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Enjoy Life, Enjoy God


Dale Patterson

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

November 3, 2010

In the Order of Worship in many of our churches and worship services, after confessing our sins, an Assurance of Pardon is declared, the Good News!

I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
- Isaiah 43:25 NRS

I propose an exercise for you in Bible reading. What if you started reading Isaiah, and if you do, by the time you get into the chapters in the 40’s, you will be amazed that God has not blasted the people of God off the face of the earth. Boy...they are wretched. God has more than just cause to snuff them out. However, that's the miracle. The words start changing as you enter the 40’s. Oh, the people still are fickle, unfaithful, wretched sinners, but God starts using words like forgive, redeem, "not remember the former things."

The good news breaks forth from the wretched, and we hear the assurance of pardon. "I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake!" Why would God do that? I guess that's the good news.

Joyfully,

Dale Patterson