FORGIVENESS THROUGH CHRIST
Although many people have accepted God’s love and forgiveness by receiving Christ, they often find it hard to experience that love and forgiveness in their daily lives. The reason this happens is that they have taken their eyes off their unchangeable position in Christ.
Let’s trace the problem from the start…
Sometimes your old nature (the flesh) gets the upper hand in your life and you disobey God. Immediately you sense that something is wrong. Up to this point everything has been going great, but now, suddenly, you realize that they presence and power of Jesus Christ in your life don’t seem as strong as before.
You have sinned against God and you know it. What do you do now?
Before we answer this question there is something important to consider. Pay very close attention…
There are two kinds of Christians in the world…
SPIRITUAL and CARNAL
Spiritual believers live according to their POSITION.
Carnal believers living according to their EXPERIENCE.
The experience of the spiritual believer is most often controlled by position in Christ. On the other hand, the experience of the carnal believer is most often controlled by the environment of experience. (Later we will examine the subject of spirituality in detail.) Being spiritual (or spirituality) is a condition. It’s not exactly the same thing as spiritual maturity, but they are related.
True spirituality exists when you act according to the new self, Jesus Christ being in control. When you are spiritual—when the new creature created in Christ Jesus dominates your experience—you are able to mature spiritually. The process of spiritual growth is active when you are spiritual.
Carnality exists when the old sin nature, (the self, the flesh) is in control. Carnality, too, is a condition. When this condition prevails in your life, spiritual growth is hindered and your relationship with Christ isn’t vital and active.
Look at some of the differences between a spiritual believer and a carnal believer:
A spiritual believer relies on God’s power. A carnal believer relies on his own strength.
A spiritual believer is spiritually sensitive. A carnal believer is spiritually dull.
A spiritual believer has a fruitful life. A carnal believer rarely produces fruit in the Christian life.
A spiritual believer realizes his unworthiness, but trusts his position in Christ. A carnal believer often doesn’t realize that he’s carnal.
A spiritual believer has victory over sin. A carnal believer live in slavery to sin.
The Bible has much to say about these two kinds of Christians.
“I (Paul), brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh…” (1 Corinthians 3:1)
“For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5-11)
The spiritual believer is controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit (the indwelling Christ) and sees life from God’s perspective.
The carnal believer lives by his own power and sees life from his own experience.
WHICH KIND OF CHRISTIAN ARE YOU?
Both spiritual and carnal believers have God’s love and forgiveness. They both share the same position in Christ. Both are equally saved from God’s point of view. So, what’s the difference?
One has learned to apply the principle of position to daily experience, while the other has not.
Now, let’s see how each kind of Christian handles the sin in his life…
THE CARNAL BELIEVER
Has just disobeyed God. He has sin in his life. And then it begins to set in…
GUILT
Because he doesn’t understand his position in Christ and the love and forgiveness that are already his, he tries to relieve himself of the guilt by one or more of several methods.
1. IGNORING IT (“What sin?”)
2. MAKING EXCUSES (“Everybody’s doing it!”)
3. RATIONALIZING (“It’s the way I was raised.”)
4. COMPENSATING (“I’ll just attend church more often.”)
5. SELF PUNISHMENT (I’m such a terrible person!”)
6. TRYING HARDER (I know I can do better!”)
7. MAKING PROMISES (“I promise I won’t do it again!”)
8. SHIFTING THE BLAME (It really was her fault.”)
9. FALSE DEPRESSION (“I just want some sympathy!”)
10. GIVING UP (I just can’t live the Christian life!”)
The carnal believer tries one, then another. Then in combinations. But the guilt just won’t go away.
But in a few days it doesn’t seem so bad. He starts feeling better—and then it happens again! Up one day and down the next—the carnal believer seems to be riding a spiritual roller coaster. How in the world can he ever get off?
If this is you, you know the frustration. Every Christian struggles with this. You come to the point in your life where you say, “OK, Lord! If you think this is so easy, then you try it!”
Guess what? He did. He knows all about it.
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all thing as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)
“For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)
“Let us therefore draw near with this confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
JESUS UNDERSTANDS
Although it hurts Him deeply when you sin, God still loves you because you are His child—this is your position. Remember your position.
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
Carnal Christian, it’s time to get off the GUILT TRIP!
Because of your position in Christ Jesus, you have the answer to the question of sin in your daily life. It’s no secret. (By the way some Christians live, you might think it is a secret!)
Learn the solution that the spiritual believer knows, and you can overcome being carnal. Here’s the way out…
PUT YOUR SPIRITUAL POSITION TO WORK!
When you sin, realize two things…
1. GOD LOVES YOU!
2. YOU ARE ETERNALLY FORGIVEN!
This is your position. These things are eternally true. Now, apply your position to your sin problem by practicing
SPIRITUAL GROOMING
First, you must bathe spiritually by confessing your sins. Confession means “to agree with God concerning your sins.” Confess your sins according to this promise…
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
Confession involves three things…
1. Acknowledge that your sins are wrong in the sight of God.
2. Recognize your position in Christ and realize that God has forgiven your sins—past, present, and future—on the basis of Jesus’ death on the cross.
3. Repent; that is, turn from your sin. The power to do this is provided by the Holy Spirit who indwells you.
Why do you need to confess sins?
CONFESSION IS THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF POSITION IN CHRIST.
CONFESSION DOES NOT RESULT IN MORE FORGIVENESS.
CONFESSION IS NOT THE REASON FOR FORGIVENESS.
Forgiveness of sin is granted to you on the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice for sin, once and for all (Hebrews 10).
FORGIVENESS IS POSITION.
FORGIVENESS IS EXPERIENCE.
Confession allows you to experience in your daily life that which is already true by your position in Christ. When you confess your sins, God makes real in your experience what He has already done for you in Christ.
When you refuse to confess your sins, even though your position in Christ doesn’t change, you hinder your ability to experience God’s presence and power in your life, and you will become a carnal Christian.
Here’s an exercise in spiritual bathing that will help you apply your position in Christ:
1. Pray and ask God to reveal to you the unconfessed sin in your life.
2. Make a list of each one as the Holy Spirit brings them to your attention.
3. Confess these to God.
4. In bold letters across your list write “1 John 1:9” and stand on that promise.
5. Tear up your list! Thank God for His forgiveness.
6. If you have wronged someone, make it right with them at the first opportunity.
When you have confessed your sins, you are as pure and clean in your practical experience as you are in God’s sight because of your position in Christ! Not only that, but also…
GUILT IS REALLY GONE
Any feeling of guilt which remains is Satan’s lie. Reject it!
God truly loves you and has a marvelous plan for your life; however, He will not bless you and use you until you deal with the problem of sin in your daily walk with Him.
YOU CAN EXPERIENCE GOD’S CLEANSING NOW OR ANYTIME. DO IT!
Now that you know how to bathe spiritually, you need to learn how to be spiritually clothed…
“…put on the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Romans 13:14)
Let’s review…
1. Spiritual believers live life according to their _______________.
2. Carnal believers live life according to their ________________.
3. List some difference between spiritual and carnal believers.
4. What kinds of things do we often do in order to rid ourselves of guilt?
5. Have you been bathed spiritually? Clothed spiritually?
