the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Grace for Today
Psalms 51:3
‘My sin is ever before me’
Read Psalms 32:1-11
The words are used throughout the Bible to describe the moral depravity of our race. God’s judgment falls upon men because of iniquity, transgression and sin.
Iniquity is the perverseness of my righteousness. It is missing the mark, failing short of that which is required by the law of God. How far short do we fall? ‘We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags’ (Isaiah 64:6). My best thoughts, best ambitions, best desires and best deeds are so polluted with sin that in the sight of God they are as vile and obnoxious as discarded menstruous cloths.
Transgression is the perverseness of my evil works. It is the contemptuous disregard of God’s law, walking contrary to the law and violating the law by willful rebellion. Every thought, word and deed that is contrary to the law of God is transgression. It is the breaking of God’s law.
Sin is the perverseness of my being. This is what I am. This is the source of all transgression and iniquity. My heart by nature is a foul, polluted cesspool in which every manner of evil imaginable grows (Matthew 15:19). It is a garrison of enmity against God (Romans 8:7). The evil I do is terrible; but the evil that I am is worse by far. I hate what I do; but I hate what I am more.
If we would obtain mercy from God, we must confess our sin. (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9). This is more than merely saying, with Judas, ‘I have sinned.’ It is a heartfelt acknowledgement of our guilt and depravity. We must acknowledge the evil of our righteousness, the evil of our wickedness and the evil of our nature, so that we take sides with God against ourselves (Psalms 51:1-5).
I rejoice to know and to declare to you that through the merits of Christ’s righteousness and shed blood God is faithful and just to forgive iniquity, transgression and sin. (Exodus 34:6-7; 1 John 1:9). This is the good news and glad tidings of the gospel. If we acknowledge and confess our sin God will forgive our sin. The blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanses us from all sin.
