I will remember their sins no more
At the one time
Justified and a sinner. Martin Luther
Read Hebrews 10:11—18
I am told here — it is underlined and put in bold terms so that I cannot mistake it — I’m told there has only been one, only one sacrifice for the sin of the whole world, and for every one of the finely-crafted sins that my life has produced. Before this, Christ’s sacrifice, there were countless repeated ordinary daily and extraordinary annual sacrifices for sin and uncleanness, performed by appointed priests. Christ’s sacrifice is once for all. He is also the one and only priest who offers it. Since this sacrifice there have been countless sins repeated, little finicky ones and grossly horrendous ones. I myself, despite all, continue to find that I add to them. So of what use is Christ’s sacrifice? I do not add to it. I cannot. Rather, I plead it. I offer Christ’s sacrifice as mine. Rather, because I pray in his name, he offers himself as mine.
Holy God, my sins are many. They are as recent as this day past. Even as a Christian, my sins have not ceased. If I have erected a wall against the sinful impulse it has found a breach in the wall. If I trust myself and every effort at holiness I will be lost. Yet I believe there is nothing more to be done. You have once for all made an end of my sin. So I look upon the one who has died. There I see it. There I see my own sin, my shortcoming, expended. There I see my own efforts, exhausted. And I see his victory. I see the arms of forgiveness. I have nothing to add to what he has done, only to receive him daily.