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Archive for the ‘Forgiveness’ Category

A New Set of Duds!

Posted in Faith, Feelings, Forgiveness, God, gospel, tagged on April 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »

All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. – Galatians 3:27 (CEB)

Our criminal history with God has been expunged,1 so why continually dredge it up in prayer? Before coming to Christ, Yes! we need to be aware we are sinners in need of redemption, but not afterwards!

Though I am a sinner in my sight2 I am not one in his! He see me redeemed, clean, and dressed in his beloved son! He begins his character changing work in me, making me more like Christ in my actions, not from guilt but gratitude.

Prayer: Father, I am grateful that though I see my failures you see your son who died for my sins and ever lives his life in and through me!

Sound Bite: I have given my life to Christ, I am redeemed, and I will not let anyone tell me different.

– fritz
1 – Related Post: Expunged – April 23, 2011
2 – Related Post: Grasshoppers! – April 24, 2011

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Expunged

Posted in Explanations, Forgiveness, God, Guilt, tagged on April 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. – Hebrews 10:22-23

The Bible’s Letter to the Hebrews uses the rich imagery of the Old Testament to present the central benefit of Christ’s sacrifice for sin — a cleared conscience!

Clear, not from having done nothing wrong or sinful, but cleared by having our wrong deeds expunged by Christ’s actions. How do I know? God said so and I have no reason to doubt him. If the Judge, himself, says “Not Guilty!” who am I to argue?

Sound Bite: My criminal record with God has been expunged. In Christ I can walk with God as if I had never sinned.

-fritz

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Strange Scripture – Sins You Don’t Forgive

Posted in Apostles, Forgiveness, Jesus, tagged on April 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

“If you forgive anyone’s sins, they will be forgiven. But if you don’t forgive their sins, they will not be forgiven.” – Jesus (John 20:23 CEV)

Some think Jesus in this verse gives the apostles (and their the successors) the authority to decide who gets forgiveness and who doesn’t. This view has resulted in many abuses and is inconsistent with Christ’s mission to bring forgiveness to all who would receive him. So what did Jesus mean?

Jesus wasn’t putting them in charge of who gets forgiveness, he was giving them a commission.  I think he was saying his plan for taking his forgiveness to the world is through his followers participation – us offering our forgiveness as God’s divine forgiveness working through us.   I think he was further saying he has no backup plan – if we refuse then it won’t get done, the world will die in their sins, and it will be our fault.

This only makes sense – how can my neighbor (or brother, sister, boss, employee – you name it) know the forgiveness of Christ if I am unwilling to offer it through me?

Sound Bite: Christ’s forgiveness comes through us and if we don’t do it, it won’t get done.

– fritz

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