ABOUT GOD’S FORGIVENESS

WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT GOD’S FORGIVENESS IN THE BIBLE?

1. Every Person is Separated From God Because of Sin.
2. God Has Always Sought to Form a Close Relationship With People
3. God Has Reached Out to People in a Personal Way by Sending Jesus Christ.
4. God’s Forgiveness Through Jesus Christ is Available to Every Person.
5. New Life in Christ Calls a Person to Live in a Christ-Like Way.

All of us are in need of God’s forgiveness,
whether we realize it or not. At some point in our lives, every one of us has done wrong.
As Ecclesiastes 7:20 says:
‘Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.’
1st John 1:8 tells us:
‘If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.’
Even those who try hard to live upright lives and be good people often stumble.

Paul describes this struggle in
Romans 7:14–25
‘The trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin … I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway … I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me … So you see how it is: In my mind, I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.’

It’s often difficult for us to admit that we are sinners. We prefer to think of ourselves as good people. When we hear stories on the news about murderers, rapists, thieves, or criminals of other kinds, we may assume that we are, by comparison, decent or moral human beings.

The problem is that God’s standard of goodness is very different from ours. His nature is perfect, holy, without sin or darkness of any kind. To God, all sin is unacceptable.
1 John 1:5
‘God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all.’
Psalm 92:15
‘The LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.’
James 1:13
‘God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else.’

Jesus’ words in Matthew’s chapter may help us understand how different God’s standard of righteousness is from our own. He judges us not only by our actions, but also by our words, and even our thoughts:
Matthew 5:21–48
“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell …
You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart …
You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’ But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery …
But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

From this point of view, none of us can claim to be very good.
As Romans 3:23 says
‘Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.’
Yet, despite our imperfect nature, God loves us.

HE HAS ALWAYS SOUGHT TO FORM A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH PEOPLE
Acts 17:27–28
‘His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him — though He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’’
2 Peter 3:9
‘He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’
Psalm 145
‘The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love … The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all His creation … The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads … The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth … He grants the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them. The Lord protects all those who love Him, but He destroys the wicked.’

This brings us to an important point. God, who is holy and just, cannot tolerate or condone our sins. Sin separates us from Him, and in our sinful state, we are not worthy of standing in His presence or living eternally with Him in heaven. In order for there to be justice, the price for sin must be paid. Yet God loves us too much to want us to be eternally separated from Him. Therefore, He has provided a way for us to be rescued from this dilemma.

GOD HAS REACHED OUT TO PEOPLE IN A PERSONAL WAY BY SENDING JESUS CHRIST
Colossians 1:15-22
‘Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see — such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him. He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is His body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So He is first in everything. For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him, God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

This includes you who were once far away from God. You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault.

2 Timothy 1:9–10
‘For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time — to show us His grace through Christ Jesus. And now He has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.’

Jesus came into this world, lived a perfect, sinless life, and, through His death on the cross, took upon Himself the punishment for our sins (1 Peter 2: 22 – 25). It was a sacrifice that Jesus alone could make, for He is one with God the Father – perfect, holy, and without sin (John 10: 30).
This was not a sacrifice that God demanded and took by force, but a loving and merciful choice Jesus made for our sake, in accordance with His Father’s plan. Jesus explained this in
John 10:11–18
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep … No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again.
For this is what my Father has commanded.”
John 3:16–17 tells us
‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.’

To understand this better, it may help to consider the following scenario.
Imagine that someone has broken the law, and, as a penalty for what she has done, the judge orders her to pay a hefty fine. If she does not pay it, she will be sent to prison. But she does not have the money to pay the fine. At this point, a friend of hers – who does not want her to be thrown into jail – steps in and pays the fine on her behalf. Though he is not the one who committed the offense, he has the ability to do what she cannot do, and he chooses to pay the price on her behalf so that she can be set free.

This is (on a much smaller scale) similar to what Jesus has done for us. Though He Himself was without sin, He chose to pay the price for sin on our behalf, to save us from eternal separation from God.
When we believe this, sincerely repent of our sins, accept Jesus as our Savior, and are baptized, God forgives our sins and gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38–39). The Holy Spirit then transforms us from within, helping us to become more and more like the kind of people God wants us to be.
Ephesians 2:10
‘For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.’

Galatians 5:16–26
‘So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict … When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another.’

GOD’S FORGIVENESS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST IS AVAILABLE TO EVERY PERSON
Romans 3:22 tells us
‘We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.’
Romans 10:9–13 says
‘If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on Him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”’

NEW LIFE IN CHRIST CALLS A PERSON TO LIVE IN A CHRIST-LIKE WAY
Once we have repented, accepted Jesus as our Savior, been baptized, and received God’s forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we must make a sincere effort not to return to our former sinful way of life.
Paul emphasizes this in
Romans 6:1-14
‘Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised to life as He was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and He will never die again. Death no longer has any power over Him. When He died, He died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives, He lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master …’

Ephesians 4:17–32
‘With the Lord’s authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against Him. They don’t care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. But that isn’t what you were taught when you learned about Christ. Since you have heard all about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness – righteous, holy, and true.
So put away all falsehoods and tell your neighbor the truth, because we belong to each other. And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the devil.
If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He is the one who has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.’

Colossians 3:5–17
‘So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. You used to do them when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. In its place, you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you … Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use His words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through Him to God the Father.’

Along with His forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit, God gives each of us spiritual gifts that we should use for the good of others and of the Church.

Romans 12:1-21
‘And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice — the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.
For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”
Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.’