For in many things we offend all. James 3:2. Thou hast set our Iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. Psalms 90:8. Break off thy sins by righteousness. Daniel 4:27.
The apostles speak of numerous faults; the prophets and the men "after God’s heart" speak of iniquities and secret sins. Accordingly, every one who lives in this mortal flesh feels in himself sin and iniquity and there is none clean under the sun. It is therefore a reprehensible and dangerous carelessness when a person pays so little attention to his heart and mind that he regards himself faultless and pure. Such a person is blind and gropes in the dark. Deceiving himself, he boasts of his righteousness to his own detriment. He who sees faults in himself and through heedlessness suffers them to exist, confidently pleading these Scripture passages, does not know the mind of the apostles and of the prophets; to their own humiliation they honestly confessed their faults, not to lull themselves to sleep nor to call forth a false security, nor to comfort the slothful. To him who strives honestly to become faultless, the weakness of the saints is a comfort and a means of reassurance, but not a pillow for slothfulness. "Break off thy sins," says the prophet Daniel and that is in fact what all the prophets say ’’break off thy sins by righteousness," by the power which in Christ Jesus is bestowed upon you. His righteousness and power are granted you for nothing, not that you, like the wicked servant, are to dig it down into the earth, but that you should use it to the gaining of mastery over your sins.
We stand in deep repentance
Before Thy throne of love;
O God of grace, forgive us,
The stain of guilt remove;
Behold us while with weeping
We lift our eyes to Thee,
And, all our sins subduing.
Our Father, set us free.