TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1
Scripture: Ephesians 1:7-8

In Ephesians 1:7-8 we are told, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.” The Greek word for forgiveness is af-es-is and it is a concept in the Greek that is used 17 times and it means remission of sin, or a complete release from bondage or imprisonment through forgiveness or pardon. It is the complete commutation of all penalty. Af-es-is literally means to wipe the slate clean so that no penalty can be found. That is why the best word is remission because it includes the expunging of the record books, so not only is the penalty gone but the record of it fully erased. Remission of sin goes beyond forgiveness. We understand why the Apostle Paul could accurately say, ‘See these hands, I am innocent of the blood of all men.’ Yes, he was and it was because he made a choice to believe in Jesus Christ and to accurately and thoroughly accept His sacrifice. That is a choice that you and I have to make. It has already been offered to us and it’s complete. Our part is to accept it and appropriate it. If we do not, we can never receive the full benefit of it. The Apostle Paul appropriated his and got the full measure of benefit and it is time that you and I did the exact same thing. The Bible likens us to 4 kinds of soil, wayside (untilled), stony and thorny, as well as good soil. Good soil produces 100-fold. A clear conscience equals good soil that produces the Word promises we plant in it. Paul tilled his spiritual ‘soil’ removing stones and thorns until the soil of his heart was healthy and productive. We can follow his lead!