The Glory Of "Complete" Forgiveness

I read an excellent article the other day on the subject of  "Incomplete versus Complete Forgiveness" which I found at www.charismaministries.org. The author introduced the subject by stating that many Christian teachers teach that when we are saved we are forgiven for only the sins we have committed up until that point but all "post conversion sins are not forgiven". Here is what the author had to say...

 Partial forgiveness is therefore not good news. Especially since Jesus isn’t going to die again. What is going to be your sacrifice for your post salvation sins if Jesus isn’t going to die again? A couple of lambs? Maybe a goat? Your works? Your ability to remember, confess, cry and wail about it? Or does God go into panic mode, quickly turns back time every time somebody confesses, adds that sin in and then lets Jesus die all over again, and then fast-forwards time back to the present so we can all go on again? I highly doubt it. Jesus died 2000 years ago. Your forgiveness was fully provided at the same time. You were forgiven at the cross, not at the point of salvation. At the point of salvation you merely realized you have been forgiven already and then through faith you received His free gift of righteousness which gave you right standing before the Father.  

I was encouraged to read an article by someone who "gets" the gospel. They make a very good point. If you were forgiven for only the sins you committed before your conversion then what is the remedy for sins that you are committing now? The answer is "there is no remedy" except the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The folly of the "Lordship salvationist/works plus grace" crowd is they actually think that you can reach a point where you are living a holy enough life that you don't need a Savior. The truth of the matter is that Christ forgives us "unconditionally" for all the sins we will ever commit. That's right, I said it...all! There is no arguing this fact, that is, if you believe the Bible.

Hbr 10:12-18 But this Man, after He had offered ONE sacrifice for sins FOREVER, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by ONE OFFERING He has perfected FOREVER those who are being sanctified. 15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. (NKJV)

Colossians 2:13

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹³ And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 

I hope you noticed the last three words in Colossians 2:13 "all our trespasses". The writer of Hebrews says we are "perfected for ever". That is something to sing hallelujah about! Don't listen to the pharisees and hypocrites who desire to water down the work of Christ. If you have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ you are the possessor of "complete" forgiveness!

Eva Kor Had The Power To Forgive!

Let me take this opportunity to say "Merry Christmas" to the many readers of this blog! I hope you find a gratitude toward God this time of year for His gift of His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ! If you have never trusted Jesus as your Savior I encourage you to watch the 3 minute video in the right sidebar.

I also want to share this story with you...Click on the link under her picture.I hope you'll read every word of it, it is the story of Eva Mozez Kor and her survival of the Nazi death camps of Auschwitz. I know that in these last days there is a growing anti-semitism that permeates our culture. In fact, there are growing numbers of people who deny that these atrocities even occured. Eva discovered that she had the "power to forgive" the most demented Nazi fiends that destroyed her family and subjected her and her twin sister to medical experiments. It is a moving story and I'm glad that Eva forgave those who so wronged her.

Read Eva's Story

A story like this reminds me of the One who  has the ultimate power to forgive. Again, Merry Christmas and may 2012 be the year that you find forgiveness and eternal life through Christ. If you have recently come to faith in Jesus let us know in the contact box in the right sidebar, we would like to rejoice with you!

Libyans Are Trying To Forgive And Reconcile!

I'm always on the lookout for articles about forgiveness. I visited an Arab/Muslim newsite the other day that had a very interesting article about Libya in the wake of the recent revolution. Here is an excerpt from that article...

Political and religious leaders from across Libya gathered in Tripoli on Saturday (December 10th) for a national reconciliation conference.

"We are capable of forgiveness and tolerance," said Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the National Transitional Council (NTC). "We are capable of absorbing our brothers who fought the rebels and also capable of absorbing every person who committed an act or words against this revolution."

I don't know about you but the phrase that caught my eye was "national reconciliation conference". I hope they can pull it off in Libya, most of the other Arab revolutions have resulted in extermination of a lot of the loyalist supporters. Their intentions are great and I wish them the best but this phrase caused me to think of a far more grand reconciliation conference. The Bible tells us that before the foundation of the world God the Father and God the Son conferenced on the rescue measures that would be needed to snatch sinful men from an eternity in Hell. In their deliberations they decided that Jesus Christ Himself would come to this earth as a man, live a sinless life, be crucified by sinful men and then rise from the dead! Christ Himself would make the payment for the sins of men and thus "reconciliation" could be possible between God and man. Here is how the Apostle Paul describes it...

2 Corinthians 5:18

¹⁸And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

Jesus Christ by His shed blood at Calvary has reconciled us to God and He has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.  One of the reasons that I started this blog was to carry out my personal ministry of encouraging others to be reconciled. I urge you dear reader to be reconciled to God through Jesus. Go to the right side bar of this site and check out the little video entitled "Learn How To Be Forgiven In 3 Minutes". This is a wonderful time of the year and today would be a great day to be reconciled to God!

David J. Stewart Explains How To Be Forgiven

CLICK HERE TO READ  DAVID J. STEWART'S ANSWER!

I read a lot of good articles and I'm always on the lookout for someone who does a good job of accurately sharing the gospel. David J. Stewart has been doing just that for many years and I wanted to share this timely article with you all. I say "timely" because it is becoming more and more obvious to Bible believers that we are headed to a prophetic crossroads. We are living in epic times and now more than ever you need to know that your sins are forgiven and Heaven is your destination. Please take the time to read this great article now. God bless!

The Angel Answered The Question Of How To Be Forgiven

^{Luke 2}

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. ¹⁰And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
 ¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

Christmas can be a very hectic time of the year. We can get all caught up in the commercial side of the season and spend all of our emotional energy and money on gifts. We could get caught up in some of the uncomfortable family dynamics that are amplified during this "joyous season". Many will be reminded of loved ones lost during 2011. There are a lot of potential distractions that can take our eyes off of the prize. 

The prize, of course, is the Lord Jesus Christ! The angel of the Lord  was well aware of the magnificent gift that had come to planet earth when he made his exciting announcement to those shepherds long ago. He had been in His presence in Heaven and witnessed His miraculous power everyday. The Bible tells us that angels long to look (I Peter 1:12) into this amazing story of how God pitied mortal sinners and sent His Son to die for our sins. They find it to be simply incredible that the King of Glory actually came to be with us so that we might become forgiven and adopted into His family and enjoy the privileges of being children of God. It's no wonder that he described this announcement as "good news of great joy". Sadly, most of the world has not grasped the wonder that the angel possessed. They have not found the coming of Jesus as good news because they have not trusted Him to be Savior and Redeemer. I hope that this Christmas you will celebrate as one who has found forgiveness from your sins. Take a moment to view the short video in the right side bar of this blog. My Christmas wish for you is that you might be saved, forgiven, redeemed and adopted into God's family by believing in His Son!  

Survey Gives Insight Into American's Concept Of Sin

A survey done in 2008 by Ellison Research revealed several things about the way Americans view sin. For example, nearly 87% of the 1000 participants believe in the general concept of sin. Most of those questioned believe in degrees of sin. The general concept held by those surveyed defined sin as "something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religous or moral perspective." Those who believe in sin identified adultery as sin (81%), 74% named racism, 65% hard drugs, 52% homosexuality and 56% said abortion is a sin.
There is a good bit of accuracy in these views about sin but the main problem is that the findings were not as all encompassing as they should have been. The Bible views sin in a much more sweeping manner, listen to the Bible definition of sin...
I John 3:4

 ⁴Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Here is how it works, anytime you break one of God's laws it is sin. Once you sin you are a law breaker and it is as if you had broken all of God's laws. If you have broken one of the 10 commandments then you might as well have broken them all in God's view of sin.
James 2:10
¹⁰For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Furthermore, I don't need a survey to tell me whether I've sinned or not, the Bible has already done that and I have no argument against God's Word.
Romans 3
¹⁰As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
 ¹¹There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
¹²They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
You can express your opinion on sin, that's fine, but the only opinion that counts is God's! We have a big problem, we are sinners who lack the righteousness to get into Heaven and we have a criminal record that will condemn us to Hell. That is what we call a "predicament."
If you have been reading my blog for any time at all you know that the solution to this mess is a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ! Watch the video in the right side bar entitled "How To Be Forgiven in 3 Minutes". Trust Jesus today!

Thanksgiving For Forgiveness

^{In Psalms 116 we read the following:}

¹²What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?

 ¹³I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. 

 ¹⁷I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. 

I think that it is fitting to examine thankfulness in light of God's mercy and grace demonstrated in the forgiveness of sin. Today is a national holiday that is a direct result of our Judaic-Christian heritage. We are a people with a history steeped in the Christian faith and historically we have recognized the need to acknowledge God as the giver of all good things, hence, we observe Thanksgiving Day. Sadly, America is becoming more Godless every day and many Christians are failing to thank God as often as they should. Let me ask you a question..."When was the last time you thanked God for your salvation?". The psalmist asked himself the question "what shall I render to the Lord of all His benefits and he answers the question in verse 17 by giving "thanks" to God. We take of the cup of salvation by simply "believing" and all we can do is receive it and say "thank you Lord"! Have you come to the point in your life where you are counting on what Christ did on the cross to be sufficient payment for your sin? If that is the case make sure you thank Him today and every day. If you have not come to faith in Christ please watch the short video in the right side bar. Thanksgiving Day would be a great day to believe and be forgiven!

 

Newt Gingrich Has The Right Stuff!

Newt Gingrich has a storied political and professional career that makes him emminently qualified to be the next president of the United States. But Newt has some baggage that has dogged his political aspirations. Newt has been through three divorces and a controversial affair with a congressional aide who is now his wife. Many people have written Newt off as a serious contender for high office based on his moral failures. However, most people are not aware of the changes that have occurred in his spiritual life. Newt is man who has the right stuff to be president because he has come to two important conclusions.
First, Newt now recognizes the things that he has done as being wrong and sinful. Here is what he told CBN's John Brody...

"And what I can tell you is that when I did things that were wrong, I wasn't trapped in situational ethics, I was doing things that were wrong and yet I was doing them."

Newt recognizes his past moral failures as sinful and wrong. I like a man who recognizes his sinfulness, I trust that kind of man. The second quality that I like about the new Newt Gingrich is that he now regards himself as "forgiven". In the same interview he went on ..


Gingrich says he has asked for and received God's forgiveness. 
"I do believe in a forgiving God. And I think most people, deep down in their hearts, hope there's a forgiving God,” he said. “Somebody once said that when we are young, we seek justice, but as we get older, we seek mercy. There's something to that, I think."

Newt is dead right on this issue. In John chapter 8 a woman "caught in adultery" was dragged into the presence of Jesus by a group of self righteous men. Jesus did not condemn the woman but simply began writing some things in the sand at their feet. Whatever Jesus wrote was troubling to the men because verse 9 tells us they became convicted and that they began to leave one by one beginning at the "eldest". If we are honest with ourselves we see more and more how depraved we are the older we get. The older we get the more we need mercy not justice. I am glad that Newt has found forgiveness in Jesus. I hope he becomes the next president of the United States! It is not his long political resume or his college professorship but his humility and dependence on a forgiving God that draw me to his candidacy.

I Got Some Great News Today- Another One Forgiven!

The whole point of this blog is to proclaim the absolute free grace of God that can be acquired simply by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have been following this site you know that I have a contact form in the right side bar. Yesterday, I received an email from a young man who let me know that he has placed his trust in Jesus and he wanted me to know and he told me that he had also shared this news with his mom! My heart rejoiced. I know that the angels in Heaven rejoiced at his decision as well. It reminded me of a gospel passage in Luke 10 where Jesus had sent out 70 disciples to preach, heal and cast out devils. When they all came back to Jesus after their time of ministry they were excited by all the miraculous things they had witnessed. But Jesus reminded them of the most important thing to get excited about and that was their names were written down in Heaven. The Bible tells us that when someone believes on Jesus the angels in Heaven rejoice and as the old hymn says..."there's a new name written down in glory and it's mine oh yes it's mine!".

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.v.20

I'll be praying for this young man to grow in the grace of our Lord and to rejoice because his name is written in Heaven. 

I also want to share with you Dear Reader that this blog has reached people in 10 different countries in the last couple of months. People are searching for an answer to the yearning in their souls in these last days. Do you need God's everlasting forgiveness...trust in Jesus then let me know and I'll pray for you and rejoice with you too!
This video presents Hillsong and I believe a little Russian lyrics too...enjoy.

Fox News This Morning Made Me Glad I'm Forgiven

As my wife and I prepared to go to church this morning we were listening to the Sunday morning version of Fox News. I remarked to my wife that the program resembled more of a prophetic broadcast than a news cast. The reason that I made that statement was three fold. First, they reported that a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit Oklahoma at about 10:30 p.m. CST on Saturday evening. They had a swarm of earthquakes from Texas to Wisconsin. Jesus warned His disciples that this kind of event would be a signal that the time of the end had arrived and it is recorded in Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8 and Luke 21:11. The second story involved the great whale sightings that have been occurring in Santa Cruz, California. The bizarre temperature extremes and the total stoppage of the gulf stream have created all kinds of weird phenomenon ranging from extreme fish and bird die offs to strange migration activities. Last year a large whale was located just off the beaches of Israel and it was the first time in history such an event had ever occurred. See related story http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137514.  Third, Fox reported that Benjamin Netanyahu has spent the better part of last week warning the world that Israel can no longer delay in acting against the nation of Iran because of their pursuit of nuclear weapons. The Bible foretold of a time in the future when Russia, Iran and a group of Islamic nations would come against Israel. This is recorded in the 38th and 39th chapters of Ezekiel. Needless to say, the outcome will not be favorable for the invaders. Here is a story of some of the steps Israel is taking to defend themselves http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Israel_gets_ready_to_unveil_Davids_Sling_999.html. Israel is the prophetic wrist watch of God. Time is growing short. I think most Christians know in their hearts that time is running out for this current age. A new day is coming when Christ will reign but before that day arrives there will be dreadful events on this planet. I'm not really appealing to Christians in this blog I'm appealing to those who have never believed on Christ. Time is running out and I urge you to check out the little 3 minute video in the right hand margin of this site entitled "Learn How To Be Forgiven In 3 Minutes". Jaw dropping events will soon unfold. Come to Jesus!

A Great Testimony On Forgiveness - Pastor James David Manning

Pastor James David Manning is one of my favorite preachers and I catch him on Youtube often. The video above is a short presentation of his personal testimony. Pastor Manning presents a testimony that is based on the "free grace" of the Lord Jesus Christ. By "free grace" I mean that Pastor Manning tells us that you are forgiven and saved by simply believing the testimony of the Scriptures concerning Jesus. We are saved by believing that Jesus lived a sinless life, died on a cross (shedding His blood) and rose from the dead for the payment of our sins. Free grace teaches that if we will trust in what Christ did to be sufficient payment for our sins then we will be forgiven and saved. Free grace does not mean "cheap grace" and it does not mean "easy believism". God's grace is not cheap - it cost the life of His dear Son. Free grace is not easy - it is not easy to trust your eternal destiny to another person. But free grace theology is the gospel. It is the liberating alternative to the haughty, self righteous and judgemental proponents of lordship salvation and all teachers who teach grace + works. The legalists of our day have muddied the waters of the gospel of Christ. It is good to hear of a life that has been changed by the free grace of Jesus and so I have given you Pastor Manning!
Here is a snippet from a statement of faith by one of the great seminaries in our land - Free Grace Seminary. They present a definition of saving faith, free grace salvation. Enjoy and Learn.
We believe salvation is the gift of God brought to mankind by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Faith is a personal response, whereby we are persuaded that the finished work of Jesus Christ has delivered us from condemnation and guaranteed our eternal life. God neither overrules nor implants mankind’s volition in accepting or rejecting His provision of salvation. A human being appropriates salvation by the sole means of faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, whose death and resurrection are the ground of man’s salvation. The means of salvation is to be properly correlated with and distinguished from issues related to discipleship (Acts 16:31 ; 4:12; John 1:12 ; 3:16, 18; 20:31; Ephesians 1:7 ; 2:8–10; 1 Peter 1:18 –19; 2 Peter 3:9 ; 1 John 5:11 –12).


No act of obedience (other than faith in Christ), whether preceding or following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, such as commitment or willingness to obey, sorrow for sin, turning from sin, baptism, or submission to the Lordship of Christ, may be added to, or considered a part of, faith as a condition for receiving eternal salvation. The saving transaction between God and the sinner consists simply of the giving and receiving of a free gift that is without cost to the believer (John 4:10 ; Romans 4:5 ; Galatians 2:16 ; Ephesians 2:8 –9; Titus 3:5 ; Revelation 22:17 ).

End Times Update - Are You Forgiven?

You might be wondering why I included this video of major animal die off all over the world this year? You might even ask what has this got to do with forgiveness? Well, I think what is going on in the world has everything to do with forgiveness of sins. You see, I believe we're living in the "end times" the "last days" or whatever name you use to describe these apocalyptic days. Don't you get the sense that we're approaching a major fork in the road? Look at the economy (globally!), the Muslim uprisings, earthquakes, famine, calamity of every sort. Look most of all at tiny Israel and the world wide clamoring for a dividing of  Jerusalem and a two state solution (all was foretold in the Bible). Something of monumental proportions is about to happen. I don't pretend to know dates or predict future events but something's coming! I have a great peace knowing that having put my faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ I have forgiveness of sin and the guarantee of Heaven. If it all goes to pieces tomorrow I'm out of here! Have you seen that commercial on television with the three boys in the back yard. Two of the boys are holding a laundry basket connected to long rubber band connected to a couple of trees. A third boy is sitting in the basket about to be shot up into the sky from their giant "sling shot". I like what the the boy in the basket says to his friends..."Launch me fellas!". I watch the world implode and I tell God on a daily basis..."launch me". I'm ready to go because of the object of my faith not the quality of my faith. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Have you believed on the Lord Jesus? Do it today!

Forgiveness Made A Way

Saturday night, October 15th, I attended a Christian concert with my wife and two of our close friends at the Lied Center located on the campus of the University of Kansas. The concert featured the David Crowder Band but I was most blessed by an artist named Chris August. He is finding time on national broadcasts with a couple of big hits, "Starry Night" and "7x70". The song "7x70" is a story about his childhood experience of growing up in a broken home and finding freedom in the ability to forgive. Here are the lyrics to that song...
Lyrics to 7x70 :

I’ve been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born

I’ve been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born
These walls have seen me happy
But most of all they’ve seen me torn
They’ve heard the screaming matches
That made a family fall apart
They’ve had a front row seat
To the breaking of my heart

7 times 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way
7 times 70 times
There’s healing in the air tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I remember running down the hallway
Playing hide-and-seek
I didn’t know that I was searching
For someone to notice me
I felt alone and undiscovered
And old enough to understand
Just when I’m s’posed to be learning to love you
Let me doubt again

7 times 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way
7 times 70 times
There’s healing in the air tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I lost count of the ways you let me down
But no matter how many times you weren’t around
I’m all right now

God picked up my heart and helped me through
And shined a light on the one thing left to do
And that’s forgive you
I forgive you

7 times 70 times
If that’s the cost I’ll pay the price
7 times 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way

7 times 70 times
There’s healing in this house tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around
Yeah
I’m gonna wrap it all around

I’ve been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born

 

 

Of course, August got the song title from the answer that Jesus gave his disciples after they asked Him how many times should they forgive a brother who offends them. I think the words that struck me the most was the line that says...

God picked up my heart and helped me through
And shined a light on the one thing left to do
And that’s forgive you
I forgive you

Forgiveness is uniquely a "God thing" it is not a human characteristic and that is why August went on to say ...

"I'm reaching up to pull it down"! I hope you have experienced the forgiveness of sins that only Christ can supply and I hope you are using the gift of forgiveness in your personal relationships. I'm gonna wrap it all around!



Forgiveness Provides Confidence In The Hour Of Crisis

University of Kansas Medical Center

The knowledge that you have been unconditionally forgiven and that the Lord God has removed your sins and cast them as far as the east is from the west can give a person great confidence when the storms of life are about to blow your house down.
This past week my brother received a phone call from the transplant team at the University of Kansas Med Center informing him that they had received a liver for his procedure. This was a particularly huge blessing because my brother's days on this earth were fast evaporating with each passing day. As we sat in his ICU room that night and listened to the doctor discuss the possible outcomes of this surgery we were confronted with the real possibility that he could lose his life in this difficult procedure. After a few hours of dialysis and just minutes from his departure for the operating room my brother made a very bold statement. He told his wife that "If this surgery doesn't go well tonite I know where I'm going". He went on to say "Regardless of how this surgery turns out it will be better for me". If the surgery was a success he would begin the long road to better health and if it was a failure he would be in the presence of the Lord!
How does a person acquire that kind of confidence? By trusting in what Jesus did on the cross and His resurrection from the dead as being sufficient payment for sin! My brother came to that faith and trust many years ago and his confidence has not wavered. Maybe you're going through a particularly difficult time in your life, do you have that kind of unshakeable confidence? If not, trust Jesus today.

1 John 5:13

King James Version (KJV)

 ¹³These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

A Great Quote About Forgiveness!

I'm a big fan of quotes and I discovered a keeper by Jim Elliff, here it is...



"The blood of Jesus unfailingly cleanses the believer from his sin at all times. There could be no sin that the blood does not cover, confessed or not confessed. Though our sins were taken care of in the cross of Christ, and by His blood being spilled for us, it is applied immediately in time to every sin we commit the nano-second we commit it."

I don't know about you but I grow weary listening to some of the false teaching out there on forgiveness. One of the persistent lies is that Christ only forgives sin that we confess. Elliff's  quote here dispels that notion. I love the comment about the fact that Christ's blood is "applied immediately in time to every sin we commit the nano-second we commit it." It is pure arrogance to believe that you could confess every sin you ever commit. It is pure ignorance to believe that you are aware of every sin you commit. The standards of God's laws are such that we commit sin habitually and prolifically. God's law is in place simply to demonstrate to us that we are indeed world class sinners who need a world class Saviour.

It is a great quote from Jim Ellif but it is pure truth from God's Word. Do you need nano-second forgiveness? Trust Jesus.

1 John 1:7

King James Version (KJV)

 ⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Victim Forgives The Shark Who Attacked Her!

Lucy Mangum

Little Lucy Mangum of Durham, North Carolina, was boogie boarding on the beach of Ocracoke Island when she was attacked by a shark. I've done some boogie boarding myself in that general area. A black tip shark sunk his teeth into her calf muscles severely damaging muscle, tendons and an artery. The first question she asked her dad after the attack was "am I going to die?". She went on to ask her dad to say a prayer with her on the beach before the helicopter flew her to the hospital. She later told her dad that she "forgave" the shark because "He really didn't mean to do it". I read a story like that and I'm thankful that she survived and by all accounts will have no permanent damage. I'm also touched by the fact that she has a faith that reached out to God during this crisis.
This is another interesting story where the subject of "forgiveness" has captured our interest. I also see some metaphors and some examples of sin and sinners. I guess I would have to say that I disagree with Lucy's assessment of the shark, I think he did mean to do it. It was his nature to find something to eat and that is exactly what the shark thought he had found. He's a shark, "attacking" is what he does! That shark is a metaphorical example of everyone of us!  We're sinners, it's what we do. The reformers referred to our nature in terms like "totally depraved" and "desperately wicked". Whether you are comfortable with that assessment is not important to me because that is exactly what the Holy Bible says about us. The third chapter of Romans says that no one is good, no one seeks after God and all have sinned. It's what we do - we're sinners. The other metaphor that I see in this story is little Lucy herself. She metaphorically could represent God. You see Lucy extended unmerited and undeserved forgiveness to that cold blooded shark and that is exactly what God did for us.
This is what it says in Romans 5...
¹⁰For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
When we were vile enemies of God He made the move toward us and extended His mercy and forgiveness! Undeserved and unmerited...He forgave us and made us his friends!
I'm so glad that Lucy's boogie boarding didn't end in the loss of her life and I'm so glad that I have a Saviour who loves cold blooded sinners like me! Trust Jesus!

Huh? August 7th Was International Forgiveness Day?

You learn something new everyday and today I learned that August 7, 2011 was International Forgiveness Day and I totally missed the party. In fact, it turns out that this past Forgiveness Day was the 15th annual event of its kind. Where have I been? I found an article on a site called starpulse that talked about celebrities that we should forgive. Arnold Swarzenegger was on that list (good for them, it's been a tough year for Arnold). I even did some research on the official site of the International Forgiveness Alliance. Unfortunately, I never found any info on the most important forgiveness that anyone can receive...the forgiveness of Almighty God!
The apostle Paul mentions another one of those wonderful theological Bible words that has so much good info about forgiveness. Here it is...
ἀποκαταλλάσσω apokatallassō = "reconciled"

Colossians 1

21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

The word reconciled means to bring back to a state of harmony. You see it is sin, in this verse "wicked works", that made us an enemy of God and alienated us from a relationship with our Heavenly Father. How do we overcome our alienated state? How do we become friends with God and not remain enemies? The answer is given in the preceding verse...

20And, 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.

It is through the blood that Jesus shed on that cross 2000 years ago! We must believe that the blood that Jesus shed is sufficient payment for our sins and we must believe that the work of Christ is "enough" to make us friends with God and no longer enemies. Have you done that? I implore you to trust Jesus today as your Saviour!

In need of forgiveness?

The Urgency Of Forgiveness In These End Times

Forgiveness is the number one need and should be the number one priority of every single soul on this planet. This is especially true since it is apparent that we are living in the end times, the last days. Here is a vid I just made concerning the issue of forgiveness in these chaotic times. Share it!

Justification: The Crown Doctine Of Forgiveness

In 1919, G.H. Gerberding, gave this wonderful definition of justification, "Justification is an act of God, by which He accounts or adjudges a person righteous in His sight. It is not a change in the person's nature, but it is a change in his standing in the sight of God. Before justification he stands in the sight of God, guilty and condemned. Through justification he stands before God free from guilt and condemnation; he is acquitted, released, regarded and treated as if he had never been guilty or condemned. The justified person stands in the sight of God, as if he really had never  committed a sin and were perfectly innocent."
 Romans 3 contains these wonderful verses...

²¹But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
 ²²Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
 ²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
 ²⁴Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
 ²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
 ²⁶To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
 ²⁷Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Notice what verse 24 says...justified freely. The word "freely" ,δωρεάν dōrean, means undeservedly. We never merit God's forgiveness. We do not deserve to be declared innocent in His sight. It is of grace through faith...by believing in the redemptive work of Christ. There it is again...the sole requirement to secure God's pardon is "faith". Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? Do so today!

How "Not" To Be Forgiven Part 5: Walk An Aisle During An Altar Call

One of the techniques that is commonly employed in evangelical protestant churches that is used to "secure" decisions is called the "altar call". The origin of the altar call can be traced back to a preacher named Charles Finney. Finney asked people to "come forward" (down the aisle) and sit on the "anxious seat" or "mourner's bench". It was his feeling that sinners needed to be invited to do something in response to his sermons. It is my conviction that walking an aisle and responding to an altar call are just not a good idea and do not lead to forgiveness of sins.
The main reason that I would submit for that conviction is that it simply is not found in the Scriptures. On the day of Pentecost it tells us that 3000 souls were saved and there is no mention of an altar call. In fact, there is no mention of an altar call anywhere in the New Testament. The reason the 3000 souls were saved that day was because they "believed". That's the one requirement that keeps getting muddled in todays murky theology or lack of it! I recently sat under a preacher who actually said this toward the conclusion of his sermon..."we ask people to make a public decision and walk this aisle because Jesus died publicly". That was the sole reason that he gave for walking the aisle that morning! Incredible.
Now, you may have walked an aisle and responded during an altar call and very much be a forgiven person. But you are forgiven because you "believed" and no other reason. You are forgiven the moment you are convinced that what Jesus did on that cross 2000 years ago is sufficient payment for your sins. Trust Christ today!

What's Hurricane Irene Got To Do With Forgiveness?

As I write this post hurricane Irene is crashing into North Carolina and Virginia. It is hoped that she will lose some of her steam but the threat of storm surge and massive rain are still the big threats of this storm. This is the sixth hurricane or tropical storm named Irene. Irene comes from a Greek word, Eirene, which means "peace". I don't know how much peace she will bring to the east coast but I do know that peace is possible between a human being and their maker. Check this Bible verse out...

King James Version (KJV)

Romans 5

 ¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Remember the word "justified"? That's right, we can be declared righteous by God by faith and because of this marvelous transaction we can have "peace" with God! The choice is pretty stark, you can face the hurricane of God's wrath or experience the peace with God and the peace of God...by faith! Do you have peace today? Do you need God's forgiveness? Trust in Jesus.

Casey Anthony Can Be Forgiven

On July 5, 2011 Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murdering her little girl, Caylee Anthony. Most people were quick to point out that an acquittal in the American judicial system is not a declaration of innocence but merely a determination that the accused was not guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt". Most arrogant Americans even argue that, if she did the crime, she could never be forgiven. Can Casey Anthony be forgiven?
Let me begin answering that question by saying that Casey was found not guilty by a  jury of her peers. The entire fire power of the Orlando prosecutor's office was leveled at her and she was acquitted. Get over it. I don't know whether she did it or not, I'm not God. But here is the answer to the question "can she be forgiven"? Yes!! A thousand times yes!! The Bible is full of known murderers who were forgiven, David is the best example, he was an adulterer too! Let me go on to say that Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, the BTK strangler in Wichita and multitudes of others can all be forgiven. The real question is "could you be forgiven"? Does that offend you? We are all desperately wicked (at least that's what Jeremiah said). Yes, we can be forgiven and even better we can be "justified". Now there is a great King James Bible word! Here is a verse where it is used...

Romans 3:28

King James Version (KJV)

 ²⁸Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

A man (any man or woman, boy or girl) can be justified by faith (believing in Jesus Christ as Savior). Do you know what justified means? Dr. Strong in his complete concordance of Biblical words says the actual Greek word translated "justified" means [rendered righteous, to declare one to be righteous]. That is infinitely better than acquitted. While Casey will never be regarded by the American public as innocent the God of the universe says we can be declared "righteous" by placing our faith in Christ. We can avoid the eternal penitentiary called Hell by having faith in Jesus. No sinner no matter how vile is without hope as long as they have breath. Do you need to be justified? Trust Jesus today.

How "Not" To Be Forgiven Part 4: Repent Of Your Sins

Sadly, in my many years of pastoring churches I have found that I am increasingly hard pressed to find a gospel tract that actually gets the gospel right. One of the favorite gospel false additions that is so dear to the self righteous, Lordship salvation minions is the command to "repent of your sins" if you want to be forgiven.
Let's examine this false claim. First, a defintion...repent (found 23 times in the New Testament) is a translation from the Greek word "metanoeo". The word means in a literal sense "to think differently to reconsider" (Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). It is implied in the very act of believing in Jesus Christ as your Savior that you would have to think differently about some things. You would have to change your mind about your condition (I am a sinner), you would have to reconsider your previous opinion of Christ (He really is God, He really did die and raise from the dead to pay for my sins). No where does it say that you must turn away from your sins in order to be forgiven (that is a work!!). In fact, no where in the New Testament can you find the phrase "repent of sin" or "repent of your sins".
Another compelling argument against the false claim of repentance of sins for forgiveness is found in the gospel of John. Now John is a wonderful book. All seekers and new believers should read it. It is loaded with one syllable words and is very easy to understand. It tells us about Jesus Christ and the fact that He is God incarnate who came to rescue us from our sinful estate! In John 20:30-31 we are given the purpose of the book's writing, here it is...

John 20:30-31

King James Version (KJV)

 ³⁰And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
 ³¹But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

There you have it, the purpose for the book of John is that the reader might read the story and after reading John's account he/she might come to faith in Christ! It is the only book in the Bible that expressly says the whole reason for it's existence is to get you to Believe in Christ. Now here is the kicker. No where in John do you find the words repent, repentance, repented, repentest, repenteth, repenting or repentings. Do you think that John just made a big mistake? Maybe God just overlooked that important detail? No!! The only way a person gains forgiveness from sin and eternal life is by BELIEVING on Christ. Don't miss heaven because of the boneheads that insist on adding instructions to God's simple plan!
I do believe there is a place in the Christian's life for ridding his life of sinful practices but that is part of sanctification (the Christian walk)and having good fellowship with God it is not required to initially become a forgiven child of God. Paul warned against adding requirements to the true gospel in the book of Galatians and we'll deal with that later.
Do you need to be forgiven and know that Heaven will be your destination? Trust Christ today!

Stunt Plane Crash Reminded Me Of The Importance Of Being Forgiven!

This past Sunday I was sitting at my computer and noticed a story about a stunt pilot who had just died hours before in a bizarre stunt show accident. Since I live just a few miles from where this happened it really got my attention. Someone actually got the whole thing on video and loaded it on youtube, it was a gruesome and sobering thing to watch.
As I watched the plane loop and dive in the air I couldn't believe the events to follow. On his last vertical climb something went terribly wrong and the plane began to head straight to the pavement nose first. The plane hit with an abrupt explosion and then the whole pile of debris burst into flames. The whole thing lasted just seconds but it reminded me of something I've read in the Bible many times...

James 4:14
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Our lives loop and soar and then one day all of us will be gone and it will all seem like a whisp of vapour appearing then disappearing just as suddenly. If we are going to leave this world as a forgiven person we must tend to that matter right now, while we are alive and our minds are lucid. Have you trusted Jesus as your Saviour? Do it now while there is time!

       

How "Not" To Be Forgiven Part 3: Surrender To Christ

So far we have covered the erroneous terms of being forgiven which have been ..."say a sinner's prayer" and "give your heart to Christ". The third false instruction that many preachers and christians will ask a seeker to "do" is to "surrender your life to Christ".
There are two reasons that I want to mention (there are actually many more!) as to why this is totally fraudulent in securing forgiveness. First, acquiring forgiveness from sin and gaining eternal life is a result of receiving not giving, this is a recurring theme in the Scriptures and will be a recurring theme for me as well. Here is what the Bible says in just two places...

John 1:12

King James Version (KJV)

 ¹²But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Ephesians 2:8-9

King James Version (KJV)

 ⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
 ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast.

It is very clear that we become forgiven, saved children of God by receiving a gift. Imagine how ludicrous it would be if you decided to give me a brand new BMW sportscar. It is an outstanding gift and I'm really blown away by your generosity. The next week I mail you a $20.00 bill because I feel indebted somehow. I continue to send you monthly payments of $20 to ward off doubts that you might decide to take it back. All I have done is thrown a ridiculously inadequate insult in your direction. I just need to accept the gift and enjoy it! Christ has provided us a gift that could never be deserved or secured by anything we could possibly do. You just need to enjoy it, say thanks regularly and be the best Christian you can be. The second reason that "surrender" is not a way to be forgiven is that it is very vague in it's instruction. How could I possibly surrender all of my life and life actions, thoughts and emotions to God? What if I have a bad day, week or month do I lose my forgiveness? Isn't it arrogant to think that it is even possible to do this? By the way, a third reason this is a bad instruction for personal forgiveness is a familiar one...it's not in the Bible. Do you need forgiveness? Trust in Christ work on the cross today?

How "Not" To Be Forgiven Part 2: Give Your Heart To Christ

It's very likely that at some point in time you have heard this appeal given at a church by some preacher as a condition for forgiveness of sins. So why am I listing this action as a way NOT to be forgiven? Because it is not found in the Bible. Go to one of my favorite Bible study tools...www.blueletterbible.com and do a search of the King James Bible (yeah, that's right, I'm a KJ guy!) the phrase is not in the Bible and neither is the concept as it pertains to forgiveness. Notice this statement by the wonderful AWANA organization...


The Scriptures never tell us to give our heart to Christ. Such an invitation implies some effort on our part. We are not saved by giving God anything, but rather by receiving His gift of eternal life (Eph. 2:8-9). Remember also that the human heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9). Romans 10:10 tells us that with the heart man believes unto righteousness, but the nonbeliever is unable to give his heart to God. Some use this Scripture, however, with the idea that the unsaved person is making a decision of his will to accept Christ. Even so, this invitation contains very confusing terminology that does not clearly present the truth of the gospel. 


Giving our heart to Christ is absolutely one of the most confusing things you could ever instruct someone to do. Does God want the muscle mass of tissue that beats in my chest? No. The word "heart" is a word that refers to our mind, will and emotions. It is with these God given instruments that we "believe". Again, the only requirement that the New Testament asks of us in order to be forgiven is "faith/to believe" (almost 200 times in the King James Bible). We must be clear when we tell people how to be forgiven and ambiguous statements like the subject of this post is very confusing, especially to children.
 

How "Not" To Be Forgiven Part 1: Believe And Say A Sinner's Prayer

As I have already stated in previous posts the one and only term or requirement for you to be forgiven is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

"The precise instant when a person is saved (granted eternal life with God in heaven) is when in that nanosecond of time he genuinely decides (act of will) to trust only in Jesus Christ and what Christ has done on the cross and in nothing or no one else".  —Lewis Sperry Chafer, D.D., Litt.D., Th.D., late Founder, President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary

Unfortunately, fallen man has an innate desire to add to the simple plan of God for our salvation and forgiveness. One of those unfortunate additions is a demand by many for a lost seeker to say a "sinner's prayer". The first reason that I would give you as to why this sinner's prayer is not required is because it is simply not found in the Bible. Remember the Philippian jailer? He asked Paul "what must I do to be saved?" and what did Paul say? Did he say "pray the sinner's prayer"? No! He said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The second reason I would give is that demanding someone say a prayer is implying that God is not propitious (willing to save). God is very willing, even anxious to save and forgive.

"Men are not saved by asking God to be good, or merciful, or propitious; they are saved when they believe God has been good and merciful enough to provide a propitiating Savior.  The sinner is saved, not because he prevails on God to withhold from him the blow of judgment that is due him for his sin, but because he believes that that blow has fallen on his Substitute." --L.S. Chafer

Many people have prayed a sinner's prayer but they are saved and forgiven because they believed not because they said a prayer. Do you need God's forgiveness? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ!

Can One Be Saved Without Prayer?

In the Bible there are many cases of sinners who prayed like the thief on the cross or the publican in the Temple. In fact, Romans 10:13 says:

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Many people believe that a sinner cannot be saved without a period of prayer, without consciously calling on God. However, the Bible does not say that a sinner must pray in order to be saved. In fact, immediately following the verse in Romans 10:13 is an explanation which shows that calling on God is an evidence of faith in the heart and that it is really faith which settles the matter. Read it again.

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?"—Romans 10:13,14.

The Lord encourages the sinner to pray, and the Lord hears and answers the sinner's prayer if that sinner trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation when he prays. He heard the prayer of the thief on the cross, of the publican in the Temple, of blind Bartimaeus. But the Scripture says, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?"
Certainly every one who is to be saved must believe. Prayer is evidence of faith. No matter how long one prays, if he does not trust in Christ, he can never be saved. If he trusts in Christ without conscious prayer, then he is saved already. There is just one plan of salvation and just one step a sinner must take to secure it. That step is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ!
Some way we preachers have left the impression on this poor world of sinners that God is hardhearted and that it takes many tears and loud cries and long periods of sorrow before He will hear and save the sinner. We have left the impression that God does not care whether sinners are saved or not, and that sinners must some way touch the heart of God and get Him ready to forgive. What a slander on a good and holy God who "so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Man's sins are already paid for, God's wrath is already turned away from any sinner who wants to be saved. Both the Father and the Son are a million times more anxious to save every sinner than the sinner can be to get saved! Thank God, I do not have to beg God to forgive my sins. He will do it the minute I am willing to trust it with Him. -- Dr. John R. Rice, What Must I Do To Be Saved?

How To Be Forgiven: The Simple Answer

The word "forgiven" is found only 42 times in the entire Bible but as I pointed out in the previous post there are other synonyms used that convey the same idea such as...saved, redeemed, cleansed, pardoned and several others. A classic case of a simple question followed by a simple answer is found in Acts 16 where we read that Paul and Silas had been locked up in jail for preaching the good news and doing the work of God. Late at night the Lord miraculously sets them free and a frantic Philippian jailer who is fearful that he will be put to death for allowing a prison escape on his watch runs up to Paul and Silas and asks the world's most important question.
Here is the passage...

Acts 16:25-34

King James Version (KJV)

 ²⁵And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
 ²⁶And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
 ²⁷And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
 ²⁸But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
 ²⁹Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
 ³⁰And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
 ³¹And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
 ³²And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
 ³³And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
 ³⁴And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Notice a few things in this account. The jailer asked a simple question "What must I do to be saved?". He received a simple answer "Believe on  the Lord Jesus Christ". This is one of the great passages in all of the Bible and all of literature in describing how to be forgiven...believe on Christ! Notice verse 34 says he was believing and all his house was believing. They were all gloriously saved, forgiven, redeemed, rescued and pardoned because they believed on Christ.

It is simple to believe, but it is not easy. Too often this free grace explanation of how to be forgiven is called "easy believism" but it is not easy and this grace is not cheap. Christ lived a miraculous sinless life, he was crucified, buried and then rose from the dead. It requires a sincere belief and trust in what He did to be sufficient payment for your sins. Believe on Christ today!

Over 1 Million People Search Google Every Month For The Phrase "How To Be Forgiven"!

When I did some research on the subject of forgiveness I was astounded that over a million Google searches every month are for the keyword phrase "how to be forgiven". The fact that you are reading this article means that you are part of the Google research and very possibly you are burdened with guilt and a desire to be forgiven yourself.
The Bible is still the most read book in the world and I can tell you that I have found within it's pages the story of One (the only one!) who can forgive sin...any sin. That person of course is the incomparable Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ!
The apostle Paul gives us a summary of the good news or "gospel" in First Corinthians chapter 15, verses 1-4..."1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;


2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.


3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;


4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures "


Notice that Paul said you could be "saved" (another word for forgiven) by "receiving" this simple message! What does it mean to receive this good news? Look at the Gospel of John chapter 1, verse 12, for the answer..."But as many as received Him, the same gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that "believe" on His name.
The good news is that you can know how to be forgiven simply by believing that what Jesus did on that cross 2000 years ago is enough to pay for your sins. Sounds incredible doesn't it? It is and it is the only way on this green earth that anyone will ever be forgiven. Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? You've got a decision to make!