December 14, 2021

Forgiveness… what would we do without God’s forgiveness of our sins?

God’s forgiveness of our sins comes with a specific condition…

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” mat 6:14-15 nkjv

Where is “forgiveness” centered in our humanity? Do we fully understand what it is to forgive and to be forgiven? From my point of view, I think that to understand these things that we must be in tune with what Yahweh [God] means by forgiveness. Most likely, if you are like me, you may have a hard time getting deep enough into Yahweh’s thinking to fully comprehend the meaning of all this. In particular, this subject has always challenged me. I think it fits into the realm of Yahweh’s unfathomable love for us… a deeper subject than I can understand. Thankfully, as we pursue Yahweh’s ways, with a pure and sincere heart, He will sufficiently teach us what we need to know.

It would seem, to me, that forgiveness originated in the garden episode where Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You can read about it in Geneses Chapter 3. The two “first humans” were banished from the paradise of the Garden, where Yahweh once walked among them, they “died” from their eternal immortal state, and became mortal beings… although they were separated from personal physical fellowship with Yahweh, they were not abandoned by Him. The first blood sacrifice for the covering of sin was when Yahweh made clothing for them from “once living” animals. Gen 3:21 I understand this to be an act of “forgiveness,” but not ultimate reconciliation (which will come in in the final resurrection and judgment of mankind).

Clearly, sin separates man from Yahweh [God]… an unrepentant person is walking in death, separation from Yahweh, by choice, it would seem to me.

When we confess our sins, because of what Yeshua [Jesus] accomplished for us at the Cross, we through His faithfulness, are cleansed from all unrighteousness…

For He [Yahweh] made Him [Yeshua] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 cor 5:21 nkjv

It gets even more amazing:

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” rom 5:8 nkjv

So then, our “forgiveness” comes at a very high price; the innocent sacrificed for the unjust. Our response should be, to forgive that one who does not “deserve it,” in our eyes… In fact, it is “Christ in us,” doing the forgiving, we are only obeying the “rules” that Yahweh alone has authority to make. This is the part where we trust Yahweh by faith… Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please God.”

I now encourage you to read Proverbs Chapter 2, and then Psalms Chapter 32. It will enlarge one’s understanding of the devotional message given here.

Shalom... John