God Promises to Forgive Your Sins

Suggested Reading: Ephesians 1:1-14

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression, for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot you will cast out all our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-19

We might not do it consciously but even as we vow to forgive others for the things they do against us we might have a hidden list of sins that we find unforgiveable. If we search our heart and mind, they will surface. Some sins or offenses we will automatically forgive without hesitation, others may give us pause but eventually we do forgive. But there are those things we just cannot bring ourselves to forgive. Who can say what those unforgiveable sins against us are: for some it might be being lied on, stolen from, cheated on, being betrayed in some way, gossiped about, abused, having a loved one taken from us by the action of another through an act of violence. We cannot judge another for the things they cannot forgive, each person knows, and God will minister to them as they wrestle and weigh forgiving against holding onto unforgiveness.

What is fascinating and awe-inspiring about this amazing promise of God to forgive all our sin is that it is what it says. The definition of “all” is “referring to the whole quantity or extent of a particular group or thing; including everything, the whole amount, completely taken up with, given to, or absorbed by, leaving nothing out, taking no exceptions.”    

David said, my sin is ever before me; meaning even when others may not know the extent of our terribleness and the sins we have committed, we know what we have done and more than that, no sin is hidden from God. Even if we committed it forty years ago, in the dead of night when everyone else was asleep or away from home or we were away from them. Even if nobody else was anywhere around and never learned of what we did: we know what we have done, and God knows. We can think of the most terrible sins we have committed, the most closely guarded sins of our heart and even these God does not withhold forgiveness. Think of your most horrible sin you have committed in your life; think of the sin you have been so afraid others would find out about you, think of the most terrible thing you have said, done, thought about; the moment you go to God all are forgiven through the work of Jesus on the Cross. God does not have a  secret list of unforgiveable sins he keeps hidden beneath the mercy seat but lives up to his promise to forgive every sin we confess to him.

We should not forget this important truth, but we do. That is where guilt and shame come from. That is why we stay away from church, stay away from prayers, stay away from God, stay away from the Lord’s Supper, run from inner peace and the soul’s rest.

We can be encouraged to approach God’s throne of grace wit ha contrite heart and broken spirit, ready to confess our deepest, darkest secrets—no matter how old they are—and be prepared to come away completely absolved, the weight of sin and guilt lifted off our shoulders and mind. With relieved hearts and enlightened consciousness. God’s promise to forget our sin is enacted the moment he forgives our sin. we should not let the devil keep us from enjoying this blessed state that we can live out in our time and in our future with God in heaven. Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father it is nothing but fear, fear of rejection, fear of judgment, fear of punishment that keeps us from coming to you ready to confess all. To all who come the surprise of a lifetime is waiting and it cannot be underestimated. Thank you for the sweet and powerful promise of forgiveness of all sin; not just some. May we press through fear, apprehension, the devil’s lies, and unsubstantiated rumors so we can know firsthand the joy of being a forgiven, redeemed sinner. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen