"...And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood..." (Rev. 1:5)

Once, when I was in Bible College, I got an A on a study course--an exegesis on the Sermon on the Mount. I should have gotten a C. Let me tell you why. I wrote an 80-page paper in five hours. It was thick! I handed in the paper, and the professor was so busy and so impressed with 80 pages, he didn't read it. He gave me an A.

When he gave me the A, did I go back to him and say, "You ought to read that paper. It really wasn't that good. It was a lot, but it wasn't good"? No, I didn't. I accepted the A. Why? Because the one in authority had given me that A.

It's the same way with Jesus Christ. If I tell you "you're forgiven," that doesn't amount to a hill of beans. But, if Christ tells you, "you're forgiven," you are forgiven. He's the King at the right hand of the Father. (From Steve Brown)