THERE
IS FORGIVENESS WITH THEE
“But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared.”
Psalms 130:4
There could be no more wonderful and comforting word from the Almighty
to the awakened sinner than “You are forgiven!”. I am thinking that
forgiveness would be impossible were it not for the satisfaction that
the Lord Jesus Christ made to God on the sinners behalf - “Herein
is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son
to be the propitiation for our sins” 1John 4:10. In the forgiveness
of our sin we see the love of God, the purpose of God, and the manifestation
of His love and purpose in the Person and work of our Saviour. What
an encouragement to those who are weary and heavy laden with sin! -
“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest” Matthew 11:28. The forgiveness of His people’s
sin is covenant forgiveness as all things that we have in Christ -
“In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of His grace” Ephesians 1:7. Ephesians
Chapter 1, verses 3 thru 14 is a detailed revelation of God’s eternal
covenant of grace. The language and heart of God toward, and in respect
to chosen sinners is this - “I will be to them a God, and they shall
be to Me a people, …For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” Hebrews
8:10-13. We are forgiven because God is pleased to forgive us. All
false gospels have it backward - they say that God forgives because
we repent and believe - the truth is, we repent and believe because
we are forgiven. Forgiveness, faith, and repentance are all a sovereign
work of God in Christ, in the hearts of His people. No one can forgive
sin except Him, no one can give faith except Him, no one can grant repentance
except Him! Therefore there is no enmity or condemnation from God toward
the forgiven sinner because we are reconciled to God by our appointed
sin-bearer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, is this not the best news that
a poor sinful soul could ever hear?
Tommy
