2 Peter 1:4 "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
One of the reasons it is so hard to grasp the true forgiving power of Christ's shed blood is because it just seems too good to be true. God's Word is true, and it tells us that through Christ, we have exceedingly great and precious promises.
The word precious in my opening passage refers to the Greek word timios, which actually means valuable or costly. These promises that God has given us, cost Jesus everything. He paid a steep price for our redemption, healing and deliverance.
So it is absolutely essential for us to realize the forgiving power of the Blood of Jesus! Nothing we can do will ever add to or take away from the work that Christ did on the cross. As the song sings, "What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!"
(1) If you have to do something to receive forgiveness of your sins, then you will always wonder if you've done enough.
Galatians 3:11, "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith."
Knowing that your conscience is clean is very important. A while back, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, "You need to know that you are clean before me-your faith depends upon it!"
a. The Blood of Jesus was shed to not only forgive, but to remove our sin.
-In the Old Testament, the priests would sacrifice lambs, goats, and other such things to cover the people's sins. However, this sacrifice was not significant enough to remove the stain of sin. But since Christ shed His blood, our sin can be removed from our account.
b. In Hebrews 10 the writer paints us a clearer picture.
Verses 14-18 “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.”
c. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 26:28, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
The word remission here is referring to the Greek word aphesis which means:
"Forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty."
d. John the Baptist also confirmed this when he saw Jesus coming to him in John 1:29 and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
(2) We always need to remember that forgiveness of our sins is a gift. We cannot deserve it or earn it in any way, but we must receive it as a gift.
Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."
-We are told that through faith in Christ Jesus, we can obtain forgiveness of our sins through the blood that He shed for us:
Galatians 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
John 3:15 "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Romans 3:28 "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
Galatians 3:11 "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith."
Galatians 3:24, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
It is through faith in Christ Jesus that we are made right with God. The Bible even goes on to show that if we try to make ourselves righteous by our own works, then we are missing the whole point, and therefore we are not truly accepting the work that Christ did as significant.
In the NLT Galatians 5:1; 4 says, "So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law... For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace."
(3) Justified is another powerful word used in the Bible to describe the forgiveness of our sins and restoration of our relationship with God.
Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
If we take the word justified in this verse, and look it up we are given the Greek word dikaioo, which means, "to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent: - free, justify (-ier), be righteous." When a person is justified, it makes them innocent just as if they have never sinned. This is the very reason that we can live a new life in Christ, because when we have repented of our sins, we are made right with God and have the righteousness of God upon us.
Romans 3:22 "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe..."
This is the divine exchange.
a. Christ was punished for our sins, so that we can receive forgiveness.
b. He was given our shame so that we can receive His righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21 "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."
(4) Living the exchanged lifestyle.
Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
-After we repent (confess and turn from) our sins, and believe upon Jesus Christ and the work that He has done for us on the cross, our life is in Christ and we are identified with Him and His righteousness, thereby setting us free from guilt and condemnation.
Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
-Romans 6:3-6 tells us that our old self was crucified with Christ and buried with Him, and we are raised to new life in Christ Jesus.
-When we are raised to new life we are also considered a new person; old things having passed away and all things became new.
2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
The Greek word for repent used often in the NT is metanoeo, which means, "to think differently or afterwards, reconsider." To repent of a sin is not simply to confess it as sin, but to actually turn from it and change your mind about it.
-Just like the woman at the well.
John 8:11, "She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."
-Just like the thieves in Ephesus.
Ephesians 4:28, "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."
(5) We are entitled to a clean conscience.
Because of the costly work that Christ did for us on the cross, we can be forgiven of our sins, and the stain of guilt removed. So much so, that God's Word states clearly that we can enter the throne room with boldness because our sins are removed from our account!
Hebrews 10:2"...The worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins...
19 “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus...”
22 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."
This means that because of the work that Jesus did for us on the cross, you and I are entitled to a guilt free conscience.
Colossians 1:21-23"And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister…”
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