Remission

Acts 2:38-39 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Remission is an interesting word. Webster defines the word as “pardon; forgiveness, as of sins or offenses,” “a period during which such a decrease or subsidence occurs.” Everyone needs remission; that is forgiveness. We all want a permanent state of remission. A forgiveness that is complete and eternal. A remission where there is no relapse and no return to our sick, sinful way of life. The remission of Christ is complete, but if we relapse, He invites us to repent and return to His remission, a permanent remission. In September, Julie and I will head to Dallas to go through some tests for restaging my cancer. My doctors' goal is to put me in what they call permanent remission. This is not like the remission Christ offers. The remission they hope to achieve is just a prolonged period of health. Unlike the remission Christ offers, I will always have MM, but Christ's remission totally removes the sickness of sin. May we never put our hope in the things of this world because the things of this world will all perish. My hope rests in the promises and assurances of Christ. Those promises are permanent. Those promises are true. His forgiveness is total, and those promises give me hope. In Him J. Tom Washburn