“I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.”
Because your sins are forgiven you
Forgiveness is a wonderful Christian privilege. The word “forgiven” means to let go, pardon. Literally, it means to send off, to release, or to remit. God always forgives the wrongdoer and not the wrongdoing. The wrongdoing cannot be undone but the guilt of the wrongdoing can be undone. Forgiveness, then, means to remove the guilt of the wrongdoing. It is not possible to wipe out an event but it is possible to remove the guilt.
The tense of the words “are forgiven” in the Greek means that God forgave our sins in the past with the results that they stand forgiven forever. That is why we cannot make restitution for our sins. Jesus did all the restitution necessary. We do not have to do anything to receive forgiveness except accept the forgiveness in Christ.
1 Jn 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRINCIPLE:
The Christian stands forgiven forever because of Christ.
APPLICATION:
The foundation of becoming a Christian is an understanding of the doctrine of forgiveness. It is a release of great moment to know that God laid on Christ the guilt for our sin.
One thing all Christians have in common is forgiveness. It makes no difference to which denomination they belong, for if they embraced the cross, they have forgiveness. God forgives them completely, freely, and eternally. This is the line of demarcation between those who are Christians and those who are not.
God forgave all our sins in Christ. That is why the gospel is “good news.” God’s only remedy for sin is the death of Christ for our sins. Jesus obliterated our sins forever. Jesus solved the sin problem by dying on the cross. The person who trusts in Christ will never be punished by God for his sins.
Ac 5:31, “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.”
Ac 13:38-39, “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
Ac 26:18, “…to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’”
He 10:17, “…then He adds, Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
