If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrightousness.
This is a quote from the First letter of John (ch1:v8-9) and makes a lot of sense when you stp to think about it The basic conclusion is that I am no saint, can never be one even in my wildest dreams, so therefore I am a sinner....and God loves me for that! Sounds crazy and illogical...by human terms but not by His.
It may be hard to believe that such complete and gracious unforgiveness is possible: it certainly goes beyond any forgiveness we may experience with other people. But God’s word reassures us that His forgiveness is complete and trustworthy. The new promised world that awaits us will be peopled by forgiven sinners, just like us.
In Luke (12:13-21), Jesus tells the story of a man who made detailed preparations for this life. He said: “I will tear down my barns and build larger ones to store all my grain and goods”. But he neglected to make plans for the life after this one. God’s view of this man is less than favourable and He said: “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you and the things you prepared, whose will they be?” Jesus concluded the parable: “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God”.
I have just finished reading a book called “Making the most of the rest of your life” by Australian John Chapman. I found it very inspiring especially in the light of the foregoing. The book is really all about death and what happens after we die. But it isn’t morbid. Far from it. It is all about the Good News and what is awaiting us on the other side.
The author explains his idea this way: I am 76 years old. I live in a retirement home. Life here has been a new experience for me. The paper man comes at 4.30 a.m. and the ambulance at 9.15 a.m. Sometimes it brings people home, but not always. Your mortality presses in. You may think it’s strange then that I am writing about making the most of the rest of our lives. Humanly speaking, I don’t have all that much left. The average male lives for 79 years. That doesn’t leave me much time. On the other hand, if there is life after death, if eternity is really eternity and I have the greater bulk of my life to look forward to, then that makes all the difference… Sometimes people think that there is no real urgency to take action to prepare for this eternity. They think that there is plenty of time and that they will deal with God’s invitation later. Jesus’ parable from Luke is more than the answer not to delay because we do not know the hour nor the day. But we can rely on His love and forgiveness.
