PRAYING LIKE JESUS DAY 23

GOD FORGIVES COMPLETELY

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” – C.S. Lewis

“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’” (Luke 23:34 NIV).

This week we have been looking at Jesus’ prayer on the cross.  Have you ever wondered if God could forgive the worst things you have done?  God’s love for us is unconditional and His forgiveness is complete.

Paul taught us that in that moment on the cross, all of the sin you and I will ever commit was charged against Jesus, and he took the consequences on himself.  In this moment of forgiveness, we gained access to the same resurrection power Jesus demonstrated.

“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” (Colossians 2:13-14 NLT).

God’s forgiveness is a promise to us, and He will not withhold it from us. Our human nature leads us to believe that we need to work to gain God’s forgiveness. The truth is, once we’ve confessed our sins to God and asked for His forgiveness, He offers it immediately and completely.

I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Not some unrighteousness, but all! God’s gift of forgiveness is complete. We sometimes think some things that are more permissible than others. We may convince ourselves that there are sins that have a lower eligibility of forgiveness. The reality is that all sin separates us from God, and His love for us supersedes our mistakes. God is quick to forgive us completely.  Through his forgiveness, we have no guilt, no shame, and remain in relationship with Him.

Forgiveness is essentially the cancellation of a debt. If a creditor cancels a debt in your favor, you are no longer responsible for payment. God’s forgiveness works on our behalf the same way. Once forgiven, our slate is wiped clean! God wants us to confess our sins and receive the freedom that comes with His complete forgiveness.

QUESTIONS FOR CONTEMPLATION

  • What has God already forgiven you for?

  • What do you need to ask him to forgive?

 

PRAYER POINTS

  • Pray and ask God to forgive your sin, and be specific.
  • Receive the forgiveness of Christ completely, and let it go.
  • Ask him to help you move forward into new strength.
City Church Chicago