Sermon Central
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Embracing Forgiveness
Contributed by Anthony Zibolski on Jun 21, 2016 (message contributor)
Summary: Forgiveness is what most people want from God and other people but is the hardest thing to give to someone else.
Embracing Forgiveness
Selected Scriptures
Introduction-
Last week we looked at Pentecost.
The coming of the Holy Spirit of God into believers lives. Jesus left this earth so the comforter could come, that we could be empowered to live the lives we were meant to live.
Living life in our own strength is not hard, it is impossible.
You can do a lot in your own talents, but you cannot live a godly life without God.
I think believers today live defeated lives when they live it in their own strength.
They also struggle with issues that should have been settled at the cross of Christ.
One of those issues is forgiveness. It is a multi-sided issue that we usually get wrong.
We have a hard time forgiving others.
We have a hard time forgiving ourselves.
We have a hard time believing God could forgive us.
If you could grasp or embrace just how much God loves you and the depth that He will go to reach you and forgive you, you wouldn’t struggle with these areas of forgiveness.
I. Here lies the first concern- The forgiveness of God
There are some people that believe that you can reject God and still receive His forgiveness.
Based upon the emotions that God loves you so much that He would not let anyone perish.
The only basis that a Holy God can forgive your sins is what Jesus has done on the cross. To actually believe anything else is blasphemy. For us (sinners) to be reinstated back in His favor is only in Christ Jesus.
Eph. 1:7-
“In Him we have the forgiveness of sins.”
God cannot love you anymore than He does right now. Forgiveness of sins is based on Christ atoning for our sins. He took our place.
That takes the pressure off us feeling like we have to “clean up” before we come to Him.
Have us feel like we have to work at our salvation.
Salvation is free to us, but it is not free. It cost Jesus Christ at the cross.
Have you ever questioned Christ forgiveness? (Of Course you have)
It is those times you have messed up and trying to fix it on your own.
It is those times you were trying to earn it by doing one more thing and you realize that you could never do enough.
There is good news this morning!
God’s forgiveness is supernatural- it is based upon Christ, not what you did, or what I did.
Not on how you and I can earned it.
He has provided it already for all, and you have to ask for it.
He cannot forgive outside of what Christ did on the cross. It would contradict His nature if He did.
If you ask him for his forgiveness, He will not turn you away because that too would contradict His nature.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sons and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
If we confess our sins, if we ask him to forgive us- He will.
You acknowledge to God that you have sinned-confession.
You ask Him to forgive.
When You repent, you have a change of heart. You acknowledge that you do not want to continue in sin.
You acknowledge the need for forgiveness, and forgiveness is given by Christ.
He is faithful and just to forgive our sins.
The forgiveness of Christ is received not deserved (repeat)
It is the beauty of forgiveness. We have not because we ask not!
We will struggle with God’s forgiveness until we comprehend and believe that it is freely given to us and we cannot earn it or that anyone deserves it.
We live in an age that believes there are no absolutes. But there is one absolute truth with God. He loves you. He desires to have and be in an active relationship with you and that He will every time you truly repent forgive you of your sins.
As a believer, we are assured of that because God has promised us that and He will not break His Word.
We are assured of our salvation, our eternal life with Christ and the forgiveness of sins all because of Christ.
Romans 8:1-4 slow and clearly
As believer, we have assurances, we have confidence in Christ that even though we are weak he is strong, interceding for us to God the Father. There is no condemnation for those Christians who are in Christ Jesus.
You may have many disappointments in life.
Marriages that were suppose to last “till death do us part”
Satisfaction guaranteed.
New and Improved- things that do not measure up.
You can know that you are forgiven because the Word of the living God says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
