166. It is believed that sins are wiped out, or washed away, like dirt by water, when they are forgiven. But sins are not wiped out, they are taken away. That is to say, a person is held back from them when he is kept in a state of good by the Lord; and when he is kept in that state, he seems to be without them, and so as if they have been wiped out. The more a person is reformed, the more he can be kept in a state of good. The process of reformation will be discussed in the following chapter which teaches about regeneration. Anyone who believes that sins are forgiven in any other way is much deceived.