On Forgiveness

The small group of people in my training class at the Topeka, Kansas church are learning how to write a five verse Bible study. Last week I gave them the topic of "Forgiveness," and asked them to choose five verses on the subject and put them in an order that would be most helpful. They did such a good job I decided to share it with you all! (I "fleshed out" the study, as follows, for an example to the class on how to finish writing their study.) May you all be blessed!

No doubt, we have all seen a small child brought before a white wall that has hieroglyphic looking scribbles on it, and heard them insist, “I didn’t do it!” The look of guilt on their face is even more obvious than the crayon sticking out of their pocket!

Before such children can be forgiven, they have to admit that they did something wrong. How can you say “It’s okay, honey.” when there is no “it” to be okay or not? We have to admit that we have done something wrong before we can receive forgiveness.

Look at what the Bible promises to those who admit their sins:

Prov. 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

We don’t have to cover up our sins or try to find some reason for why we have done certain things. Those who “lay it all out on the table” are promised mercy. Mercy: compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is in one’s power to punish or harm.

David put it this way in Psalm 130...

Psa. 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

Psa. 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

David recognized that if God held our sins against us, there is not ONE person who would make it. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23 And David gave that as one of the reasons we stand in reverent awe of God (fear Him) - He doesn’t treat us as we deserve; He will forgive!

And the news gets better yet in I John 1:9. Here we see that God doesn’t just listen to our confessions and say “Ah, don’t worry about it; I’m not going to hold it against you.” God’s forgiveness is deeper than just turning a blind eye and pretending it never happened. What else does His forgiveness include?

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.

Yes! Cleansing! When God forgives, He will also clean us from that sin. He is faithful, or trustworthy, to clean us from all un-right-ness. That’s what we really want isn’t it? We don’t want our sins to merely be ignored. We want to be rid of those things that cause us so much guilt and pain. We want to be innocent again. We want to be lovable, not ignored. God’s forgiveness doesn’t overlook our issues; it fixes them!

But how can this be? These sins I have cannot just “go away”? They have already been done. Their consequences are in motion. I’m trapped in them. I deserve every bit of what I get. I did this knowingly, on purpose!

Look at Ephesians 1:3 and 7...

Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Eph. 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

This is the very reason Jesus came to die for us. Because we have “blown it” and are trapped in the consequences of our sin, Jesus came to redeem us. Redeem means to exchange or buy back. Adam and Eve, and every human being since them, has listened to the Serpent, Satan, and found themselves hopelessly trapped in the consequences of their sins. This is exactly what salvation is all about! Jesus came to “save His people from their sins” Matthew 1:21

And notice that last word in verse 7. Grace is “undeserved favor.” Jesus didn’t come to save people who “deserve it.” In fact He didn’t even come to save people who only sinned by accident! He came to save people who sinned on purpose and knowingly rebelled against Him. Our salvation comes because of His grace - His love for those who don’t deserve it. Forgiveness is available to everyone because of His grace.

Have you ever heard of Mary Magdalene? She was a prostitute who lived at the same time Jesus was on earth. She had listened to Jesus’ teachings and admitted that she needed forgiveness. She had confessed her sins to Him and been forgiven. No one else understood the experience she had with forgiveness, but she understood it! She was so thankful that she wanted to honor Jesus as her Savior. In the verses we are going to read in Luke 7:44-50 we see her attempt to show her thankfulness for being made clean, forgiven, freed from her sins...

Luke 7:44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

Luke 7:45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

Luke 7:46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

Luke 7:48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

Luke 7:49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Notice the crowd’s question: “Who is this that forgiveth sins also?” If they had believed that Jesus was their Savour, they wouldn’t have asked such a silly question. But it is a good question. When it really comes down to it, there is no one else in all of creation who has the power to erase our actions, change our hearts, and take away forever the condemnation and guilt that our sins cause. Only the God who creates something out of nothing, can make nothing out of something!

For the sake of the condemning crowd around them, Jesus once again told Mary that she was forgiven. Her faith, or trust, in Jesus’ power to forgive is what had freed her from her sins. She could go on now, in PEACE.

Would you like to experience that peace? The Bible tells us that we can confess our sins to God and He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all un-right-ness. Forgiveness is available to you and I right now! Let us go to Jesus in prayer and ask Him to forgive us.