MamaArcher's Blog

Forgiveness

As followers of Christ we are called to be like Him. Through the power of the Spirit at work within us and through the Word, old things are passing away and all are becoming new. This however, does not mean that we do not stumble and fall. We will sin. Even Paul says:

Romans 7:19
For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.

So if as Christians we still sin, even those who appear to be the most godly among us will still stumble and sin. Where do we go? We can turn to our Heavenly Father for forgiveness. We serve a merciful, loving, and forgiving God.

I John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God is not like others on this earth. When He offers forgiveness, it is not conditional. He chooses not to remember them and doesn’t dredge them up to lay upon you again the next time you fall. With God forgiven means forgiven.

Jeremiah 31:34b
for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Because of Jesus, because He took the punishment for my sin and for yours, for those who believe, God sees Jesus when He looks upon us. Our transgressions are removed from us.
They were placed upon Christ at Calvary.

Psalm 103:11-12
For as the heaven is high above the earth, [so] great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

The next time you fail, stumble, fall, & sin. Let us remember there is the One True God, who is not only just, but is loving, merciful, kind, and forgiving. His forgiveness is everlasting.

In our endeavor to be like Christ we must also remember to be forgiving to others as well.

2 Corinthian 2:5-11
Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.