Tues., 10/1/13 Devotion (Eph. 1:7)

Today's encouragement comes from Ephesians 1:7, where we read these words:

"In Him [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace . . . "

When it is all said and done, the only thing that matters in life (and re-ligion) is the soul's cleansing from sin before a Holy God. Christ's blood *alone* washes away sins; and our confidence before God is solely based in and on our faith in Him (Christ).

So much religious talk and discourse is nothing other than the bluster of foolish, proud, and idolatrous people who wish to find some substi-tute (for the blood atonement of Jesus). Let us not be ensnared by them (or their doctrine); instead may God's true churchmen rejoice in their right standing with the true God, by grace through faith in Christ alone.

[Puritan quote of the day: "It is a Christian's duty to triumph, not only over the world, but over Satan . . . " --William Bridge, in, "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]