No licence

For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a licence for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.           Jude 4

Jude was writing about a grave disobedience that was practiced in the early days of the Christian faith and, sadly, the same thinking persists today in some minds. This is the idea that grace gives us a licence to sin because God, in His mercy, will freely forgive all sin. I don’t think it works like this. I certainly see God as merciful, but He is also pure. He abhors impurity of any kind. Yet He is also just, and in His mercy He gives us opportunity to confess and repent of our sins. 

I believe that for me to truly confess and repent I need to feel remorse for my sinfulness. I cannot say “Sorry Lord” and blithely continue in my wrong doing. I realise I may well recommit the sin, for I am born into a fallen state. But this does not prevent me from trying to keep myself from what is wrong and displeasing to God.

Sadly, I’m not very successful in this. So I come to God in humility. I confess my wrongdoings and I give myself to the best endeavours to change. As always, I cannot go forward without His help.

I pray that He pardons my feebleness, that He receives my miserable acts of confession and repentance, and that His amazing grace will shine through, will forgive me and lead me on in His way.

Almighty God,

I confess to being the miserable sinner that I am. I repent and earnestly seek Your help that I may take the right road forward, and hold to it.

I ask Your forgiveness. I look for Your power to lead me and direct me in good ways. I want to please You. Help me do this I beg of You, in the precious name of Jesus.     Amen.

My book “God Talk” is available through major Internet booksellers.

A taste of the book's content can be seen in the You Tube clip (Search: Peter Francis - "God Talk").