Articles
The Good News of Forgiveness
I have special appreciation for the writings of Jim McGuiggan. While I don’t recommend anyone without reservation since all of us are flawed, I confess to gaining much from his writings through the years. Here is McGuiggan on Romans 4:6-8:
“Just as surely as one’s faith is ‘put down to his account’ in order to righteousness, just that surely are one’s sins NOT ‘put down to his account.’ Isn’t that good news?! To the man, woman, girl and boy in Christ Jesus there is no reckoning of sin; there is no putting of sin down to their account. Afraid of that doctrine? By God no! Full of gratitude for it! Full of praise because of it! Longing to serve as a result of it! AFRAID OF IT? ‘Tell that to people and they might not work for God!’ says someone. I’ve got news for you, we’re doing precious little for God anyway despite the fear-mongers.
“‘Tell that to people and they might become casual about sin!’ says another. Casual about the loathsome horror which attacked our Master? Casual about what Christ had to bear to win for us the privilege of immunity? Anyone who is casual about that is begging for condemnation … If we put Christ where he belongs, right at the center of it all, and tell the people that sins are not reckoned to Christ’s because of what the Master has gallantly won for us, at awful sacrifice, then we will not be encouraging sin, we’ll be killing it!” (Commentary on Romans 147-148).
McGuiggan has a unique way expression that cuts to the heart of an issue. Do you deeply rejoice in the fact that God has remitted all your sins, that your conscience is free and your future is full of hope?
