I Sinned...Now What? Part 4: Forgiveness

I Sinned...Now What?
Part 4: Forgiveness

The theological term for the process of becoming more like Christ is called sanctification, and it is a concept that seems to be experiencing somewhat of a revival among Christians. A quick look around your local Christian bookstore or online will reveal thousands of books, sermons, and teachings resources that give techniques and strategies about avoiding, hating, and eliminating sin in the Christian life. I have access to plenty of information and techniques to avoid sin as I live my new life in Christ. But what if I sin anyway?

Christians have historically been very bad at answering this question. In the early church, a book called the Shepherd of Hermas heretically seems to imply that believers can only be forgiven for continued sin once after they’re baptized. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, believed that Christians could actually obtain perfection and never sin again. There is staggeringly little honest teaching throughout Christendom on the personal continual battle with indwelling sin, especially in regards to failure. However, the Bible does address this issue and it is good to sort through it and be reminded of the truth. The Apostle Peter says, “Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder” (2 Peter 1:12-13). So let us be stirred up by way of reminder to continue our fight with sin both during and following failure.
Now What?
So what is the biblical response for Christians who struggle with sin? It can be outlined as the following: feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit, repenting, confessing, accepting forgiveness, and resolving to continue the fight. In past blogs we explored conviction, repentance, and confession. We will now discuss the next step, accepting forgiveness.
Accepting Forgiveness
“In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” (Ephesians 1:5-8)

The heavier our sinful actions weigh upon us, the more apparent the just and right consequences for those sins, the more and more beautiful the Gospel becomes as we believe, accept, and cherish what God has done for our Joy and his Glory through the cross of Christ Jesus.
Believe: Understanding Gospel Forgiveness
After we’ve sinned we understand the weight of our iniquity better then any gifted writer or preacher could ever communicate. It’s in these dark moments, when the glow and seduction of sin has vanished and we find ourselves caught on Satan’s hook that we realize forgiveness is never a flippant act. God, justice, Satan, angels, demons, even our own hearts, demand a payment for unrighteous lawlessness against the God of heaven and earth. The very fabric of reality cries out for our destruction because of our unrighteous lawlessness in the sight of God almighty! Thankfully, the Bible offers this hope: “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21-24). The Gospel is the answer to our ever-longing heart! The Gospel is the answer to those of us who know that we can never be good enough and to those of us who wrongly believe we deserve favor! The total and complete forgiveness offered through the Gospel is God’s gracious, precious, completely undeserved gift to us! We have not done anything within ourselves to deserve God forgiveness. The Biblical understanding of forgiveness is that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God the Father is most glorified because His perfect wrath was vindicated by crushing our sins completely on the bloody cross of Christ. Forgiveness is bought, and brought through the cross to be poured out abundantly on all those who would believe. “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25)
Accept: Trusting God’s total forgiveness
Many of us have a very difficult time accepting forgiveness. While we understand the Gospel intellectually, there is a strange disconnect between our brains and our hearts. I encourage those brothers and sisters who struggle with forgiveness to dedicate themselves to prayer, fasting, and purposeful community with fellow Christians while you mediate on biblical forgiveness. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us”(Psalm 103:12). Fight to have your mind and emotions in alignment so that you can say, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Fight against living in condemnation and don’t allow conviction over your sin to deteriorate into soul-numbing condemnation.
Cherish: trusting God’s forgiveness and extending it to others
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

We cherish God by rejoicing in the forgiveness he has given us in the gospel and announcing his offer to all those who will listen. Cherishing God’s glorious forgiveness in Christ means we put to death the hypocrisy of wanting justice for others when we’re wronged by them and forgiveness from others when we wrong them. We joyfully extend the complete, undeserved grace that God has shown us to others. We show others grace out of a deep desire to rejoice in what God has done by being a living picture of the Gospel to those around us. We want to live a life of forgiveness that demands an explanation. We continuously rejoice and praise God for redeeming us from dead religion to a living hope; all bets are on Jesus’ righteousness. Let us give thanks for what God has done! Let’s believe, accept and cherish the good news of Christ’s total and complete work for our forgiveness and God’s glory! And out of this, flows the last piece of our biblical response to sin in our life, the resolve to continue fighting, which will be expounded on in our next blog.

“Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
(Colossian 1:12-14)