THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD “Forgive” = [Aphiemi] to send forth, in various applications: cry, forgive, forsake, lay aside, leave, let alone, omit, put away, remit, suffer, yield up. ---God Forgives (Ephesians 4:32) “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
A. What are we Forgiven of?
B. Why is forgiveness important?
C. How are we forgiven?
A. SIN (1 John 2:12) “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake.” (Colossians 2:13) “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”
A. Sin SEPARATES us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2) “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that he cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
B. Sin Causes us to DIE Spiritually (Romans 6:23)
C. ALL have Committed Sin (Romans 2:23)
D. We will ALL stand before God and give an account of our deeds (Romans 14:10-12)
A. By a PERFECT sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 9:11-14)
1. Not to be repeated (Hebrews 10:10) “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all.”
B. By the BLOOD of Christ (Ephesians 1:7) “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” (Colossians 1:14) “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”
C. THROUGH Christ (Acts 13:38) “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.”
D. By OBEYING the Gospel (Hebrews 5:9) (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8) “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
E. By WALKING in the Light (1 John 1:5-9)
1. If we stumble…Repent and pray for forgiveness (Acts 8:22) “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.”
A. Forgiveness is a blessing from God (Romans 4:7-8) “Saying, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
B. Jesus came to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29) “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, ‘Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world’.”
C. Forgiveness is ONLY “IN” Christ (Acts 4:12) “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”