There are four bright jewels in the crown of forgiveness. The first is a full forgiveness. Whoever God forgives, He forgives all—every sin—be it ever so dark and deep.
The second jewel also sparkles; it is "freeness."
Yes, thank God, forgiveness is free. Free.
"I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake." It is a free forgiveness.
It is neither goodness in man that makes God willing, nor yet evil in man that makes Him unwilling to forgive. It is only and entirely "for His own sake" (His love), that He pardons the guilty sinner. The words in every language which express pardon and forgiveness all imply a free gift.
We have a third jewel in this crown: Christ's forgiveness is final. No after charges. No blotting out today and writing down again tomorrow. The sins of a believer are "cast behind God's back into the very depths of the sea."
But there is yet one more jewel in this crown. Forgiveness is a present blessing. It is not something in prospect, but for present possession. It is not a mere plank on which to cross the stormy waters of Jordan at death, but a staff on which to lean all our journey through life. It is not a promissory note payable in the next world, but a treasure possessed and enjoyed now in this world.
Unconverted men take a different view of forgiveness. They think about it only in connection with the time when they come to die, not before. They only hope to be forgiven then.
Fellow sinner, sin is no trifle, no fancy. It is a dread reality. And thank God, "forgiveness" of sin is also no mere fancy, but a grand truth. It is our first, our greatest need, and obtained only through accepting the substitutionary work of this Man—Christ Jesus—on Calvary's cross.