## FORGIVENESS

## Acts 13:38-39

For man to appreciate forgiveness he must understand what life and eternity would be without it.

- Without forgiveness there would be no entry into heaven.
- Without forgiveness every funeral service would be a prelude to hell.
- Without forgiveness there would be no knowledge of love.
- Without forgiveness there would be no hope for any person.
- Without forgiveness all would be lost.
- Without forgiveness there would be no mercy.
- Without forgiveness there would be innumerable suicides.
- Without forgiveness there would be unremovable guilt.

Note: Psa. 103:1-12

Forgiveness is necessary because of the awfulness of and the penalty of sin.

Ezek 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Ezek 33:14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die;

Because of the law of God, He must either forgive man’s sin or destroy all of mankind.

What is forgiveness? How does it work? Who can have it? How long will it be effective? These are questions that must be answered for each of us today.

I. Foundation of Forgiveness: the Blood of Christ.

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

A. There Can Be No Forgiveness Except By And Through His Blood.

Heb. 9: 22, "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

1. "Remission" = freedom; pardon; deliverance; forgiveness; liberty.

2. "Remission" and "Forgiveness" have the same meaning.

3. It is the holy, precious, pure, cleansing, and redeeming blood of Christ that brings forgiveness.

Rom. 5:9, "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

Col. 1:20, "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."

B. The Blood Permits The Entrance Of The Believer Into The Holiness Of God.

Heb. 10:19, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,"

C. The Blood Of Christ Brings Redemption.

Col. 1:14, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:"

1 Pet. 1:18-19, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"

D. The foundation OF FORGIVENESS is available only through the blood of Jesus Christ.

E. Because of the blood of Christ, Satan cannot find anything in the files that will indict us!

F. Forgiveness in not an excuse for sin; rather, it is an encouragement for obedience.

II. AUTHOR OF FORGIVENESS: GOD

Forgiveness must be sought from the One against whom sin was committed. That person is God.

A. Forgiveness Was Not An After Thought.

1. God has this whole plan in His control.

2. He did not have to act in desperation nor out of character.

3. He knew from before the beginning what He would do when the need for forgiveness would come.

B. Before There Was A Sin To Be Forgiven - God Had Already Made A Way To Forgive It.

1. His plan wasn’t "If man sins" rather, "when man sins", I will forgive.

2. Jesus Christ is spoken of as the Lamb having been slain before the foundation of the world.

III. Completeness of Forgiveness: All

A. Note: Col. 2:13

1. "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened (made alive) together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;"

2. Psa. 103:3a, "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;"

3. We need not go around carrying our burdens.

4. He has completely forgiven us.

5. We need not make our own sacrifice in this matter; He has already forgiven us.

B. Too many today seem to think that they must help pay the price of forgiveness.

1. That’s impossible!

2. We cannot help Jesus out by carrying burdens or guilt on our shoulders.

3. We have been made free from the slavery of sin.

4. We have been set free from the power of sin.

5. The sacrifice has already been offered.

6. The ransom has already been paid.

7. All we can do is accept it or reject it!

Rom 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

C. Jesus paid it all.

1. On Calvary’s cross all our sin was placed upon the body of The Lord Jesus Christ.

2. God made forgiveness complete that day.

3. There is nothing more that you or I can do.

IV. RECEPTION OF FORGIVENESS - TO ALL THAT BELIEVE

Acts 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

A. We cannot earn forgiveness.

B. Since Jesus paid the price and did all the work on Calvary, all that is left for us to do is to believe.

1 John 2:12, "I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake."

Note: Luke 7:47-50

Do you know the forgiveness of God for your sins? Have you gone to Him in faith believing and trusting only in the shed blood of Christ and His finished work on Calvary? You can be saved today!

Christians are not perfect, we are all sinners saved by grace. As such we are in need of daily forgiveness of sins.

-How often can a Christian be forgiven? -As often as we confess our sins, the Blood of Jesus Christ is available to forgive us. -There must be repentance with confession. -Repentance involves forsaking the sin and promising by God’s strength not to repeat it.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 Jn 1:9

If you are here without Christ as your personal Savior, why not come and receive His wonderful forgiveness?

Believers, we cannot walk with Him unless it is in fellowship, and we cannot fellowship with Him with unconfessed sin in our lives. Why not come this morning and receive His forgiveness?