Forgiveness

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 5
 
Part 4, Concluded
The Sins of God's People Are Not Only Forgiven—They Are Also Not Remembered
An earthly sovereign once said, when granting a pardon:
"I forgive, but I cannot forget.”
If God acted thus, we could never be happy in His presence, but He says: "Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Heb. 8:12. Thus we can dwell in liberty in His presence, and rejoice in His grace.
The sins which God forgives, are ALL sins.
Some seem to think that a line is drawn at conversion, and that all sins up to that day are blotted out, but they are not at rest, when thinking of what sin they may possibly yet commit.
"I am safe up to this moment," said one to us.
"But what of tomorrow?" we inquired.
"Ah, of that I cannot tell," was the reply. Self, not God, was his confidence.
God does not say He forgives past, present, or future sins, but sins.
"Through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things." Acts 13:38, 39.
The two "ails" in this verse take in every believer, and everything, all who believe are justified from all things. Whether it be strong faith, or weak faith, is not the question; but, do we believe in Christ as our Savior? And, if we do, the question is not great sins or small sins, but all sins; nay, God, in His grace, has spoken of things—not gross sins merely, but every kind of thing which we have done, or shall do, so that our consciences may be at rest, and our hearts rejoice before him.
The perfect work of Christ embraces all sins. Could it do less? It is terrible unbelief to weigh out our sins against Christ's blood in the scales of our imagination. In the balances of the sanctuary we find that our sins, however heavy, are nothing at all in view of the preciousness of Christ's blood. The grievous hindrance to our rejoicing in God's forgiveness, is unbelief in what Christ has done; and in God's grace which forgives all sins.
God knew every one of our sins when He "laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. 53:6); and Jesus endured the weight of them all, when "His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24).
Where then are your sins, believer? They are not upon you, for God laid them upon Jesus. They are not upon Jesus, for He has borne them, and is in glory; where then are your sins? They are gone.
Rest in the work of Christ, believe and rejoice. Your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake; you have the forgiveness of sins through Christ; you are one of God's blessed people.
"Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." Rom. 4:7. (Concluded)