The Forgiveness of Sins
All sin originates in the heart and is against God. All mankind are
sinners by virtue of our fallen nature. We do what we do because we
are what we are…we sin because we are sinners. The forgiveness
that counts must be done by the One Who is sinned against - God! With
Him there is forgiveness - “If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities,
O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou
mayest be feared” Psalms 130:3-4.
Forgiveness of sin with the Lord is much more than just words.
Sin must be actually and completely put away forever - “I will
forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more”
Jer 31:34. The motive for forgiveness
of sin is the eternal love of God. The work of forgiveness is the substitutionary
work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because God did love His people, and
has always loved His people, He sent His Son to put away their sin by
the sacrifice of Himself - “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 .
The forgiveness of our sin originated in the heart, mind, and purpose
of God and was accomplished in time in the Person and work of Christ
- “In Whom (Christ) we have redemption through His
blood, even the forgiveness of sins” Col
1:14. Not only are our sins forgiven in Christ…WE ARE FORGIVEN!
The proof, or evidence, of our being forgiven is God given faith in
Christ . This faith of God’s elect reveals to us our acceptance
before God in Christ. “He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.
In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of His grace” Eph
1:6-7. Faith reveals to us that we are not under the condemnation
of the law of God because we are forgiven in Christ - “There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…”
Rom 8:1. Therefore it is by the
grace of God alone that we are forgiven. There is no way that man can
atone for sin or make himself acceptable before God by some outward
reformation. Forgiving is what God does, without our help. If we seek
forgiveness it is because we are forgiven, and by His grace we will
know that we are.
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through
this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
And by Him all that believe are justified from all
things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
Acts 13:38-39
Tommy
