Total Forgiveness
While reading about Peter's vision, in Acts 10 recently, I received a new insight into how God looks at our Total Forgiveness.
Peter is praying, up on a housetop, when he falls into a trance. He sees a “sheet” filled with “all kinds of wild beasts, creeping things and fowls of the air.”
God speaks saying, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.” But Peter says, “Not so, Lord, I have never eaten anything that is unclean.”
The voice comes again, “What God has cleansed you are not to call unclean.”
This happens three times, and then the sheet is taken up to Heaven. Peter than wakes up.
At this moment, if you'll read the rest of that chapter, some men arrive, asking that Peter come with them to the house of an “unclean” Gentile.
Peter shares his vision, and realizes that God was telling him that all Gentiles are now considered “clean.”
Prior to this, a Jewish person could not go into a Gentile house, as a Jew would then be “unclean.”
Also, prior to Peter's vision, the wild beasts and creeping things and birds of the air were all thought to be “unclean” and inedible.
Now, after Peter's vision, wild animals and all Gentiles are now considered “clean” by God.
As I was later traveling somewhere by car, the thought came to me: “All of us are now clean!”
For me, personally, It was a confirmation that “No longer am I unclean, I'm now declared clean!”
Jesus, prior to His death, had told His Disciples, “You are now clean though the words I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3)
God made promises to us, that: “They have sinned and I will cleanse them.” (Ezk. 37:23)
And: “..I will blot out your transgressions, and not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25)
And: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they'll be
as white as snow; though they be red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)
In the New Testament, The writer of the book of Hebrews says, “For by One Offering (of Himself) He has Perfected Forever those who are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)
And a few verses later, reminds us again of His Word to those who believe, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb. 10:17)
Then, a few more verses further, are the words: “Let us draw near (to God) with... full assurance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience... and washed...” (Hebrews 10:22)
Lastly, this verse: "The Blood of Jesus Christ,.. cleanses us from all sin." (I John 1:7)
The Word is to Encourage us to come to God, though our faith, because we have been washed, our minds have been cleansed, our hearts have been purified!
Others might say, “But we still sin every day..” Yes, we do,.. but He has washed us from every sin. He has cleansed our hearts and minds. Why would He say that to us, if there were still sin between us?
Rather than doubt His forgiveness, Believe and be thankful! “Go and sin no more!” (John 8:11)
In God's eyes, we have been made to be clean.
Washed in the Blood of the Lamb. Not just our past sins, but our present, and our future sins as well. In the eyes of God, we have been declared Justified, Not Guilty, and as “Pure as the Driven Snow.”
(By Gary Christensen, Part time Minister of the Word of God, at: The Well Covenant Church, in Corvallis, OR * Box 2268 * Corvallis, OR 97339)
