Helderberg Nature Reserve.Cape Town. South Africa. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. (Psalm 32:1-2)

This state of blessedness is all the work of the Lord.  It is not about our good behavior, or our church attendance or our status in life. It is a gift of God so that no man may boast. Referring to the above words written by David, Paul writes to the Romans:

David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works (Romans 4:6)

When God shows a person mercy, His Holy Spirit enters that person’s heart and sanctifies him so that he becomes intensely aware of his sinful condition and his need for forgiveness. He comes to the Lord with a repentant heart seeking to be forgiven and that is precisely what he receives. Blessed is a person whose transgressions are forgiven, because sacrifice and offering the Lord did not require. He seeks a contrite heart. A heart humbled by his own sinfulness. That is the kind of person the Lord will never turn away.

What mercy and grace and kindness is bestowed on us that the God of this universe would forgive a man and no longer count his sins against him! Could we ever fully fathom the limitless love shown in this action? The beauty of all this work by the Holy Spirit is that a person touched by God’s grace will abhor sin and will desire what is pleasing to the Lord. Deceit will have to make way for honesty and faithfulness. All this is the work of God because He is the one who creates in us a pure heart and renews an upright spirit in us. He takes away our heart of stone and creates in us a heart of flesh –a heart on which He writes His laws so that we desire to obey Him.

How is all this possible? Because there is a Man who took upon Himself the punishment we deserved for our sins. He made the perfect sacrifice for sin. He is the perfect sacrifice for sin. And now, because He remained obedient to His Father even to the point of death, He overcame death and lives forever more. So, this is God’s offering for all mankind. All who believe in Christ Jesus will be acquitted of all guilt and will be seen as blameless in the sight of God. Their sins have been paid for and God will not exact another payment. “Where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.” Hebrews 10:18. He paid for our sins once and for all. When you believe this message, God no longer counts your sin against you.

This does not mean we continue to sin because we are shown grace. Grace has the exact opposite effect on the heart. We desire to please God, not trample on His precious gift. No longer do we obey Him because we have to and because we are filled with dread. We obey Him because we are thankful for His mercy and because we love Him.

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• Faith Child – Salvation- Jesus, my Lord (ptl2010.com)