The Forgiver of Sins!

 All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Hebrew and Greek meaning of the words mentioned are from Strong's Hebrew Greek Dictionary.

Apostle Paul, by his own admission, was a Pharisee. In Acts 23:6 when Paul was giving his defense before the Jews he ,  "... perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question."  As pertains to the Jewish law he told the Philippian church in Philippian's 3:4-7,  "Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;   Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ." 

Jesus said in Matthew 5:20,  "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Apostle Paul understood this well. He recognized that all of his righteousness would avail him nothing, "...as touching the law." His only hope was his trust in the Lord's righteousness. This is why he declared himself to be the chief of sinners. (see 1st Timothy 1:13-16) The bottom line here is no matter how right you or I may live it will never be good enough! We must only trust the Lord Jesus to get us to heaven. Are we to continue in sin then because we are under the grace of God? The Apostle said emphatically in Romans 6:13-15,  "...God forbid."  The same apostle who was blameless as touching the Law of Moses, yet considered himself to be the chief of the sinners told Timothy in 2nd Timothy 2:19,  "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." Are we to live right? Yes.

I remember in Prescott, Arizona when my eye fell upon a scripture quotation found is Jeremiah 17:7 which says, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is." I am so glad that the Bible says that Christ came to save sinners, "...of whom  I am chief." My friend, if you think that because you have given your heart to the Lord that you are ok, even if you live a righteous life, think again. God wants, according to the Bible, to know you.   I never want to hear the words, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (see Matthew 7:21-23) To those who put their trust in themselves as did the Pharisee  in the temple who "...prayed thus with himself..." (see Luke 18-9-14) he thought that he was right with God when he was not, beware. There's a verse in Isaiah 33:14 that calls them hypocrites who trust in their own righteousness and who will wake up too late and find themselves cast into outer darkness where Jesus said there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. (see Matthew 8:12; 22:13 and 25:30) Only the Lord Jesus can get us to Heaven for He alone is the Forgiver of sins!