Wed., 10/1/14 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 religion) is the soul's cleansing 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 peo-ple who wish to find some substitute (for the blood atonement of Jesus). Let us not be ensnared by this; and may God's true Christian churchmen rejoice in their right standing with the Lord, by grace through faith in Christ.

[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 Down-cast"]