BEING FORGIVEN – PART 2

SUNDAY JUNE 1ST 2003

LAST TIME I SPOKE TO YOU I BEGAN TALKING TO YOU ABOUT ‘BEING FORGIVEN”

WHEN WE TRULY RELAIZE THAT EVERYTHING GOD HAS DONE THROUGH THE AGES HAS BEEN FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF RE-ESTABLISHING THE CLOSEST AND MOST FULFILLING RELATIONSHIP POSSIBLE WITH US….

WE LOOK AT THINGS VERY DIFFERENTLY THAN WE DID BEFORE!!!

AND YET WE UNDERSTAND THAT SIN HAS ITS CONSEQUNECE OF KEEPING OUT OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

WE CANNOT GET OVER SIN…

WE CANNOT GET AROUND IT…..

OR BUT IT BEHIND US!!!

IT IS A PERMANENT MARK ON OUR RECORD!!!

AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE SOLUTION!!!…………..FORGIVENESS!!!

FORGIVENESS LIFTS, CLEANS AND SENDS AWAY OUR SIN!!!

IT’S NOT WHAT WE DESERVE (FORGIVENESS) BUT IT IS WHAT IS OFFERED TO US BY A GOD WHO LOVES US SO MUCH….AND WANTS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU SO MUCH THAT HE IS WILLING TO PAY ANY PRICE…….(THE DEATH OF HIS SON) SO THAT YOU AND HE CAN HAVE A RELATIONSHIP!!!!

FORGIVENESS IS A THEME THAT IS FOUND THROUGHOUT THE WORD OF GOD!!!

BUT THERE IS ANOTHER THEME ALSO THAT TIES IN WITH FORGIVENESS……

AND IT IS THE THEME OF SACRIFICE!!!

SACRIFICE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A WAY TO MAINTAIN GOD’S CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS PEOPLE!!!

SACRIFICE IS DIRECTLY TIED IN TO FORGIVENESS.

SIN ALWAYS WILL ACT LIKE A WEDGE ------ITS PRESENCE DRIVES PEOPLE APART FROM ONE ANOTHER!!!

SIN …….AS THE PRECISE OPPOSITE OF WHAT GOD WANTS……SEPARATED OUR RACE FROM HIM!!!

IT BROUGHT IN DEATH……..SO GOD HAD TO FIND A WAY TO REMOVE SIN FROM OUR LIVES!!!

OTHERWISE THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY OF KEEPING US TOGETHER WITH HIM!!!

CONSEQUENTLY…..HE IMPLEMENTED A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO TRANSFER THEIR SIN AWAY FROM THEMSELVES AND ONTO AN ANIMAL!!!

THE SIN –CARRYING ANIMAL WAS THEN SACRIFICED - - PUT TO DEATH - - AS A GUILT OFFERING!!!

(READ LEVITICUS 16:7-10)

THE PENALTY FOR SIN IS ALWAYS DEATH!!

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT SYSTEM OF SACRIFICE……WHEN THE PENALTY WAS PAID BY A SACRIFICIAL ANIMAL….THERE WAS NO LONGER AND DEATH FINE TO BE PAID BY THE GUILTY PERSON.

THIS PROCESS WAS CALLED……………ATONEMENT”

THAT IS…….THE COVERING OVER AND WIPING AWAY SIN WITH THE BLOOD OF ANOTHER”

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A ‘SCAPEGOAT’  ?????

WE GENERALLY USE THE WORD FOR SOMEONE WHO TAKES THE RAP AND BEARS THE PUNISHMENT DESERVED BY ANOTHER.

ACTUALLY THOUGH……THAT IS NOT IT’S ORIGINAL MEANING!!!

IN FACT…..THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IT MEANS IN THE BIBLE PASSAGE FROM WHICH IT WAS TAKEN

THE WORD SCAPEGOAT COMES FROM ONE OF THE SPECIFIC DETAILS GOD GAVE ABOUT ATONEMENT

(bring out sally and explain)

THE LAW WHICH ALERTED PEOPLE TO THEIR COUNTLESS SHORTCOMINGS AND ITS SACRIFICES……

WHICH TEMPORARILY CLEANSED PEOPLE’S STAINS……..COULD NEVER MAKE ANYONE PERFECT (SINLESS) FOREVER!!!

(READ HEBERS 10:1-4)

BUT JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD EXPRESSLY TO OFFER HIMSELF AS THE SACRIFICE THAT WOULD ‘PUT AWAY’ OUR SINS ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!

(READ 9:26; 10:11-14)

BECAUSE OF JESUS’ ATONEMENT FOR OUR SINS….

GOD NEVER REMEMBERS OUR WRONGDOINGS OR TAKES THEM INTO ACCOUNT IN HIS DEALINGS WITH US!!!

THE ANTONEMENT GOD OFFERS TO US THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF HIS SON GIVE US FORGIVENESS AND FREEDOM FOREVER!!!

(READ HEBREWES 10:17)

ONCE WE HAVE RECEIVED FORGIVENESS FOR SOMETHING….THERE IS NOTHING MORE TO BE DONE ABOUT IT

(HEB 10:18)

FORGIVENESS MEANS THE DEED IS NO LONGER CONNECTED WITH US…

WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT OR IT WITH US!!!

FORGIVENESS IS ABSOLUTE AND COMPLET!!!

WHEN WE HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN THERE IS NOTHING LEFT FOR WHICH WE CAN BE FORGIVEN AGAIN!!!

TRYING THEN……TO OFFER A SCARIFICE TO GOD TO PROVE OUR SINCERITY OR TO LIVE UP TO HIS FREE GIFT MISSES THE TRUTH OF FORGIVENESS!!!

(IF YOU’RE SITTING THERE WISHING I’D BRING SALLY BACK IN…..THEN YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAS ALREADY DONE)

GOD FORGETS ABOUT OUR SIN…..

BUT WE DO NOT!!! (AND NEITHER DOES THE DEVIL)

AS PART OF THE LAW……SACRIFICES WERE MEANT TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THE INESCAPLABLE SIN IN THEIR LIVES!!……IN ORDER TO POINT THEM TO THE NEED FOR FORGIVENESS FROM GOD IN JESUS!!

THE REMINDER SERVES NO PURPOSE AFTER THE FACT.

IT WOULD BE LIKE TYING A STRING AROUND YOUR FINGER TO REMIND YOU NOT TO FORGET TO BUY A JUG OF MILK THAT YOU ALREADY PURCHASED TWO DAYS AGO!!!

TAKE THE STRING OFF!!!!!!!

I HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN…….YOU HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN……FOR ALL THINGS FOR ALL TIME!!!!!!

PERPETUAL AND TIMELESS PROVISION

WE SINNED REGULARLY BEFORE WE ACCPETED JESUS’ ATONEMENT FOR OUR SINS…

AND ……………….WE WILL CONTINUE SINNING WITH GRIEVOUS REGULARITY FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES!!!

HOWEVER…….THE AMAZING MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT WHEN WE RECEIVE GOD’S FORGIVENESS THROUGH THE CROSS-BORNE SACRIFICE OF HIS SON….

WE INSTANTLY HAVE FORGIVENESS IN OUR LIFE - - - PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE!!!

AMONG THE MANY VERSE IN THE BIBLE THAT TELL US WHAT THE LORD DOES OF US WHEN HE FORGIVES US…..

THERE ARE TWO SCRIPTURES THAT SUM UP WHAT IS TRUE ABOUT GOD’S FORGIVENESS IN RELATION TO OUR SINS.

AS A BEGINNING PLACE FOR MEMORIZING AND MEDITATING ON BIBLE VERSES…..

READ HEBREWS 8:12  AND I JOHN 1:9 AND COMMIT THEM TO MEMORY

(YOU ARE ALREADY IN HEBREWS SO LET’S LOOK AT THAT)

 FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS AND THEIR SINS AND LAWLES DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE”

GOD’S FORGIVENESS COVERS US PERPETUALLY!!!

SOME POPLE HAVE MISTAKENLY TAKEN THE PROMISE FROM THE LORD IN 1 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!!!

THEY TURN IT INTO A LIMITING REQUIREMENT!!

CONCLUDING THAT UNLESS WE CONFESS WE WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN!!!

IN OTHER WORDS……FORGIVENESS IS YOURS FOR THE ASKING ….BUT IT’S UP TO YOU TO ASK FOR THAT FORGIVENESS AND UNTIL YOU DO GOD DOESN’T FORGIVE YOU!!!!

EVEN IF WE TRIED TO ASK GOD TO FORGIVE US FOR EACH SIN WE COULD THINK OF………..WE WOULD MOST CERTAINLY FORGET OR BE UNAWARE OF MANY OTHERS!!!

ALL OF US WOULD LIVE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF UNFORGIVENESS WITH THE LORD BECAUSE OF OUR POOR MEMORY…..OR BLINDNESS!!

BUT TO THE CONTRARY …………….THIS PROMISE TELLS US THAT WHEN WE DO SIN……WE HAVE SECURITY IN THE FACT THAT HIS FORGIVENESS ALWAYS……….

ALWAYS……………….COVERS OUR SINS!!!!  (PLURAL)

AND WASHES THEM AWAY!!!

CONSEQUENTLY…WHEN WE CONFESS A SIN………IT IS NOT SO MUCH THAT WE ARE ASKING HIM TO FORGIVE US (IN THE HOPE THAT HE WILL DO SO)…..BUT RATHER TO THANK HIM THAT HIS PROVISION THROUGH THE CROSS ENABLES US TO BE FULLY RELEASED FROM SIN’S EVIL EFFECTS!!!

GOD’S FORGIVENESS IS LIKE A GREAT POOL OF COOL WATER ON A VERY HOT DAY!!!

BY RECEIVING JESUS’ FORGIVENESS……WE JUMPED INTO THIS POOL WHERE WE GET TO REVEL IN ITS REFRESHING WATERS EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!!!

WE CONTINUALLY DWELL IN THESE WATERS…..WHICH OFFER THE FORGIVENESS THAT WE NEED EVEN BEFORE WE COMMIT A SIN!!!

WHEN WE BECOME AWARE OF A PARTICULAR SIN IN OUR LIFE…..WE CAN SIMPLY CUP OUR HANDS TOGETHER…..

FILL THEM WITH HIS FORGIVING WATERS AND POUR IT DOWN OUR HEADS….

FACES….

AND BODIES…..!!!

IT IS SIMPLY A REMINDER OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US….

AND THIS REMINDER CLEANSES OUR GUILTY CONSCIENCE AND DRAWS US NEAR TO GOD TO ENJOY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!!!

BECAUSE OF THE PRICE JESUS HAS ALREADY PAID ON THE CROSS…..THE JUST AND RIGHT THING FOR GOD TO (ALWAYS) DO IS TO FORGIVE AND CLEANSE US FROM OUR SIN!!!

THE ATONEMENT HAS BEEN MADE!!!

IT WOULD BE UNJUST AND UNRIGHTEOUS FOR GOD TO ACCPET PAYMENT FOR THE SINS TWICE!!!

THAT WOULD BE LIKE CHASING DOWN AND KILLING THE SCAPEGOAT AFTER IT WAS SET FREE!!!

GOD’S JUDGEMENT AND RIGHTEOUSNESS ARE BASED ON FORGIVENESS AS HIS FIRST CHOICE FOR EVERY SITUATION!!!

GOD IS NEVER UNWILLING TO FORGIVE!!!!

THE PROBLEM IS ONLY WITH PEOPLE WHO EITHER DO NOT SEEK HIS FORGIVENESS OR DO NOT ACCEPT IT!!!!!!

NOW….WHAT HAPPENS AFTER FORGIVENESS!!!

WELLL…..FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SOUGHT AND FOUND THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD FOR THEIR SINS….

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FIRST STEPS A BELEIVER CAN TAKE IS BEING BAPTIZED IN WATER!!!!

IT NOT ONLY MAKES A POWERFUL PUBLIC STATEMENT ABOUT YOUR CONVERSION…….AND YOUR DECISION TO LIVE NO LONGER FOR YOUR OWN DESIRES ….

BUT BEING BAPTIZED IN WATER IS ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND ACTS OF OBEDIENCE YOU CAN DO!!!

(READ THE FOLLOWING ON YOUR OWN TIME……2 COR 5:15 AND GAL 2:20)

BEING BAPTIZED LITERALLY MEANS TO BE IMMERSED OR SUBMERGED INTO SOMETHING!!!

BY BEING PLACED IN IT……YOU TAKE ON ITS QUALITIES AS THOUGH THEY WERE YOUR OWN….

AND YOU END UP WHERE IT TAKES YOU!!!!

FLOATING DOWN A RIVER IS THE PERFECT PICTURE OF BEING BAPTIZED!!!

WHILE YOU DO NOT ACTUALLY BECOME WATER INSTEAD OF FLESH…….YOU DO TAKE ON THE RIVER’S CURRENT,

YOU WILL FOLLOW ITS COURSE AND GO WHERE IT FLOWS!!!

YOU BECOME ONE WITH THE RIVER….NOT IN ANY MYSTICAL SENSE ….BUT SIMPLY BY VIRTUE OF ITS ACTIVITY AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO “GO ALONG WITH IT”

JESUS HIMSELF…….THOUGH HE WAS SINLESS CHOSE TO BE BAPITIZED IN WATER AS A WAY OF FULLY IDENTIFYING WITH OUR HUMAN NEED TO BE WASHED CLEAN FROM OUR SIN!!!

IF HE IDENTIFIED WITH US BY BEING BAPTIZED IN WATER……IT MUST BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE BAPTIZED AS WELL!!!

IT IS NOT CORRECT TO SAY THAT A PERSON CANNOT GO TO HEAVEN UNLESS HE OR SHE HAS BEEN BAPTIZED……..

BUT RATHER…..BAPTISM REPRESENTS WHAT HAPPENS TO US WHEN WE ACCEPT JESUS’ DEATH AS PAYMENT FOR OUR SINS!!!

BUT WATER BAPTISM IS SUPPOSED TO BE SO INTERWOVEN WITH…..AND FOLLOW SO CLOSELY ON THE HEELS OF A PERSON’S DECISION TO DIE TO HIMSELF OR HERSELF AND LIVE FOR GOD……

THAT IN THE BIBLE THE ACT OF BEING BAPTIZED PRESUMES THE INTENTIONAL CHOICE O BECOME A CHRISTIAN!!!

WHILE THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM WILL ALWAYS BE A BIT OF A MYSTERY……IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT EVERY BELEIVER OUGHT TO FOLLOW THE LORD IN OBEDIENCE INTO THE WATERS OF BAPTISM!!!

NOW…..FIRST PETER 3:21 WILL TELL YOU THAT THOUGH THE ACT OF BEING BAPTIZED DONES NOT SAY ANYONE WHO HAS NOT RECEIVED THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD EXTENDED IN JESUS CHRIST…..

FOR THOSE WHO DO BELIEVE IN HIM…..BAPTISM ACTS LIKE A HUGE ERASER WIPING AWAY…..ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS!!!

BELEIVERS IN JESUS ARE BAPTIZED IN WATER AS A SYMBOLIC EXPRESSION OF BEING BURIED IN THE GRAVE!!!

THE OLD NATURE….WITH ITS CARNAL DESIRES AND ITS SEPARATION FROM GOD….IS PRONOUNCED DEAD……AND BURIED!!!!

WE ARE BAPTIZED INTO ….AND FULLY PARTICIPATE IN…..JESUS’ DEATH ON THE CROSS…….WHICH PAID THE PENALTY FOR OUR SINS ONCE FOR ALL TIME!!!

WHEN KIDS FLOAT ALONG IN A RIVER…..THE REAL FORCE PROPELLING THEM AND CARRYING THEM IS THE RIVER!!!

THAT’S THE WHOLE POINT!!!

LETTING THE RIVER DO THE WORK!!!

LIKEWISE…..JESUS’ DEATH IS THE REAL POWER THAT TRANSPORTS US TO A SINLESS CONDITION!!!

THE RIVER OF HIS LIFE AND HIS DEATH…….

NOT OUR SWIMMING, HAS ENABLED US TO ENTER THE PRESENCE OF GOD FREE FROM OUR SIN!!!

FORGIVING OURSELVES

SOMETIMES IT IS HARDER TO FORGIVE OURSELVES THAN IT IS TO RECEIVE FORGIVENESS FROM OTHERS - -OR GOD!!!

WE KEEP GETTING KNOCKED OVER WITH REGRET ABOUT WHAT WE DID - - ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RADICALLY ALTERED OUR LIFE OR THE LIVES OF OTHERS!!!

HOW CAN WE EXPERIENCE RELIEF FROM THE TERRORS OF SELF-REPROACH?

HOW CAN WE FORGIVE OURSELVES FOR THE TERRIBLE PAST?

LET ME GIVE YOU SOME STARTING PLACES:

FIRST….MAKE A CLEAR CONFESSION TO THE LORD BY SAYING ALOUD “LORD, IF FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I DID ‘X’ . 

IT WAS MY DOING AND I AM THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING IT.

I HAVE NO EXCUSES.

IT WAS WRONG, AND I WAS ABSOLUTELY WRONG FOR DOING IT.

ALL THE CONSEQUENCES THAT HAVE RESULTED FROM IT – THE ONES I CANNOT SEE…..AS WELL AS THE ONE I CAN SEE - - - ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY, TOO

THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD NOT DONE ‘X’

FORGIVE ME NOW….IN JESUS NAME”

THEN THANK THE LORD FOR FORGIVING YOU!!

#2

IF IT IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT RENEWING UNNECESSARY PAINFUL CONTACT BETWEEN YOU AND ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY WHAT YOU DID, CONFESS YOUR SIN TO THE PEOPLE YOU HURT!!!

MAKE NO EXCUSES.

BE SIMPLE AND STRAIGHFORWARD, OPENLY DECLARING THAT YOU DID ‘X’

ACKNOWLEDGE HOW ‘X’ HAS SEVERELY AFFECTED THEIR LIFE AND BROUGHT DEATH TO THEM!!

MAKE A STATEMENT, AND ASK A QUESTION:

“I HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU, AND VIOLATED YOU BY DOING ‘X’

I DESERVE EVERY BAD THING YOU THINK ABOUT ME FOR WHAT I HAVE DONE, AND THOUGH I CANNOT EXPECT YOU TO FORGIVE ME NOW - - OR EVEN IN THE FUTURE - - I HUMBLY ASK YOU TO FORGIVE ME.

I DO NOT ASK FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS TO PUT PRESSURE ON YOU TO FORGIVE, BUT TO REMIND YOU THAT I HAVE DONE YOU A TERRIBLE WRONG. 

YOU DO NOT NEED TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION – JUST HEAR IT:

WILL YOU FORGIVE ME?

#3

ACCEPT THE CONSEQUENCE YOUR SIN HAS BROUGHT ABOUT.

GOD IS ABLE TO INTERVENE NOW, TODAY…….IN THE MIDST OF WHERE THINGS HAVE ENDED UP!!!

TELL HIM YOU WILL PUT YOUR TRUST IN WHAT HE IS ABLE TO DO FROM NOW ON - - -RATHER THAN LIVING UNDER THE POWER OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!!!

PRAYER LIKE THIS:

DELIVER ME, O LORD, FROM WHAT I HAVE BROUGHT UPON MYSELF.  RESCUE ME AND THOSE I HAVE SINNED AGAINST.  I CAN AND WILL LIVE WITH WHATEVER YOU ALLO OR DO!!!

THANK YOU LORD FOR YOUR MERCY!!!!

#4

REBMEMBER, THAT GOD OFFERS US A FUTURE BASED ON WHAT HE HAS DONE, NOT ON WHAT WE HAVE DONE!!!!!

NOT BEING ABLE TO FORGIVE YOURSELF IS ONE OF THE PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL LIES THE ENEMY PUTS IN YOUR MIND AND HEART!!!

IT IS LIKE HE BURIES SMELLY OLD TIN CANS IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN YOU HAVE TRIED TO TEND SO CAREFULLY!!!

THE CANS DO NOT BELONG THERE…..BUT THEY ARE THERE!!!

THE I CANNOT FOR GIVE MYSELF FOR WHAT I DID FEELINGS, IMPRESSIONS AND SENSATIONS ARE REAL!!!

BUT THEY ARE NOT TRUE!!!!!

CONSCIOULY TAKE THE CANS - - -THOSE THOUGHTS OF SHAME, REGRET, AND SELF-HATRED - - AND PULL THEM FROM THE SOIL AS OFTEN AS YOU HAVE TO!!!

ASK FOR GOD’S GRACE TO TAKE THE FEELING FROM YOU!!!!

THE ACCUSER …..THE MASTER LIAR……..WANTS US TO BELIEVE THE OPPOSITE OF THE TRUTH!!!

THE DEVIL CALLS GOD A LIAR…….AND TELLS US TO LISTEN TO VOICES OTHER THAN THE LORD’S!!!

“I CANNOT FORGIVE MYSELF” IS NOT THE TRUTH OF GOD!!!!

IT FEELS SO REAL…….SO BIG….AND SO LOUD!!!

BUT IT IS A LIE!!!!!

IT MAKES YOU FEEL HELPLESS, HOPELESS, AND FOREVER WEAKENED!!!

YOU KEEP GETTING STUCK BEC OF IT!!!

IT IS LIKE A COMPLUSION - - AN ADDICITION TO REGRET, SHAME, OR SELF-LOATHING!!!

DO YOU SEE HOW EVIL THAT IS???

EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS RIGHTLY MOTIVATED - - - ACKNOWLEDGING YOU HAVE DONE WRONG - - - IT IS A TWISTED AND INCORRECT CONCLUSION!!!

FINALLY, CONFESS THAT WRONG CONCLUSION - - THE SENSE THAT YOU CANNOT FORGIVE YOURSELF - - TO THE LORD!!!

ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS A SINFUL THOUGHT……AND THEN RECEIVE HIS CLEANSING FORGIVENESS FOR IT!!!

YOU MAY STILL HAVE THE MEMORIES AND BE AWARE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF YOUR PAST WRONGS…..BUT WHEN YOU FACE THOSE MEMORIES . . .. .. . WHISPER ALOUD….”thank you…..thank you……….thank you lord jesus for forgiving me!!!!!!!