me and a need for His own glory allows me to confess my sins and gives me the heart to repent and turn from my evil ways. He graciously places in my heart His love that I might give my all to Him and may forgive others as He forgives me and love them and esteem them above myself. This He does for His name sake. For His glory, He does this for us all. And one day soon we will perfectly glorify and enjoy Him forever all because we were forgiven not now but 2000 years ago.