FORGIVENESS

 
June 9, 2020                                                 FORGIVENESS
Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.
Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remember your sins no more.”
Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;”
Two things for sure: we are guilty of sinning against God, and God forgives. Sin always breaks fellowship with those we sin against and with God, and has a detrimental effect on us as well. There is nothing good about sin and un-forgiveness; it destroys, it robs us of joy, it wrecks relationships, it leads to loss and ruin, it defiles, and it burdens us with a fouled conscience. One of the cornerstones of the gospel and the primary reasons for Jesus coming and dying was that we might be forgiven and restored to our Father. In God’s grace and mercy, He chooses to remember our sins no more! We may remember our sins-but God does not! The remembrance of our sins can cause us grief unless the thought of past sins causes us to admit that we did sin, BUT God has forgiven us. Often, it is our pride that causes us to have difficulty in acknowledging the fact that we have sinned. God has forgiven us, but we also must forgive ourselves; not only must we forgive ourselves, we must be quick to forgive others when they have sinned against us. Forgiveness is the doorway to freedom-freedom from past sins, freedom to accept others, and freedom to enjoy a relationship with our heavenly Father where sin is no issue. Not to forgive ourselves and others is contrary to the teachings of Christ; it destroys and leads us into spiritual bondage. Hebrews 12:15 tells us “See to it that no one come short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.” I have heard others say that ‘forgiving others is so hard to do.’ Once we receive the grace of God and when we experience the love that God has poured into our hearts, rather than forgiveness being hard to do, it becomes a part of who we are as children of God. Forgiveness for ourselves and others opens to door to restoration with others and with God. Forgiveness is not based on our emotions or feelings; to forgive is a choice we make, and we forgive because God has forgiven us. Our enemy desires for us to be unforgiving people as that furthers his purposes by causing division among the body of Christ and hinders our fellowship with our Father.
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive others of their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Psalm 86:51 “You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call upon You.”
Psalm 32:51 “Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And You forgave the guilt of my sin.”
Blessings,
Buddy