LG #6: You are FORGIVEN!
The Bible is a redemption story. We’re a character in that story and our name is Beloved. Though God calls us by that name and we want to receive the name and respond, there are still times when we don’t feel like the Beloved and so we don’t live like the Beloved and then we feel guilty for not being the Beloved.
The fact is, He has forgiven you. You simply need to claim His forgiveness and believe His promise. God offers this forgiveness to all who come to Him. It is yours the moment you believe in Jesus as your Savior and as an act of your will received him by faith into your life as your Lord.
Jesus lived on earth not just to prove he is God but to give you eternal life, to offer you forgiveness and set you free from sin and guilt. Because Jesus is God, he can provide forgiveness from sin and enable you to live abundantly. A rich and satisfying life is the heritage of Every Christian. Jesus intended the Christian life to be an exciting, abundant adventure. When you walk in a close relationship with our Lord, every day is filled with wonder, meaning and purpose.
However, most Christians don’t experience the abundant life. The joy and victory modeled and promised by our Lord is strangely foreign to them. Instead, they consider the Christian life a burden, a chore, a terrible cross to bear. He called you to a life of joy and victory. Whatever the circumstance you are in, our Lord promises peace.
Have you ever questioned Christ’s forgiveness? The good news is that Christ’s death, in your place, is the basis for your forgiveness. Because of Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross, your forgiveness is not merely a hope. It is a fact!
To receive God’s forgiveness, simply confess your sin and accept his forgiveness by faith. The Bible promises that if you confess your sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive you and to purify you from all unrighteousness. To confess your sins means to agree with God about your sins. Your agreement is threefold:
- First, you agree that your sins are wrong and grieve God
- Second, you recognize that God has already forgiven your sins by Christ’s death on the cross
- Third, you repent (change your attitude towards the sin, which results in a change of action)
Sin obstructs your communication and relationship with God. When you tolerate sin in your life, you can’t hear God. You become discouraged and confused. Soon, you may find yourself operating on your memories of God instead of living in vital interaction with Him. All you need to do to experience God’s forgiveness is to confess your sins. That cleansing breath restores your fellowship with Him. Amen!
