No 4
In this letter l want to talk about the forgiveness of sins. There is little doubt that the Gospel of God is the message that God is willing to forgive men of their sins.
Christ himself gave us the greatest example in forgiving those who crucified him. Of course he was not forgiving them just to give us an example, he was forgiving them because he loved them. It is one thing to forgive people who cause us a minor inconvenience but these men were crucifying him and they were half drunk while they were doing it.
Luke 23v34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Secondly we must remember that forgiveness is the prerogative of those to whom the offence is committed. If men injure us – then we are to forgive them, but when men sin against God – only God can forgive them. When Christ declared the lame man, who was let down through the roof, forgiven, the religious leaders who had gathered to listen to Christ were right in thinking that only God can forgive sins. Forgiveness of sins against God can only be forgiven from God.
Matthew 9v2 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? 23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. 25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
Next we observe that forgiveness of sins for Israel was dependant on the attitude of forgiveness that the forgiven person has toward those who offend him. This was Israel’s responsibility under the Mosaic Law. This is explained in a number of places in scripture.
Mark 11v25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Of course Christians who are forgiven are to forgive, but for Israel forgiveness was entirely bound up in the forgiveness that they have in their heart toward others.
The responsibility of Israel under law is explained in…
Luke 6v36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
This is pure law. Only those who are merciful receive mercy and only those who don’t judge will not be judged. Christ says do not condemn then you will not be condemned by God. God responds to men in the manner in which they act toward others. When a man under law is forgiving, God forgives him.
This comes out in the prayer which Christ gave to his Apostles, which is based on a very old Jewish prayer, The Kaddish.
Luke 11v4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.
Having said all this, the position the christian finds himself in is very different indeed. Forgiveness for the christian is total and is NOT conditioned on a forgiving heart, rather it is freely given and is based on the grace of God. The Christian is never under the law and finds God gracious to the unforgiving.
Col 2v13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
The christian finds himself in a unique position, in contrast to the Jew, he is forgiven of ALL trespasses, both past, present and future.
When Paul gives his testimony to King Agrippa, he says that forgiveness comes to the christian entirely on the basis of faith in Christ. He describes the heavenly vision and his commission as…
Acts 26v18 To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Writing to the christians at Ephesus he says that forgiveness of sins is based on the blood that Christ shed on the cross…
Ephesians 1v 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Christians are forgiven of all their sins, yet they still sin. So what does their sin do? Does it make them unsaved? NO never. When a christian sins his fellowship with God is broken, yet he remains eternally united to Christ. So what must he do when it becomes apparent that he has sinned? John tells us in his first letter that the christian is to confess his sins and believe that that sin is forgiven and covered by the blood of Christ. Only then does he experience a restoration to full fellowship with Christ. The key to restoration is not to pray for forgiveness (he has that already) but to confess his sins - making an open confession, holding nothing back.
John 1v9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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