If The Son Therefore Shall Make You Free, Ye Shall Be Free Indeed (John 8:36). The Spirit Itself Beareth Witness With Our Spirit, That We Are The Children Of God (Romans 8:16). #4 We have so far seen that the difference between humanity and other creatures is that the human beings have the capability to reason intelligently. And based on this understanding we are to proceed with our first question which is, how long does it take God to forgive any of us our sins? As much as this question is vital because of human nature; we are not going to out rightly say, YES that God can forgive sin instantly. And the reason is based on the human nature as we have said. And this is where we are going to rely to give more details on this. The Bible says this about the human`s heart: And God saw that the wickedness of the man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5). The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (Jeremiah 17:9-10). For the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart (1Samuel 16:7,e). (While we as human beings have all the rights to praise our fellow human beings for one reason or the other, God is only interested on our motives…. The motive behind whatever we are doing…. Is it to receive the praises of men or for the glory of God?) This is how God had followed to assess the humankind. So when it has come to God`s forgiveness to sinners .It depends on if one is sincerely, and in the state of remorse going to give up his or her sin. Of course, God can instantly forgive sin when confession has been made, and we mean here, if there is the willingness not to go back to the sin again. We are not underestimating God`s grace here because in most cases God has had the foreknowledge that we are not going to abide on our promises to Him. Nevertheless, there are two things here: Firstly, we have to understand that the sin of ignorance and the sin one has the knowledge may not carry the same consequence. What do we mean here? We do believe that when an unbeliever had come to the Lord Jesus by faith and confesses his or her sin and receives Him as the New Master of his or her heart. He will instantly forgive the person`s sin and will never remember the sin anymore. This person has confessed the original sin, and every other sins of ignorance. (It is important to understand that it was the original sin that leads every one of us into committing every other sin of ignorance). 7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (Romans 4:7-8). The forgiveness of this original sin brings one to this place: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed way; behold, all things are become new (2Corinthians 5:17). One could see that this new awareness is in harmony with (John 3:3-6) where the Lord Jesus had stated the need of being born again. And in this Second Book of Corinthians, we can see how one can follow to be integrated into the family of God. But on the second nature of committing sin which is on deliberation (no more sin of ignorance because of the new awareness). We are using the word on Deliberation because once somebody had surrendered his or her life to the Lord, the person has to acquire this knowledge which teaches that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). And after acquiring this knowledge and the person goes out again to continue to live in sin. The fact remains that the person could be forgiven again, but the consequences of the sin(s), the person has to bear. Can we repeat ourselves again? Sure! We said that anytime the person comes back to ask to be forgiven, the person will through the grace receives forgiveness, but the consequences of the sins may be paid, and the person cannot be eternally lost when there is through repentance. The only thing that could lead anybody to eternal hell fire is when the person was unable to repent and died of his or her sin. 26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses` Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much sorer punishment, supposed ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26-29). I have heard preachers rejoicing that God had forgiven them their past sins, the present sins, and the future sins which they may commit. And I know that it was because that they do not know about this portion of the Scripture.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 20:03:48 +0000
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