FORGIVEN

To be completely forgiven bestows total freedom!

Some people never fully grasp God’s forgiveness in their lives.  Sins from their past continue to beat them up because they fail to accept or understand God’s complete forgiveness.  Defined, forgiveness is “the act of setting someone free from an obligation resulting from a wrong done against you.”

Forgiveness has three parts:

1. an injury.

2. a debt resulting from the injury.

3. a cancellation of the debt.

Our sin has injured and offends God.  He requires us ultimately to pay the debt with death. This death includes not only physical death but also spiritual death which is an eternal separation from Him.  But through Christ our debt can be cancelled because He was able to provide one sacrifice so great to cover all sin.

We read in Genesis 2:16-17 (NKJV) And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

The result of their disobedience to this command was physical death along with a separation from God (see Gen 3:22-24).  But God still had compassion and He made them garments from animal skins to hide their shame.  This was the beginning of the sacrificial system to bring mankind back into relationship with God.

Ephesians 1:7-8 (NKJV) In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

We are redeemed; that is we are bought back through the price of the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  Our forgiveness is a gift “according to the riches of His grace”.  Forgiveness is available for whoever will ask for it.  1 John 1:9 (NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

All our sin has been nailed to the cross.  When Jesus was crucified it was not some sin or just big sin but all sin was nailed to the cross!  The sacrifice so great to cover all sin could only be made by God Himself.  We appropriate that sacrifice into our lives when we confess our sin and acknowledge Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf.

God does want you to be free from the burden and bondage of sin.  When we can see and accept the total forgiveness offered to us in Jesus Christ; we then are restored in our fellowship with God and become His child.  In order to be totally free from sin we need to believe that the price paid by Jesus was big enough to cover it!  The Bible is clear that it was and therefore we can be free!

Romans 8:1a (NKJV) “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”

PATIENCE

It takes a long time to grow and mature fruit.

Waiting is hard to do!  That’s why we like the express (lane), fast (food), rapid (transit) and quickie (stores).  There’s nothing that raises one’s blood pressure faster than arriving at the checkout line with fifteen or more people ahead of you!  When it comes to patience; what ever we want, we want it now!

God’s Word however is clear that most of life’s greatest lessons are learned by waiting.  It’s been said that “waiting rooms can be hard classrooms”.  God’s Word tells us that he will compensate those who’ll wait on Him.  Without a doubt we want the compensation but it’s the waiting that becomes our problem.

Most would agree that nothing great is ever accomplished without persistence and patience.  Just ask any entrepreneur who gets his idea to become a reality.  Those who succeed in life are usually those who are willing to do what they don’t feel like doing!  No one feels like waiting; so why does God so often make us wait?

1.  God makes us wait in order for us to discover His will.

Lamentations 3:25 (NKJV) The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.

Even as we wait, God is doing a work.  As we wait our focus is upon Him.  We’re looking to Him to show us the way or provide what’s needed.  It keeps us dependent upon Him.  That’s where our focus should be.  That’s where our dependence needs to be placed.  He is to be our Lord and the one who is directing our lives.

2.  God makes us wait in order to increase our endurance and strength. (See Isaiah 40:29-31)

If we are able to appropriate or achieve whatever we wanted; we would never seek God or His help.  It is in our weakness that God reveals Himself.  When we admit our need of God; it then allows Him to do a work in us.  Being patient and waiting on God increases our faith, endurance and strength!  The weak seek instant gratification; the strong can delay it and wait for it.

3.  God makes us wait in order for us to give Him the glory.

 Isaiah 64:4c (NKJV) “God acts for the one who waits for Him.”

While we’re waiting; God is working on our behalf.  Don’t be misled into thinking that nothing is being done because you cannot see it being done.  Consider Jesus who at this very moment is continually mediating on your behalf with the Father!  (see 1Tim 2:5)

Therefore, when God does act and we experience His goodness, we will know without a doubt that He had done it and we will praise Him for it.

It takes a long time to grow a fruit tree before it bears fruit.  With constant pruning and care by the gardener the time will come for the tree to bear its fruit.  But it takes patience!  God is the expert gardener.  Trust Him and wait for Him because the fruit will be worth it.