“The forgiveness of sins.”
“In Whom we HAVE redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
At the close she came up to me with tears glistening in her eyes, and, taking me by the hand, led me away to a quiet corner―and this was her story as nearly as I can remember it, word for word.
“More than 60 years ago.”
“I could scarcely keep back the tears of joy when you repeated that precious verse just now―Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7). It was through that text I found peace with God―more than sixty years ago.
The Aunt’s “Delusion.”
“An aunt of ours went to Dublin, and while there she attended some evangelistic meetings; was converted, and came back full of radiant joy, and startled us all by saying she was saved, and knew it; and had the forgiveness of her sins―and knew it!
“Shortly afterward she had a rather serious illness, and we thought what an awful thing it would be if she died under a religious delusion. We asked her if she would like to see our Rector, but she said, ‘No; poor, dear man, I am afraid he cannot help me, and I am too weak to speak much to him.’
“Then we suggested that we might send for Dean Bagot―a great evangelical leader in those days―who knew our family well. ‘Ah,’ she said ‘I should very much like to see him; but he is so busy, and his time is so valuable, it hardly seems fair to ask him to come so far to see me.’
“However, we sent off an urgent appeal to the Dean, and he wrote at once promising to come. When he arrived it was rather late, so it was decided he should see my aunt after breakfast the next day.
Dean and Niece.
“At breakfast, I thought it was a good opportunity to explain quietly to the Dear the delusion our aunt was under. As I was telling him he went on steadily with his breakfast only grunting a ‘Humph’ now and then. When I had finished, he muttered, without looking up, ‘Been to school?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied, wonderingly. ‘Learned grammar?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Know how to parse?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Got a Bible?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Bring it.’
Bible and Grammar.
“In Whom we HAVE redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
“‘Parse HAVE,’ said the Dean. ‘Verb Have, indicative mood, present tense. What does HAVE indicative mood, present tense, mean?’
“‘HAVE GOT―possess.’ The Dean waited a few moments, and just grunted another ‘Humph.’ He went steadily on with his breakfast, and I sat looking at that one word ‘HAVE.’
“I HAVE GOT―”
“In a few minutes I got up, hurried to my room, knelt at my bedside, and accepted there and then through simple trust in Christ as my personal Savior and God’s Own Word, ‘the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.’
“I went back to the breakfast room, and, going up to the Dean, I said, ‘I HAVE GOT the forgiveness of sins.’ ‘Humph,’ he said. ‘I think you had better go and tell your aunt so. It will give her more comfort, I expect, than anything I could say to her.’”
The Transport of Forgiveness
I wish you could have heard the Countess tell the story in her own words, in tones hushed, yet vibrant with deep emotion. “More than sixty years ago” it was, and yet, believe me, there came into that pale, augustan face a flush of girlish radiance as she renewed her transport in realized “forgiveness of sins.”
Will you―NOW?
Oh, anxious, hesitating soul, will you just now do what she did in her soul’s felt need? Read that verse, Eph. 1: 7.
“In whom we HAVE redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,”
looking steadily, intently on it, and come to the point just at this moment and accept HERE and NOW God’s assurance to your soul, and then gladly, bravely tell others the wonderful good news, “I HAVE GOT the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.” Remember nothing will help to confirm the assurance in your own soul more than telling others―your family, your friends―those who have been preaching to you or praying for you.