Thought for the week: A great salvation for great sinners - ​Rev David McMillan

On one occasion when he was preaching at Wapping in London, he introduced his sermon in a very unusual way by declaring: ‘I have come here today to speak to great and notorious sinners, even to Wapping great sinners."Sadly, sinful lifestyles are on the increase and there are many great sinners all around us. Perhaps you are a ‘Wapping great sinner’ in the community where you live. You are notorious for your sin and wickedness. It may be that you have committed some heinous crimes and the memory of those evil deeds haunts you every day.The Bible plainly teaches that God’s grace is greater than all your sin, especially when it states: "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).The Apostle Paul testified: ‘"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15). Paul described himself as the greatest of all sinners, but yet God in His mercy had reached down and saved him. The Lord Jesus said: "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men," (Matthew 12:31).

What a glorious truth. It is a truth that should encourage you to Calvary to experience God’s salvation. It does not matter how dark or black your past has been, Jesus Christ can and will forgive all your sins.Celebrated American hymn writer Fanny Crosby penned it well when she wrote: "The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives".When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he gave a list of the grossest sins imaginable (First Corinthians 6:9-11). The list includes idolatry, immorality of the worst kind, theft and drunkenness. But he declares plainly that everyone of those sins can be forgiven. John taught: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9).