the characteristics of God’s forgiveness
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ! Welcome to „Daily Word for Spiritual Edification”! We have established what forgiveness provides for you and I. Let me recite it:
- God’s forgiveness annuls our debts .
- Forgiveness gives us power to walk the walk.
- Forgiveness gives us access to God’s inheritance with the saints.
- Forgiveness renews in us the joy of salvation.
- Forgiveness softens our hearts towards other people.
- God’s forgiveness frees us from the feelings of guilt.
Forgiveness fees us from the burden of the past.
Today I would like to discuss the characteristics of God’s forgiveness.
If God has forgiven us, what are the features of His forgiveness? We need to understand it for two reasons. First, it will help us to appreciate God’s forgiveness. Second, it will show us how to forgive others.
Many Bible passages talk about God calling us to forgive one another and reminding us that we should forgive «as God in Christ forgave you».
«And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you»(Ephesians, 4:32).
« Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do » (Colossians, 3:12-13).
The only basis for our forgiveness is what Jesus did for us on the Cross. If Jesus hadn’t given Himself for the sins of humanity, there wouldn’t be any forgiveness for us. Because of Jesus there is no need for any other sacrifices to obtain forgiveness. He was the One Who paid for the forgiveness.
- Jesus took our sins and for our sakes became as a sinner.
«All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all» (Isaiah, 53:6).
God wanted to forgive our sins, since it is sin that stands between Him and us. But being a just and holy God He could not leave the sin unpunished. The wages of sin is death and there has to be a punishment for it in full. That is why Jesus took our place on the Cross and became the sacrifice for the sins of humanity.
«…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed» (1 Peter, 2:24).
«For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him» (2 Corinthians, 5:21).
- Jesus covered our sins with His Blood.
«You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin» (Psalm, 85:2).
Jesus wiped out our trespasses. Because of Jesus God now looks at us as though we have never sinned.
«I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins» (Isaiah, 43:25).
- Jesus forgot our sins never to recall them again.
Concerning our forgiven sins, God never remembers them no matter how big theses sins seem to us.
«No more shall every man teach his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sins I will remember no more» (Jeremiah, 31:34).
«As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us» (Psalm, 103:12).
«Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because he delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea» (Micah, 7:18-19).
Forgiveness has been offered to us not because we deserve it, but only because of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made. We will continue about it tomorrow!
God bless you!
Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
