February 26 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"Go, and from now on sin no more" (John 8:11).

Devotional

Notice how Christ throws his shield of mercy around the sinner and at the same time manifests his abhorrence of the sin. The Lord does not justify the sinner's transgression, even though he does justify the sinner's person.

In the great matter of salvation, justification and sanctification—pardon and holiness—are essentially and inseparably united. When our Lord Jesus dismisses a sinner with a sense of acquittal in his conscience, he always accompanies it with that most stirring of all exhortations, "Go, and from now on sin no more."

And as you leave the presence of Jesus—pardoned, justified, saved—your Savior's tender, soul-subduing words from that moment seem to vibrate upon your ear every step of your onward way. "Go, be thankful for, and make known the glory of that grace that has done such great things for you. Go, and spread my fame, and with your latest breath dwell upon my Name, who—when sin and Satan and conscience accused you and would have consigned you to eternal woe—appeared as your Friend, your Advocate, and your Savior. Go, and when tempted once again to wound the bosom that sheltered you, remember me. From Gethsemane, from Calvary, and from the hallowed spot where I spoke to you, I do not condemn you. Go, and from now on sin no more."

Rock of Ages, cleft for me
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure,
cleanse me from its guilt and pow'r.

Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law's demands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears for ever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to thy cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress,
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the Fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyelids close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.

(Augustus M. Toplady, 1776)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2025.