Fellowship Bible Church   

3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

 

Psalm 130:3,4

 

It is doubtful whether the Psalmist understood the basis upon which a just God, through the ages, has so graciously forgiven sins, but this has since been revealed in the Epistles of Paul. God looked ahead to the cross, even though man did not know about this forgiveness, and forgave based on Christ’s sacrifice. (Rom 16:25; 2 Cor 5:19)

 

"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32). This is only part of the truth. God forgives sinners, not merely because Christ desires this, but because Christ paid for their sins and purchased their redemption. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7). This declares that in Christ, we have recedmption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Thus Paul could proclaim to his hearers in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, "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).

Obviously such forgiveness can never be rescinded or revoked, for it is based upon the full and complete payment of our whole debt of sin by “the precious blood of Christ.”  
 

Sad to say, many people do not feel they need forgiveness. They have not seen themselves as they truly are in the sight of a holy God, but those who are conscious of their sins and are willing to say with the prodigal son: “I have sinned,” may experience the peace and joy of sins forgiven by the faith of Jesus Christ who paid sin’s penalty for us.  
 

Thus the Apostle wrote to the Romans explaining how we may be justified - "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24 24). Now thank God that through Christ’s finished work there is not a sinner who needs to remain unforgiven for "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7). Here is forgiveness that can never be revoked because it is based on the “one offering [of Christ at Calvary]” by which our Lord “hath perfected forever them that are sanctified [i.e., set apart as His own]” (Heb.10:14). "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14)

Questions to ask ourselves:  
 

1. Since Jesus Christ through His shed blood on the cross has forgiven us ALL sin, how should a Christian’s life be patterned today?  
 

Galatians 2:19-20 (KJV)  

19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  
 

2. Since Paul is our Apostle of the Grace of God, is he an example for us to follow?  
 

1 Corinthians 11:1 (KJV)

1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.    
 

1 Timothy 1:16 (KJV)  

16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.  
 

3. To be sure our good works are properly motivated, but what does God’s Word speak on this subject?  
 

Romans 12:2 (KJV)  

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  
 

Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  
 

Blessings…..