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"PRECIOUS FORGIVENESS"
We all know the
feeling. You've said or done something hurtful to someone you love
dearly. The words echo in your mind; you would do almost anything to be
able to reach back and snatch them from the air. The image of the deed
haunts your every waking moment; you see yourself committing the act
again every time you close your eyes, and nothing you do will erase the
picture. Finally, you to to that loved one and speak those words that
come sometimes so hard: "I was wrong. I'm sorry."
And then you hear that precious reply: "I forgive you." What joy! What a
burden lifted! To be forgiven means to be made whole and right again in
the sight of the one we have
offended. We no longer need fear their anger, their rejection. The
relationship that had been broken is restored; two parties that had been
separated by a wrong done are reunited. Until we have been forgiven, we
simply cannot rest.
A loving God created us with this deep-rooted desire to be forgiven when
we do wrong. Without such a desire, we would not seek out God's
forgiveness, which He has made
freely available in His Son. Without this need to rectify our situation,
we could not have a relationship with God, for all have sinned (Rom.
3:23). Nor could we have any form of relationship with one another,
for we would routinely injure and shame each other with impunity.
The wail of a shattered conscience can be bitter indeed. Think, for
example, of Esau who, having foolishly sold his birthright for a bowl of
soup, realized only afterward the shamefulness of what he had done:
"He found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with
tears" (Heb. 12:16,17). Esau's conscience cried out to be restored
to his
position as the firstborn of his father. How miserable he must have been
to come to recognize at last that the deed could not be undone!
We might also call to mind Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Son of God
into the hands of lawless men for thirty pieces of silver. Judas, upon
seeing that Jesus had been
condemned to death, cast the wretched ransom at the feet of the chief
priests, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."
After this, he went out and hanged himself (Matt. 27:3-5). Judas
could find no way to remedy his crime, no means for rejoining himself
with the One with whom he had often shared bread.
And consider Simon Peter, who boldly scoffed at Jesus' prophecy he would
deny his Master, yet did indeed deny Him even with cursing. When the
rooster crowed and "the Lord turned and looked at Peter" (Lk. 22:61),
how Peter's conscience must have howled in anguish within him at the
knowledge that he had indeed denied Christ! How tormented his soul must
have been when he wandered off by himself, weeping bitterly!
Oh, but how sweet for Peter to know at last that his sin had been
forgiven him! Doubtless these things were in his heart when he wrote by
inspiration: "And above all things have fervent love for one another,
for love will cover a multitude of sins" (1 Pet. 4:8). Once
separated from his Lord and Savior, Peter found forgiveness. His
conscience was at peace.
Peter stated, "There is also an antitype which now saves us -- baptism
(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ! (1
Pet. 3:21). If you are not a child of God, surely you recognize that
you stand condemned to death because of sin (Rom. 5:12). Won't
you consider accepting His forgiveness, humbly obeying His Son's command
to believe and be baptized for the salvation of your soul (Mk. 16:
16; Acts 2:38)?
----Michael D. Rankins in The Whetstone
Vol. 3, No. 34, Nov. 5, 2006.
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