p. 197 | When Sins Are Blotted Out

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 26, 1883

When Sins Are Blotted Out

MANY commentators, rendering Acts 3 : 19 thus, “Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come,” etc., think that the blotting out of sins immediately follows repentance and conversion; but the teaching of the Bible is plainly to the effect that the blotting out of sins is the last work before the coming of the Lord. A careful study of the work of the atonement will cause this to appear.

The idea is also brought out here, for Peter adds immediately, “and he shall send Jesus,” etc. Our sins are now forgiven, but only on condition that we continue to walk in newness of life. If we fall away, then our former sins will come up against us in the Judgment. Read Matt. 18 : 23-35. It will be nothing in one’s favor in the Judgment that he has been a Christian for a portion of his life, if he died in sin. See Eze. 3 : 20; 2 Peter 2 : 20-22. A more extended comment on “the times of refreshing,” will be given in a future number.