Forgiveness

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 8
 
Part One
Our First Need, as Sinners, is Forgiveness; and there is forgiveness with God, of which His word speaks: "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Rom. 4:7, 8
This blessedness is a present possession, "We have the forgiveness of sins" in Christ (Eph. 1:7). And the portion is that of the simplest, as well as that of the most advanced believer, for we read: "I write unto you, children, because your sins are forgiven you." 1 John 2:12.
Forgiveness is the act of God toward the sinner. We must not mix in our minds, our tears, prayers, repentance, or any inward work, with God's act of forgiveness. Suppose a man having no means whatever, owes one hundred dollars. His creditor pities him, and forgives him the debt. The forgiveness is not a long process worked within the mind of the debtor, but the act of the creditor.
"I forgive you," he says, and the forgiveness is accomplished. The debt, no doubt, made the debtor feel miserable; but when the creditor forgave the hundred dollars, the debt was gone, every cent of it, not because of what the debtor felt, but because of what the creditor did.
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Acts 13:38, 39
(To Be Continued)