CalvaryAdvisor
Forgiveness
“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” --Colossians 3:13b
In a world of hate and revenge forgiveness seems to be a lost Christian attribute; let us explore the vital subject. Every person, even the godliest Christian that you can think of occasionally commits a sin, a sin of omission [ something neglected] or a sin of commission [to plan out]. Nevertheless, everyone sins in there lifetime… “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)
When a Christian does sin, a cure is has been made available to everyone…”If we confess our sins, He [Jesus] is faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This forgiveness is based on the fact that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
The problem is that the very urge that caused the believer to commit the sin in the first place will often lead him or her to try to justify the sin. If that is not possible, he will try to hide it, even deny it. The solution for this condition, of course, is to confess and forsake his or her sin. This confession… however, cannot be a simple generalization confession as “please forgive me of all my sins”, but a specific naming of the particular sin or sins, acknowledging that it was indeed a sin in the sight of God; deserving His divine punishment by a Holy God.
The term “to forsake” does not mean to simply quit engaging in a particular sin, but to quit even thinking about participating in it and no longer either desiring the sin or being depressed under the guilt of it. Only the power of God’s Holy Spirit is able to accomplish work in an individual as seen in the life of the Apostle Paul.
God will forgive and cleanse an individual empowering him or her if possible to make any restitution to anyone who had been injured by that sin. A changed life is seen as one goes from darkness into light. “Forgetting those things which are behind, we can press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:13-14
King David said it best… "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." Psalm 32:1 Ps 32:1
Peace!