Notice the apostle says, our trespasses, not “your trespasses”, for this great spiritual leader was abased before God on the same footing with  collectors and prostitutes leaning on Calvary and the cleansing blood.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our (not their) trespasses according to the riches of His grace!”  (Eph. 1:7).

I knew a godly woman, in fact she was my grandfather´s widow (My grandmother had died).  She was the godliest woman I´ve ever known.  She was only 13 when she was saved and then lived a very godly life full of wisdom without any university degree.  She often emphasized the forgiveness of our sins as her most firm foundation of her faith.

I sometimes thought, “Why that particular emphasis?  She´s so holy and dedicated, but why?” She had indeed so many virtues in her life, but I had to learn that the holier you are, the more conscious you´ll be of your own sinfulness.  John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit even before he was born, and yet he so strongly felt the need of Jesus as Savior when he was called upon to baptize Him.  Matt. 3:14.

My relationship to Jesus as Savior from my sins has also become my all-important emphasis the older I get.  I´m so thankful for the words in Rev. 22:14:  “Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may enter the city by the gates.”  In the Greek grammar it suggests “Blessed are those who keep washing their robes…” again and again.

There are sins we should talk to the Lord about in private without having to wash your sheets in public. Here you humbly avail yourself of Jesus as our sympathizing Great High Priest taking upon Him the guilt cleaving to our most holy (spiritual) gifts (Ex 28:38). So the Danish rendering.  And the highly respected Bible expositor, Matth. Henry, says very aptly, “We cannot but be conscious to ourselves of much iniquity cleaving even to our holy things”.  Who dares deny that?

July 30, 2021 - jn