Blessed
forgiveness
"If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
What
would you give to know that all your sins are forgiven and forever forgotten by
God? What would you give, if you could, some how, just wipe the slate clean,
absolutely clean, and know that the holy Lord God will never charge you with,
condemn you for, or in any way punish you because of your sins? Perhaps you are
thinking, “I would give anything, I would do anything, if I could but be
forgiven of all my sins forever.”
I
do not doubt that you would; but would you be willing to receive the blessed
forgiveness of sin as a matter of free grace, as the gift of God, without you
giving, doing, or in any way earning it? I hope so, because that is the only
way you can ever be forgiven. This is what God says in his Word.
“If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” Any one sin, of the slightest degree, is enough to exclude us for ever
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 do not accomplish
our forgiveness. That cannot be. The judicial ground 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 towards 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 whoso confesseth and forsaketh
them shall have mercy.”
God’s forgiveness of such
sinners as we are 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 ground of 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 to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, God will never impute iniquity to
us. This is blessed forgiveness indeed! AMEN.
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For today Radio Messages #605
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net