Blessed Forgiveness
"If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9
Any one sin, of the slightest
degree, is enough to exclude, us forever
from the presence of God in heaven, and to drag us down into hell. But if we
are united to Christ by faith we have no sin before God! When David realized
this glorious grace, he exclaimed, "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord
will not impute sin!" How can we enjoy this Blessed Forgiveness?
John tells us that we must confess our sin -
our repentance, faith, and confession of sin does not accomplish our
forgiveness. That cannot be. The Judicial grounds of our forgiveness is the
shed blood of Christ alone! But until a man confesses his sin, he cannot
receive the forgiveness accomplished at Calvary. Our hearts must be reconciled
to God; and that reconciliation is begun in confession. Our confession must be
made in humble sincerity toward God, with faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice.
You cannot mention every offence; but you dare not hide one. Confess that you
are vile by nature, wicked in practice, and evil in heart. Lie down as low as
you can at the footstool of mercy. "He that covereth his sins shall not
prosper: but whose confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."
God's forgiveness of such sinners is both
faithful and just - God has promised to forgive repenting, believing sinners
for Christ's sake. And he is faithful to his Word. But he can only forgive us
in a way consistent with his justice. In holy justice God slew his Son as our
Substitute. With that one sacrifice justice is fully satisfied. And now, upon
the finished work of Christ, the justice of God pleads as strongly as his mercy
for our forgiveness!
Our forgiveness is complete! If we confess
our sins, trusting the blood of Christ alone for cleansing, God will not impute
iniquity to us. Dear friend, this is BLESSED FORGIVENESS.
Don Fortner