Increasingly, it seems, those who profess to know Jesus and understanding of the gospel are returning to the old covenant law, declaring that only past and present sins are forgiven, and thus, binding people from the freedom and liberty that is inherent in trusting our Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mark 12:28-31; Deuteronomy 6:4; Galatians 5:1; Hebrews 9:15-18) These do not understand that the Lord God is One. Neither do they understand the principles of the doctrine of Christ, whereby God Himself was manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:10-11; Revelation 1:8, 11)
As Jesus in His own words had said, He came "to open their eyes, and to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me." (Acts 26:15-18; Isaiah 35:5; Isaiah 42:7, 16; I Peter 2:9; Luke 1:77; Collosians 1:12; Acts 20:32)
The first message to the early church, on the day of Pentecost, delivered successfully to 3,000 souls by Peter standing with the eleven apostles says it all. "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Then Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:36-47)
Herein, these that gladly received His Word were baptized, and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers, and fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all [men] as every man had need, and continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Not "some" of His Word but every word as it is written -- precept upon precept and line upon line. It is for this reason that I list scriptures below that speak to the importance of forgiveness of sins in the context of the message delivered. In several of the cited scriptures, the point is made clearly, while in others, it is critical to understand the message in the passage. Nevertheless, we are to study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed -- rightly dividing the Word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15)
In this sense, we should never forget that we have been purged from our old sins. (I Peter 1:10)
"And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him ... and whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." (I John 3:22)
And what is the commandment referred to here? "And this is His commandment -- that we should believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He gave us commandment, and he that keeps His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him. And hereby, we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us." (I John 3:19-24) Stand in the offering plate.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgives all thine iniquities; who heals all thy diseases; who redeems thy life from destruction; who crowns thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; who satisfies thy mouth with good [things; so that] thy youth is renewed like the eagles” (Psalm 103:1-5)
The Lord – “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pities [His] children, so the Lord pities them that fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust … but the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him and His righteousness unto children’s children …” (Psalm 103:8-17)
“… for Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back. For the grave cannot praise Thee, death can not celebrate Thee …. The Lord [was ready] to save me; therefore, we will sing My songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.” (Isaiah 38:17)
“I, [even] I, [am] He that blots out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” (Isaiah 43:25)
“In those days, and in that time,” saith the Lord, “the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and [there shall be] none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found, for I will pardon them whom I reserve.” (Jeremiah 50:20)
“Come now, and let us reason together,” saith the Lord, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land …” (Isaiah 1:18-19)
“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon His name, and they shall be Mine,” saith the Lord of hosts, “in that day when I make up My jewels, and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serves him …” (Malachi 3:16-17)
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power; in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [Him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out he handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross …” (Colossians 2:9-14)
“According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love …. In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace …” (Ephesians 1:4-7)
“In whom we have redemption through His blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; for by Him were all things created …” (Colossians 1:14-16)
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory …” (Ephesians 1:13-14)
“For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves – it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast …” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
“Then said He, “Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second.” By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all]. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever …” (Hebrews 10:9-12)
Ephesians 2:1-22 “And you [hath He quickened] who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past … but God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved;) and hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus – that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus … but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made night by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace, who hat made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us] having abolished in His flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace, and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father … in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit”
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“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy Him that had the power of death; that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage, for verily He took not on [Him the nature of] angels, but He took on [Him] the seed of Abraham. Wherefore, in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto [His] brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people – for in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:14-18)“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause, He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator lives. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.” Moreover, he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place every year with blood of others -- for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:12-22)
“And for this cause, He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator lives, whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood.” (Hebrews 9:15-18)
“For He hath made Him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (II Corinthians 5:21)
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said unto them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:36-38)
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