“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no guile.”
— Psalm 32:1-2
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself
by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
— 2nd Corinthians 5:15-19
While I was Arminian in my thinking and understanding of how the gospel works, it seemed to me that I had been carrying all this grievous sin in my past, and only after I came to the end of myself and said a sinner’s prayer did I obtain forgiveness. After all it is written, Draw nigh to God, and he will draw night to you[1]. I could have so easily died in my sins from the many foolish and dangerous things I got up to in my youth I thought!
But Paul is saying something different and far more profound. That God himself is the prime mover of salvation, that through Christ he reconciled his people to Himself throughout all ages, that he always only ever sees us in Christ. Yes, we sinned and fell short of the glory of God. Yes we are by nature children of wrath like everyone else[2] and yet even when we were dead in sins,[God] quickened us together with Christ...[3]
That is why David can say with such certainty after his first child by Bathsheba dies, “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me...[4]”
While I was Arminian I feared that people were dying and going to hell because I had not bothered to preach the gospel to them. The Bible says that while we should be evangelists and preach the gospel to all nations, salvation is not primarily a work of man but of the Lord. God is sovereign, and all things are of God and therefore not one hair on your head can fall to the ground without His knowledge and consent. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand[5].
What was obscure in the Old Testament was the true name and identity of Jesus, and how he would ultimately inherit all nations,[6] but His work of reconciliation and his High Priestly office were from everlasting. He is “a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec[7].
“...Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” — Matthew 1:21
[1]James 4:8
[2]Eph 2:3
[3]Eph 2:5
[4]2nd Sam 12:23
[5]John 10:29
[6]Ps 82:8
[7]Heb 7:17, Ps 110:4
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