I will forgive sin Being sorry for sin does not procure forgiveness. It is the sacrifice of Jesus that paves the way to pardon. It is the only payment that God recognizes. If being sorry for my sin could count, then I could, in effect, save myself. If everything I can do were bundled together and if it amounted to a mountain of good deeds it would still be insufficient as a remedy to my sin. The guilty cannot issue a pardon on his own behalf. The Garden of Eden was God’s perfect gift to mankind. That gift was rejected by man’s acceptance of Satan’s substitute. Only the offended party can offer restitution. Regaining God’s favor is not a multiple choice test. Forgiveness and favor flows from the heavenly Father but will be unsuccessful in its intent if we fail to receive and accept His free gift of absolution. His solution is sufficient – ours is not and indeed can never be. God’s gift is free but it did not come without cost. Renouncing the world is a good first step but, in itself, is inadequate. We do not go to heaven because we are good nor do we go to hell because we are bad. There will be lots of good people in hell and heaven will be filled with bad people who have been forgiven. Jesus says I will forgive. By that He means he will honor the request when we accept the reason. Woodrow Wilson’s father was a minister in the South. One day he joined a group of men caught up in a heated discussion. One of the men lost his temper and swore loudly. Only then did he see the Reverend Wilson in their midst. The man apologized profusely and said, “Sir, I had forgotten that you were present. Please pardon me.” Dr. Wilson replied, “It is not to me that you owe an apology, but to God.” Isn’t it strange how people will recognize and repent for an offence toward a person we trust and at the same time refuse to do the same to the Almighty God. Forgiveness cannot be completed until we come to grips with our need. The promise of salvation is consummated when we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that God hath raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Rom 10:9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Colossians Sums it up best -- Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. It is only through the finished work of Jesus Christ and the emphasis must be on the word ‘FINISHED’. It has been said that the heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart. Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. How does a worm get inside an apple? Perhaps you think the worm burrows in from the outside. No, scientists have discovered that the worm comes from inside. But how does he get in there? Simple! An insect lays an egg in the apple blossom. Sometime later, the worm hatches in the heart of the apple, then eats his way out. Sin, like the worn, begins in the heart and works out through a person’s thoughts, words, and actions. God says ‘I will forgive. It does not happen after habits have been harnessed. It has nothing to do with the efforts of the flesh. It’s a heart condition. People go to hell because of heart trouble they go to heaven because the heart has been reconditioned.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 09:46:56 +0000
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