DISCIPLERS BIBLE STUDIES
  • HOME
  • Bible Studies
  • Devotionals
  • Our Founder
  • Servant Team
  • Blog
  • Photos
  • Newsletter
  • Video Series
  • Contact
  • Donations

Forgiven

11/5/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
 The Bible is a love story, the story of God’s love for mankind in general and love for His people in particular. We have been looking at the manifestation of God’s love to His people through the spiritual blessings He has bestowed upon us. The apostle Paul calls them every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). We have reflected upon God’s blessing of redemption (Ephesians 1:7) and seen how that blessing is pictured in the love story of Boaz and Ruth -- just as Boaz paid a ransom to save Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, from poverty and took them under his wing (Ruth 2:12 and 3:9), God paid a ransom, the life of His only begotten Son, to save us from slavery to sin and take us under His wing (Psalm 91:4) by bringing us into His family (Ephesians 1:5).
 
But that is where the analogy ends, for God has done for us something that Boaz could never do for Ruth - something that no mere man could ever do for another. God has forgiven our sins. We are all sinners. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), so if God has chosen to redeem us and bring us into His family, if He desires to fellowship with us as sons and daughters, He must forgive us. As believers, we received God's forgiveness when we repented (denounced and turned away from) our sins and turned to Jesus Christ for salvation. Now all of our sins are forgiven forever. God has reached down and lifted us up to fellowship with Himself in the light.
 
The apostle John tells us that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5), so we had to be lifted out of the darkness of sin to fellowship with Him. Amazingly, God desires our fellowship, so He has graciously blessed us with the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished on us (Ephesians 1:7-8). For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, (1 Peter 3:18).  We need to understand that forgiveness is more than just a gift from God. Without forgiveness, we could never, ever fellowship with Him, and “we were made for God….made to know him and love him and be with him in a fellowship that is satisfying to the soul and, because it is satisfying to the soul, it is glorifying to His name (John Piper, DesiringGod.org).
 
This blessing of forgiveness was costly to God. Without the shedding of Blood, there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22), and Christ shed His blood for our sins, having been offered once to bear the sins of many (Hebrews 9:28). God may be calling you today to turn….from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that [you] may receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18). Although you are dead in your sins, they have been nailed to the cross with Christ, and you will be alive together with Him, with all your sins forgiven (Colossians 2:13-14), forever. God graciously forgives all of who believe. He has promised to cast all your sins into the depth of the sea (Micah 7:19) and “remember your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25).
 
“Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
 
Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!”
(Elisha Hoffman, 1878)

May we all take advantage of all our blessings in Christ,
Suzie
 
 


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Picture

    SUZIE KLEIN

    I have been involved in Disciplers since 1987, as a discussion leader, teacher, writer, and now as director. I am profoundly committed to the stewardship of this ministry which God has entrusted to me for a time. God’s word is the chief joy of my life. I cherish my personal time in the word, and I am filled with gratitude to be able to share His word with you, my fellow disciples in Christ.

    Categories

    All
    Kids
    Lessons
    Youth

    RSS Feed

Disciplers Bible Studies Inc. since 1994-2022

CONTACT US

  • HOME
  • Bible Studies
  • Devotionals
  • Our Founder
  • Servant Team
  • Blog
  • Photos
  • Newsletter
  • Video Series
  • Contact
  • Donations