Part 15 of 16 -

 

Only Believe In Christ

“Believe” in Greek, is “pisteuo,” meaning “trust in, cling to, and rely upon.” We simply need to believe (trust in cling to and rely upon) that which God says in His written word concerning the forgiveness of sins – It is only by Christ’s shed blood, all our sins are taken away – past, present, and future sins.

We must see that the fact is…we as Christian believers cannot be condemned. We stand before God under a new relational paradigm. Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

When necessary, God also will sprinkle and cleanse our consciousness with “pure water” of the “Spirit of life.” He does this so we can keep on walking in Him, with our mind at ease, in a full assurance of faith.

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil (poneros, hurtful) conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  

Thus, we believers in this day of the dispensation of the grace of God may have total confidence in our good standing and our acceptance by God because we have believed “into Christ.”

Comparing Forgiveness of Sins Under the Two Paradigms of Law & Grace:

1) Still under the Law, Jesus gave the Jews this prayer that included the fact that they had to forgive first in order to receive forgiveness.  Matt 6:12 And (God) forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

While still under the dispensation of the Law (Matt 5:18), Jesus here presents a conditional requirement for Jews to be forgiven of sins. Any preacher who preaches this conditional requirement for forgiveness of sin today preaches “Law,” not “grace.”

2) Note how Jesus’ words to the children of Israel conflict with Paul’s words to the members of “the body of Christ” – those who are “in Christ” and not under the Law (Romans 6:14). God’s new paradigm for forgiveness of sins is ours under the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph 3:2, 2:8-9). Our forgiveness is unconditional. We simply receive forgiveness by receiving and trusting in Christ’s shed blood.

We are unconditionally and freely “justified.” Roman 3:24 Being justified (diction, rendered innocent) freely (Gk. doreen, without cause, unconditional) by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

We also may note that today, “in Christ,” we stand “already forgiven” and so we are then to forgive others freely. Here Paul writes, telling the Ephesian members of “the body of Christ” how they are to forgive each other. Eph 4:32 be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath (already, past tense) forgiven you. Col. 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave (already, past tense) you, so also do ye.

How is it that God has already forgiven us?

God has already forgiven us freely, before we ever forgave anyone. Thus, the contrast is significant when comparing forgiveness under the gospel to the circumcision with that of the gospel to the uncircumcision.

Then how is it that we can forgive others, and even ourselves?

Reminding us of this truth, Paul encourages us to forgive others in the same way that we have been forgiven freely. So now we now forgive others freely.

We must see that God not only forgave us freely, but He also then freely gave us His life and His love to be on the inside of us, by which we can love and forgive others. Thus, He has equipped us to forgive ourselves, and others freely – no matter how they may have wronged us.

The way of forgiveness is the way of liberation from the effects of the sins of others who have sinned against us. We can agree with Jesus’ prayer on the cross.

Luke 23:34a (KJV) Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…