Author: Dave

PASSIONAustralia.blog is my personal ministry website. I am also web servant for several church websites.

The forgiveness of our sins

December 14, 2025

All of us sin. This is a sad reality of living in this fallen world. We do or say things we do not want to do. We also do not do the things we know are right and helpful to others and ourselves. How then, does God deal with our sins?

The book “To be a Christian” has some great thoughts on page 52…

  1. What are sins?
    Sins are intentions, acts, or failures to act that arise out of my corrupted human nature and fall short of conformity to God’s revealed will. (Psalm 53; Isaiah 59:1–15; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23; James 4:17; 1 John 3:4–10)
  2. How does God respond to human sin?
    All sin is opposed to the righteousness of God and is therefore subject to God’s holy condemnation; yet God in his mercy offers me forgiveness and salvation from sin through his Son, Jesus Christ, the only Savior. (Psalm 130; Isaiah 1:2–4; Micah 7:18–19; John 3:17–21; Romans 1:18–2:4; 3:24–26; 5:6–10)
  3. How does God forgive your sins?
    By virtue of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, in which I put my trust, God sets aside my sins, accepts me, and adopts me as his child and heir in Jesus Christ. Loving me as his child, he forgives my sins whenever I turn to him in repentance and faith. (Leviticus 26:40–45; Psalm 78:35–39; Matthew 26:27–28; Luke 15:11–32; 2 Co­rinthians 5:16–21; Galatians 4:1–7)
  4. How should you respond to God’s forgiveness?
    Trusting in God’s continual forgiveness, I should live in continual thanks, praise, and obedience to him; and as I have been loved and forgiven by God, so I should love and forgive those who sin against me. (Psalm 51:7–17; Isaiah 44:21–23; Matthew 6:12; 18:21–35; Ephesians 4:32)

I find this really comforting to know that even though I sin, God is willing and able to forgive me because of what Jesus has done for me.

Daily Bible lectionary readings

December 11, 2025

For most of my 36 year Christian walk I have read the Bible every day. I have usually read one chapter a day or have done some sort of Bible reading plan on the Bible app.

Over the last few years I have started doing the lectionary readings of the day. The two main sources I have used are the Revised Common Lectionary or the Daily Catholic Readings.

Both of these resources have a three year cycle that includes an Old Testament reading, a Psalm and a New Testament reading. These readings line up with the seven church seasons of the year (eg. Lent, Ordinary Time, Advent ect).

So if want to start reading the Bible and are not sure where to start, you might like to try the daily lectionary readings. You can find links to them below.

What really matters?

December 8, 2025

Here is a great quote I read today. It is straight to the point of what is most important in life. It is from Pope John Paul II.

What really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ and that we love Him in return. In comparison to the love of Jesus, everything else is secondary. And without the love of Jesus, everything else is useless.

What would I change?

December 3, 2025

What is one thing you would change about yourself?

What would I change? I would change my heart to be more wholehearted for God. I would change it so I would love and trust Him more. So I would offer Him my whole self unreservedly. So I could echo the words of Jesus, “Not my will, but yours be done”.

As I type I am reminded of an old quote from John Wesley…

Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth.