For Christ’s Sake

Eph 4:31-32

How would you feel about someone who loved you beyond your wildest imagination?

What would you do for them?

How would you treat the advice and instructions that person gives you?

How would that affect your relationships with other people?

Why God Has Forgiven You

All that God gives to us comes “for Christ’s sake,” especially forgiveness of our sin. We have been forgiven:

Because of the Payment Christ Offered

Sin is an attack on the moral leadership of God; it undermines the God-given foundations of society.

Permitted to have its way, sin would reduce everything to total corruption and chaos.

Opposed to sin corruption, we have the purity of God’s holiness.

God’s holiness requires Him to judge sin. He has declared that blood must be shed for the forgiveness of sin.

There must be a spotless sacrifice for sin.

It is an astounding mystery, salvation for us by one sacrifice; but this much is clear: God for Christ’s sake forgives us.

Take a long look at Calvary and realize that if you place your trust in Jesus as your Savior, your debt is paid for you by Jesus. He took your place; He paid your debt.

Because of what Christ suffered, God forgives us.

Because Jesus Is Now Our Identity

Our first ancestor was Adam, in the garden of Eden. He stood for us as the head of humanity. Adam disobeyed God’s command, he sinned. We all inherited a sin nature from him.

Now when a person trusts in Christ as Savior and Lord, Jesus takes our penalty and fulfills the Law, so that all believers now find their identity in Him.

God forgives us in Him. ‘By His stripes, we are healed.”

Because of the Love the Father Has for Him

Can you guess a little of the love the Father has toward the Son? We know that the Father, Son, and Spirit are Three in One. The union between them is way beyond our comprehension. The Lord will do great things for a Son that He loves like He loves Jesus.

Because our identity is now Jesus, when the Father looks at us He only sees His Son.

How God Has Forgiven You

God Forgives Certainly

He has forgiven you. If you have believed in Jesus, your sin has been erased from the records of the past, never to be mentioned forever. Pardon is not a matter of hope but of fact.

God Forgives Us Continuously

He not only forgave us at the first, but also continues daily to forgive. I have heard that we were so forgiven when we first believed there is no need to ask for further forgiveness; to which I reply—We were so completely forgiven when we first believed that we ought continually to ask for the perpetuity of that one far-reaching act. Pardon once given continues to be given.

God Forgives Freely and Eternally

We did nothing to earn forgiveness. God forgave us for Christ’s sake. The whole horrible list of our offenses He destroyed at once. He will never rake up our past sins a second time. There is now no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus.

Treatment Of One Another

If anyone here finds difficulty with kindness and forgiveness, I’m going to give you three words that will help you: For Christ’s Sake!

It’s true you must not keep a drop of hatred in your soul, for Christ’s sake.

Conclusion:

We are to treat one another as Christ treats us and never take revenge yourselves.

The Master says, “Vengeance is mine. I will repay.”

Do not take into your hand what belongs to God; but as He for Christ’s sake has forgiven you, so forgive those who do you wrong. Forgive one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you. Amen.