Have we approached Christ? Have you ever prayed to God for forgiveness? Have you ever prayed to God for help in anything? Maybe it was only a selfish prayer, something you wanted so badly and you weren't sure you could get it, and you even resorted to prayer. Perhaps it was anxious prayer in a sudden illness, something serious, something that might be extremely serious, and you weren’t yet told, and you prayed out of anxiety. But have you ever prayed for the thing that matters most, the chief thing? Have you prayed for the thing that if you do not pray for it first, you cannot pray for anything else: the forgiveness of sin? If you don't feel the need for that and ask for that, don't be surprised if God doesn't hear you for anything else.
Never repent only of one sin. It sometimes happens. Somebody may be very ashamed. There has been an awful row. Something terrible has been said, or there has been loss of temper to an extreme degree perhaps, and then one or the other feels ashamed. ‘How could I lose self-control in that way? How could I behave so disgracefully? How could I say such cruel and terrible things?’, and maybe that person murmurs a prayer: ‘God forgive me, that outburst of temper.’ Yes, that's important, but what about the other sins? If you want reconciliation with God, don't mention one sin only. Say, ‘Lord, I come as a total sinner. I can see that all my pride and selfishness and deceit and uncleanness, and everything I've ever done or thought is an offence to thee. I have no hope. I deserve nothing but condemnation. I need pardon and forgiveness for all my sins.’ And don't forget, as you come, he reads the heart; he knows if you mean it. But if you do – ‘He saw their faith and he said, Son, your sins are all forgiven.’ So it is a picture for us of the approach to God and of salvation.