| There was no one quite like Abraham as far as the Jews were concerned. He will always be a great man to us too.But says Paul, however great Abraham was, he still needed forgiveness. Forgiveness came to him by faith- not because he was a good man or a great man. It was only because he believed God. He believed that what God said would happen. He also did what God asked him to do. It is the same today. No-one is accepted by God because he is a good person or a well-known person. No-one can buy his way into heaven. It is all by grace through faith. It is only as we accept God's Word and believe in his Son Jesus, Christ that God accepts us. There is no good in us. Let's say it again: it is all of grace through faith. But what a wonderful joy to know our sins are forgiven. Look at verses 7 and 8 again. They are a quotation from Psalm 32. They were written by David, after his sin with Bath-Sheba had been found out. He had repented bitterly in tears and in deep genuine sorrow for what he had done. (See Psalm 51David's Psalm of repentance.) After he had acknowledged his sin David discovered the real joy of forgiveness. The word blessed could be translated 'Oh the happiness'- of the man who has been forgiven. David knew that happiness. So did Abraham and Paul. Anyone who has come to Jesus Christ acknowledging their sins knows the truth of those words 'Oh the happiness of the man who has been forgiven'.God no longer charges the believing man with his sin. Christ has paid his debt and that man is accepted before God. Do you see how this works out? There is nothing we do or can do except take what God has done and believe in his Son Jesus Christ. He has done it all. We only have to accept him and then learn to live for him. A hymn for today: 'Jesus paid it all: All to Him I owe. Sin has left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.' | 
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