This episode challenges believers to become God-obsessed and not sin-obsessed. Since the ultimate objective of the forgiveness of sin is heartfelt, unimpeded service to God, believers err when they make salvation mostly about getting the victory over sin. While this is a noble objective, it should not be the ultimate objective. According to Heb 9:13, the blood of Christ has cleansed our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Forgiveness is the foundation of peace that allows us to serve God more fully. The author of Hebrews even notes that no worshiper in the Old Testament had a totally clean conscience (Heb 9:9), and subsequent service to God was always tinged with sin. But New Testament believers now have a cleansed conscience, and this allows them to serve God more completely. When the ultimate objective of the Christian life becomes service to God, repentance is more readily embraced as the ongoing practice of the believer.
