THE WORD, “FORGIVENESS,” LITERALLY MEANS, “TO SEND AWAY…RELEASE – PARDON…CANCEL- ERASE….”

 CONSIDER 8 CHARACTERISTICS OF  FORGIVENESS...

1. – FORGIVENESS IS FROM GOD –

EXODUS 34;6-7 ; Moses wanted to see the glory of the LORD AND THE Lord revealed His character and said,…. “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;  who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin;” 

2. – FORGIVENESS IS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

– Matt 9:-8; “Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city. And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed.  “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, [a]son; your sins are forgiven.”  And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?  But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He *said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.”  And he got up and went home. But when the crowds saw this, they were []awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.”

 3. – FORGIVENESS IS ALL OF GRACE –

Eph 1:6-7;6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.[a] 7 He is so rich in kindness and GRACE that He purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins

4.-  FORGIVENESS IS AN IRREVERSIBLE PROMISE

HEBREWS 10:17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more .”  I WILL,” what? ” REMEMBER… how long, “NO MORE”

JEREMIAH 31:34 – SAYS “They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I WILL FORGIVE their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

 5.-FORGIVENESS IS  A DONE DEAL AND CONTINUOUS.

– REV 1:5 – “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins [a]by His blood,”

 6. –FORGIVENESS SHOWS THE READINESS OF GOD TO FORGIVE. 

– 2 COR 5:19 – “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.”

Psalm 32:1- “what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!”-

Someone has said, “Suddenly, at the moment of conversion, YOUR PAST WAS REVISITED, your record was expunged, your mistakes forgotten, your sin forgiven, your guilt removed, your record wiped clean, and your soul set free. It took a miracle to do that. “

7. – FORGIVENESS IS COSTLY

“…and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”- Heb 9:22- IT COST GOD HIS BELOVED SON

 8.- FORGIVENESS IS  TOTAL FORGIVENESS- NO DEFICIENCY

“ You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. “HAVING FORGIVEN US…. “ALL”…OUR TRANSGRESSIONS”- Colossians 2:13-14.How many of your sins are Forgiven you…ALL!!!!   – This is in the PAST TENSE. This is a done deal.

The word “forgiveness” in this verse means “canceled” or “erased.” God has erased all of your sins. A poor scribe in those days would use an expensive parchment to write on. There was no acid in the ink so the ink stayed on the surface of the parchment he wrote on and when he wanted to write something new he simply got a wet cloth and washed the ink of the surface and it was gone. No trace This is the word that is used here. God through the BLOOD OF his Beloved Son has ERASED the SIN record of your sin. There is No record! No not one against you. How glorious the sacrifice and power of the blood of Jesus Christ. It is a TOTAL forgiveness.

  •  FORGIVENESS IS FROM GOD.
  • THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
  • IS COSTLY.
  • IS ALL OF GRACE.
  • IS AN IRREVERSIBLE PROMISE.
  • IS A DONE DEAL.
  • GOD IS WILLING TO FORGIVE.
  • IS COSTLY.
  • IS TOTAL FORGIVENESS.

 

YOUR APPLICATION.

1.  CELEBRATE GOD– FOR EACH OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED.

2. REST IN HIS FORGIVENESS FOR YOU

3. TAKE ONE VERSE  FROM THE ABOVE-MENTIONED, PLACE IT ON A 3 BY 5 CARD OR ON YOUR PHONE AND MEMORIZE AND MEDITATE ON.

4. APPLY IT BY LIVING IN LIGHT OF WHAT HE DECLARES IS TRUE OF YOU, “IN CHRIST.”

5. SHARE THIS GOOD NEWS WITH SOMEONE ELSE TODAY. TO THE BELIEVER TO REMIND AND ASSURE THEM BASED ON HIS WORD. TO A LOST INDIVIDUAL WHAT