Embracing Forgiveness
Selected Scriptures
Introduction-
Last week we looked at Pentecost.
The coming of the Holy Spirit of God into believers lives. Jesus left this earth so the comforter could come, that we could be empowered to live the lives we were meant to live.
Living life in our own strength is not hard, it is impossible.
You can do a lot in your own talents, but you cannot live a godly life without God.
I think believers today live defeated lives when they live it in their own strength.
They also struggle with issues that should have been settled at the cross of Christ.
One of those issues is forgiveness. It is a multi-sided issue that we usually get wrong.
We have a hard time forgiving others.
We have a hard time forgiving ourselves.
We have a hard time believing God could forgive us.
If you could grasp or embrace just how much God loves you and the depth that He will go to reach you and forgive you, you wouldn’t struggle with these areas of forgiveness.
I. Here lies the first concern- The forgiveness of God
There are some people that believe that you can reject God and still receive His forgiveness.
Based upon the emotions that God loves you so much that He would not let anyone perish.
The only basis that a Holy God can forgive your sins is what Jesus has done on the cross. To actually believe anything else is blasphemy. For us (sinners) to be reinstated back in His favor is only in Christ Jesus.
Eph. 1:7-
“In Him we have the forgiveness of sins.”
God cannot love you anymore than He does right now. Forgiveness of sins is based on Christ atoning for our sins. He took our place.
That takes the pressure off us feeling like we have to “clean up” before we come to Him.
Have us feel like we have to work at our salvation.
Salvation is free to us, but it is not free. It cost Jesus Christ at the cross.
Have you ever questioned Christ forgiveness? (Of Course you have)
It is those times you have messed up and trying to fix it on your own.
It is those times you were trying to earn it by doing one more thing and you realize that you could never do enough.
There is good news this morning!
God’s forgiveness is supernatural- it is based upon Christ, not what you did, or what I did.
Not on how you and I can earned it.
He has provided it already for all, and you have to ask for it.
He cannot forgive outside of what Christ did on the cross. It would contradict His nature if He did.
If you ask him for his forgiveness, He will not turn you away because that too would contradict His nature.
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sons and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
If we confess our sins, if we ask him to forgive us- He will.
You acknowledge to God that you have sinned-confession.
You ask Him to forgive.
When You repent, you have a change of heart. You acknowledge that you do not want to continue in sin.
You acknowledge the need for forgiveness, and forgiveness is given by Christ.
He is faithful and just to forgive our sins.
The forgiveness of Christ is received not deserved (repeat)
It is the beauty of forgiveness. We have not because we ask not!
We will struggle with God’s forgiveness until we comprehend and believe that it is freely given to us and we cannot earn it or that anyone deserves it.
We live in an age that believes there are no absolutes. But there is one absolute truth with God. He loves you. He desires to have and be in an active relationship with you and that He will every time you truly repent forgive you of your sins.
As a believer, we are assured of that because God has promised us that and He will not break His Word.
We are assured of our salvation, our eternal life with Christ and the forgiveness of sins all because of Christ.
Romans 8:1-4 slow and clearly
As believer, we have assurances, we have confidence in Christ that even though we are weak he is strong, interceding for us to God the Father. There is no condemnation for those Christians who are in Christ Jesus.
You may have many disappointments in life.
Marriages that were suppose to last “till death do us part”
Satisfaction guaranteed.
New and Improved- things that do not measure up.
You can know that you are forgiven because the Word of the living God says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
2 Cor. 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; the old is gone, the new is here. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Eph 1:7-
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
G.R.A.C.E. God’s riches at Christ expense.”
Col. 1:13-14-
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves, on whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
The Old Testament verifies it also.
Isaiah 1:8-
“Come now let us settle the matter, some verses say come let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlett, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Daniel 9:9-
“The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.”
As we are in Christ, and we are in Christ if we have made Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, we have the absolute truth that when we ask for forgiveness, He will forgive us our sins.
Give the Lord a clap offering this morning!
Psalm 103:12-
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
If you understand the forgiveness of God for mankind, you will better understand the other two concerns of forgives (1) the forgiveness of yourself (2) the forgiveness of others.
II. The second concern- the forgiveness of yourself
You were created for a purpose. Even if your parents had not planned for you, you have purpose and God has a plan.
If God Almighty puts value to you, that God has forgiven your sins, why would you not forgive yourself?
God has provided for all of mankind the opportunity for redemption. He then makes it personal and looks at each one of us and desires to draw us onto himself.
Do not look at yourself as hopeless when the God of hope doesn’t look at you like that. Forgive yourself because a Holy and perfect God sees your sins and forgives you.
As a believer, you are not an outsider, you are a joint -heir of the kingdom because Jesus paid the price for you.
Look at yourself through the eyes of God, and not as you were without Christ.
The last concern is the forgiving of others, we won’t spend much more time today because I think you get the point.
We forgive others because God has forgiven us much.
You received mercy and grace, and forgiveness and you did not deserve it.
We forgive others for the same reason. They do not deserve it, but we give it because we have received it.
We have to also understand that God loves you so much that forgiving others becomes personal, you forgiving then sets you free from being in bondage for the things that someone else did to you.
You don’t forgive, not only do they hold you for the sins committed, but also keep you from moving on. By forgiving you release yourself to be healed and set free.
Closing,
Let me bring this home.
The forgiveness of God is based upon the perfect sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That made available for each of us to by choice accept Christ as a savior and our sacrifice for our sins. It cannot be achieved any other way. It is supernatural.
We forgive others because we have been forgiven much. We don’t deserve it and God offers it to us. They don’t deserve it and we by God’s help offer it to others.
We forgive ourselves because God puts great value on lives He has redeemed and if God forgives us, who are we not to forgive ourselves.
Today, embrace forgiveness, first for yourself and then for others. It will change your life forever. He promises it for our lives. It will set you free this morning.
