I believe that there is only one place in the Bible that speaks specifically of God Forgiving the “GUILT” associated with our sin. This reference is found in Psalm 32:5. I find this to be an interesting scripture (v. 5) in that it speaks to God Forgiving our “GUILT.” Usually the Bible speaks of God Forgiving the sin that produces the guilt. I believe that this is the singular place in God's Word that speaks of God forgiving our guilt.
Psalm 32:1 speaks of The Old Testament Concept of “Covering our sin." I use the term "Old Testament Concept" because it is a Concept that is not carried forward into The New Testament. When Jesus Christ paid our "Sin Debt" upon The Cross of Calvary, He made it possible for our sin to be not only “Forgiven" but also “Cleansed." I hear songs and messages that still use the term “our sin is covered.’
This is not only an incorrect term to use in this New Testament Era, it is an insult to Jesus Christ Our Lord. If our sin could only be covered today it would mean the shed blood and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ was no better than the shed blood of animals that "covered" man’s sin during the "Old Testament Era."
What do I mean by “The Old Testament Era” and "The New Testament Era?” In the Old Testament Era God gave Moses The Law as a Guide for His People. This included a series of sacrifices that the selected Priests would offer on a regular basis to God as "A Covering" for the sins of the people. This "Covering” was a temporary covering to simply “cover” the sins of the people until such time as Jesus Christ would come into the world as The Perfect Sacrifice to Atone for the sins of all people. As the scripture states “at the right time” God sent His Son into the world with the expressed intent of Jesus Christ going to The Cross, shedding His Blood, laying down His Life as FULL payment for ALL SIN, FOR ALL MEN, FOR ALL TIME." (See Hebrews, Chapters 7-10)
As we read in Rom 5:6-10, (6) “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. (8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” NASU
Jesus was (and is) the PERFECT SACRIFICE. His PERFECT BLOOD and SACRIFICIAL DEATH PAID FOR ALL SIN, FOR ALL MANKIND, FOR ALL TIME. (Hebrews 10:12-14) This is an extremely important Concept in God’s Word. Yes, Jesus Paid for ALL SIN. FOR ALL MANKIND, FOR ALL TIME.” Yet, millions upon millions of people will go into Hell WITHOUT GOD’S FORGIVENESS OF THEIR SINS. WHY? Because these people will never REQUEST OR ACCEPT GOD’S FORGIVENESS THAT IS ALREADY FULLY PAID FOR BY JESUS CHRIST AND IS LOVINGLY AND FREELY GIVEN BY GOD TO ALL WHO ASK FOR IT.
In John 3:16-17 we read these Wonderful Words of Jesus, “John 3:16-17, (16) "For God so loved the world, (mankind) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (17) "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” NASU Therefore, when we confess our sin, we receive God’s Forgiveness and Cleansing. 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” NASU (Praise God and Thanks be to Jesus Christ for His Most Wonderful Gift to us.)
These verses perfectly summarize God’s “New Testament Plan of Salvation.” The New Testament (New Covenant) is based on The Perfection of Jesus Christ. The New Testament results in “ERADICATING OUR SIN,” “COMPLETELY CLEANSING US OF ALL SIN,” and “FILLING US WITH THE VERY RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.” When we Confess our sin, and receive God’s Forgiveness, His Cleansing, and His Filling, we become “A New Creation,” “A Holy People,” “The Very Righteousness of God.”
The “Old Testament (Covenant)” temporarily “covered” our sin. The “New Testament (Covenant)” permanently ERADICATES our sin, CLEANSES us of ALL our sin, and FILLS US WITH GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS.” PRAISE GOD!!!!
When King David was writing about God’s Forgiveness in Psalm 51 and Psalm 32 let’s remember that He was living under The Old Covenant.
I believe that The Holy Spirit (That was “UPON" King David) gave him understanding that there was a "Greater Plan of Forgiveness" coming in the future. King David had received “The Anointing” of The Holy Spirit but not “The Indwelling” of The Holy Spirit. The "Permanent Indwelling" of The Holy Spirit was not to occur until Pentacost in Acts, Chapter 2. (Remember that King David prayed in Psalm 51:10-12, (10) “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. (11) Do not cast me away from Your presence. And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me . (12) Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. And sustain me with a willing spirit.” NASU In “The Old Testament Era” The Holy Spirit did not come to permanently indwell a human being. Actually, He could not do so because the sin of the human being was only “Covered" and was still there inside the human being. Therefore, The Holy Spirit only “came upon” the individual to "empower" him (or her) for God Ordained Service. Remember, The Prophet Samuel had “anointed" David as a teen-ager in his father's household and David had experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit for much of his life. David's sin of adultery and murder placed him in the position of The Holy Spirit’s presence departing from David UNLESS David confessed and repented of his sin before God. When Nathan, God’s Prophet, confronted King David about his sin, David confessed and repented of his sin Psalm 51 is King David’s prayer of confession and repentance and Psalm 32 is the result (God’s Response to King David).
Psalms 32:1-7 (Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God. A Psalm of David. A Maskil.) How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.
5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, " I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. NASU
Psalms 51:1 A Contrite Sinner's Prayer for Pardon. (King David) For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. (2) Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. (3) For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. (4) Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.
(5) Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. (6) Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. (7) Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (8) Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. (9) Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities.
(10) Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. (11) Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me . (12) Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. (13) Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.
(14) Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. (15) O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. (16) For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. (17) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
(18) By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. (19) Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.” NASU
GIL’S THOUGHTS ON FORGIVENESS
I have found the unwillingness to forgive to be one of the greatest hindrances to the joyful life of a Christian. In fact Jesus points out that God, Our Father Forgives us AS WE FORGIVE OTHERS (AND ONLY AS WE FORGIVE OTHERS). In the Model Prayer that Our Lord gave us as recorded in Matthew 6:12-15 we read these Words of Jesus, (12) “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (13) And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Jesus then added these Words, (14) "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (15) "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” NASU
Here Jesus makes it abundantly clear that our receiving Forgiveness from God, Our Father is wholly contingent upon our forgiving others. I believe that it is also wholly contingent upon our forgiving ourselves. Whether we are "filled" with unforgiveness directed toward others or ourselves, we are either way “filled with unforgiveness.” And, when we are filled with unforgiveness, how can we also be filled with Forgiveness? We cannot receive the filling of God's Forgiveness when we are filled with Unforgiveness.
Only God can “empty us of the sin of unforgiveness." we cannot do it. But, we can give God permission to empty us of unforgiveness. And when we do give God permission, He is ready, willing, and very able to do just that. 1 John states, 9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." NASU
It is amazing to me to observe that so many Christians carry a load of “unforgiveness" seemingly unwilling or unable to “release” this "load of sin" to God for His Forgiveness and Cleansing. I believe the reason for this is the ugly human nature of Pride. Pride was the downfall of the devil and it remains a most useful tool for him to use against us. Oh how he appeals to our Pride to entice us to hold onto unforgiveness. Yes, “the lust of the flesh,” “the lust of the eyes," and “the boastful pride of life," continue to be the devil’s most powerful tools to use against us. In 1 John 2:15-17 we read, (15) "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. (17) The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." NASU Remember that the devil tried to use these three "tools" on Jesus Himself as recorded in Matt 4:1-11 (The Temptation of Jesus) “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (2) And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. (3) And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." (4) But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" (5) Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, (6) and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU.' And 'ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" (7) Jesus said to him, " On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'" (8) Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; (9) and he said to Him, " All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." (10) Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" (11) Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” NASU We need to realize that these three methods are tried and true methods that the devil and his demons use against us every day we live in these human bodies.
I find that these people hold to many myths about the subject of Forgiveness.
Here are a few: Forgiveness must be earned. NO! It is a free gift provided by GOD through Jesus Christ. It cannot be earned. It is offered freely to us by God and we must in turn offer it freely to others.
Forgiveness may be granted if the offender "asks for Forgiveness."
NO! The offending person does not have to ask to be forgiven by you. We must give forgiveness unconditionally. Remember, when Jesus was on the Cross -- He said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."
We are COMMANDED TO FORGIVE OTHERS regardless of what the offending person does or does not do.
Forgiveness may be given once, or maybe twice, but surely not over and over again for the same offence.
NO! To the question asked by Peter, "How many times must I forgive my brother? Seven Times?" Jesus responded, "No, 70 times 7!" There is NO limit to GOD'S forgiveness of us. There must be no limit to our forgiveness
of one another. We must "sow" forgiveness in the lives of others BEFORE we can expect to reap GOD'S forgiveness in our own lives.
I can harbor unforgiveness against GOD, against myself, or someone else and still be forgiven by GOD.
NO! The Scripture says over and over again. GOD FORGIVE US AS WE FORGIVE OTHERS! Even in the "model prayer" that Jesus gave us which we call the Lord's prayer, Jesus said in Matthew 6:12, "Forgive us our
debts, (sins, trespasses) AS we forgive those who are our debtors (or those who trespass against us." JESUS went on to stress the point in verses 14 and 15 that, "If you don't forgive others, your FATHER will not forgive you." NO!
I can’t grant forgiveness to another person unless I feel it!
NO! Actually the ACT of forgiveness has little to do with feelings. Forgiveness is granted by our “WILLINGNESS” to “Forgive.” We must decide with our WILL to forgive and then stand on this decision. Feelings will ultimately “catch up” with our will. We must not allow our “feelings” to control our decisions and/or actions.
I deserve forgiveness.
NO! We deserve Justice and that means that as sinners we deserve death. We never can deserve forgiveness. Forgiveness is granted freely and without price by GOD THE FATHER, through the LORD JESUS CHRIST IF we truly confess our sins to HIM.
I must "clean myself up"-- "straighten my life out" before I can ask for or expect to be forgiven by GOD.
NO! We come to GOD OUR FATHER just as we are, confessing our sin and as 1 John 1:9 states, "If we confess our sins, GOD (OUR FATHER) is Faithful and Just (Justified because JESUS has paid for all sin, for all mankind, for all time) to forgive our sin AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.
I can surely do something that will atone for (pay for) my sin and gain God’s forgiveness?
NO! I can never in a million years do anything to atone for (or pay for) my sin. That's the reason JESUS had to come – to be the “Perfect Sacrifice” – to Pay for my sins AND FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE OF MANKIND.
HE paid all of sin's debt -- my sins (all of them) were placed on JESUS at the Cross and he paid for all of them -- then and there – FINISHED – COMPLETE - DONE!
As we yield to the LORD JESUS CHRIST and allow HIM to live HIS LIFE in us and through us -- as HE loves in us and through us, we are able to freely forgive others by the POWER OF JESUS CHRIST within us. Let us be wise. Let us allow JESUS CHRIST to live in us -- to live through us. Let's allow the works done through us to be GOD'S WORKS, NOT OUR OWN. It is POSSIBLE to let JESUS CHRIST forgive others through me. It is IMPOSSIBLE for me to forgive others in my own strength. Through CHRIST, I CAN DO ALL THINGS.
Scriptures:
1. Matthew 6:12,13,& 14
2. Matthew 18:21 & 22
3. Matthew 18: 23-35 Parable on Forgiveness
4. II Cor. 2:5-11
5. Luke 23:24
6. I John 1:9
7. Eph. 4:32
8. Luke 7:42-43 The One who realizes that he has been forgiven of much, LOVES much!
THE ONE WHO IS FORGIVEN MUCH LOVES MUCH!
Luke 7:36-50 (36) Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. (37) And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, (38) and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. (39) Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." (40) And Jesus answered him, "Simon , I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." (41) "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. (42) "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" (43) Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly." (44) Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. (45) "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. (46) "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. (47) "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." (48) Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven." (49) Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, " Who is this man who even forgives sins?" (50) And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (NASU)
TRUE CONFESSION OF OUR SIN
WE MUST COME TO GOD IN HUMILITY!
We must be willing and ready to humble ourselves before GOD in the spirit of Philippians 2:3-11. Yes, we must humble ourselves before HIM in order for HIM to “HEAR OUR PRAYER.” Even in our Worship, we all to often, find ourselves in a condition much like the “Laodicean Church” of Revelation 3:14-22. In verse 20, we hear JESUS saying that HE is outside -- knocking on the door -- offering to come in and fellowship with whoever will open the door. GOD (FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT) are all to often excluded from the worship service! Like the Laodicean church we feel that we have everything in control and “have need of nothing.” Too often, the “performance” of the music, the organist, the choir, the drama group, and/or the “preacher” take center stage. After a beautiful song we often applaud. Who are we applauding? Are we giving our “praise” to GOD or to “man?” If we are engaging only in a “form of worship” then GOD will not be present! Remember, GOD tells us in II Chronicles 7:14 that HE will “HEAR” if we humble ourselves, pray, seek HIS face, and turn from our wicked ways.
WE MUST CONFESS OUR SINS IN A SPIRIT OF HUMILITY!
Oh, how difficult it is for us to confess! Our sin of pride keeps us from recognizing and admitting our many sins. Our pride keeps us from humbling ourselves before GOD, and confessing our sins to HIM! It’s VITAL THAT WE HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE A JUST AND ALMIGHTY GOD! TRUE CONFESSION CANNOT AND WILL NOT OCCUR WITHOUT OUR FIRST HUMBLING OURSELVES!
We must confess our sin of pride and our ever-present sin of unconcern before we can truly enter into effective prayer. And we must confess our sin of selfishness. We are steeped in a “self-centered-what’s-in-it-for-me” culture that has permeated the “Church.” Our focus is on ourselves, on what we need, on what we want and what we don’t have. Our focus must change to be on GOD -- FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT. We must confess our many gross sins as individuals! We must also confess our many sins within THE CHURCH (THE BODY) OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!
OUR NEED TO REPENT OF OUR SIN!
Finally, WE MUST REPENT of these many sins! We must have a “Godly Sorrow” for our sins and we must turn from them to GOD. Notice that “turning” from our sin is only half the way! We must then turn to GOD, asking HIM to cleanse us of all sin and to fill us with HIMSELF (RIGHTEOUSNESS). Let us pray for GOD in HIS MERCY to grant us a spirit of GODLY SORROW FOR OUR SINS!
Let us pray for ourselves –
for THE HOLY SPIRIT to convict us of our many sins,
for us to “recognize” our many sins as SIN,
for us to be willing to “own” our sins,
for us to be willing to “admit” our sins
for us to be willing to “confess” our sins,
and finally, for a “GODLY SORROW” to be
given to us by THE HOLY SPIRIT so that we will truly humble ourselves, pray, seek HIS face, and repent of our sin II Ch 7:14.
Have you noticed the four requirements. They should not be strange to us, for we have heard them so often. In summary these requirements are that we come to GOD our FATHER
(1) truly seeking HIM in Prayer,
(2) genuinely humbling ourselves before HIM,
(3) honestly confessing our sins to HIM, and
(4) sincerely repenting of these sins in HIS presence.
We see these requirements set forth in the very familiar scripture in II Chronicles 7:14. GOD’S promise to us is that HE will then hear us, forgive our sin, and heal our land. If and when we approach the “worship service” with this kind of attitude, we will meet GOD and we will experience “true PRAYER -- TRUE COMMUNION WITH GOD!”
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Pastor J. Gilbert Hammond