Gifted with Forgiveness

This is usually the first, the biggest and the most desperately needed gift of all—apart from the never-ending wonder of discovering that Jesus is alive and well, Risen from the dead and Ruler of the universe. You can’t really top that one! But being forgiven comes close.

And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

All scripture citations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.

Everyone Needs This

At least in practical terms, we have to be forgiven—truly and thoroughly forgiven—or we can’t live with ourselves. The burden is simply too great upon our conscience: of guilt, shame, self-blame, reproach, inward accusation, and fear of eventual and eternal punishment.[1] What are we leaving out? How the unrelenting burden of remembered sins hardens our hearts. The only way to get a fresh start is either a lobotomy or to have our slates wiped clean.

God chose to forgive us. This way (unlike the lobotomy method) we have the opportunity to learn from our mistakes. We summoned the faith courage to name sin as sin, making no excuse for ourselves, but admitting the truth about our moral failure instead. We have gone as beggars to God, hoping against hope that there might be just enough mercy for us to get by. Perhaps He can find it in His heart to forgive us just this once.

Then comes the astonishing revelation of grace: We will not be punished for our sins; just the opposite is happening. A great love is being revealed to us in spite of them![2] It is a love so great and a work so thorough that all of our sins—past, present and future—have been atoned for by the Blood of Christ. God has not only cleared our past record of wrongs, He stands ready to wash us clean from any new sin we are willing to confess and forsake.[3]

Forgiveness Clears the Way to Heaven

The forgiveness of our sins and our future resurrection to heaven go hand in hand. Because our sins are forgiven, because Jesus paid the death penalty that we deserved, we can live with confidence that we will make it home to heaven, living eternally with the One who died to save us. Forgiveness clears the way for us to enter our eternal inheritance in heaven; faith-confidence enables us to take joy in our bliss-filled future even now.

The forgiveness of our sins and the gift of new life through the Holy Spirit also go hand in hand. Because we are forgiven, because we have asked to be separated from our sins, God has placed His Spirit within us so that we can be “resurrected” into a new life of grace right now. Upheld by His Spirit, we can live with freshness like little children once again, trusting in and relying upon the One who loved us enough to die for us.[4] Forgiveness clears the way for us to enter our God-given inheritance on earth; faith-confidence enables us to take peace and joy that we can start fresh with God in any moment down here.

Next "Free Gift" to Open

Gifted with Glorification  Glorification is God going "over the top." All we really needed Him to do was save us from our earthly hells that bound us and from the hell we were inevitably earning by our accumulated sins. Just let us escape either one of those hells and God could have our praises into eternity! So He did; and so we shall. And still there is more...

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Forgiveness Scriptures

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:27-28

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins. Luke 1:76-77

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." Luke 24:45-47

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments. Luke 23:33-34

And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

“To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Acts 26:18

God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Acts 5:31

To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. Acts 10:43

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 1:7-8

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. Colossians 2:13-15