You Are Forgiven!

 

When God forgives, God forgets!  Forgiveness from God results in a complete fresh start from God’s perspective.  Nothing of the old is counted against a person.  No matter how many times a person sins against God, he/she is still forgiven and is able to experience a new beginning.  Any time we turn to God with a sincere heart and admit our failures, shortcomings, and willful rebellion, God hears our prayer and responds with forgiveness.  We stand before God totally cleansed because God never holds our past sin against us.

 

God says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool”   (Isaiah 1:18).  “I love the world so much, that I gave My only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  For I did not send Jesus into the world to condemn it, but to save it”  (John 3:16-17).  “I will lovingly deliver your soul from the pit of corruption; I will cast all of your sins behind your back”  (Isaiah 38:17).  “As far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your transgressions from you”  (Psalm 103:12).  “I forgive your wickedness and will remember your sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12).

 

Jesus spoke in parables in order to relate to His audience and to help his explanations sound more interesting to the public.  Below are two very influential parables spoken by Jesus:

 

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl (Matthew 13:44-46)

⁴⁴"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
⁴⁵"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

 

What do you think these parables mean?  Put into your own words the meaning of these two parables.  Identify the elements in each parable (i.e. who is the man/merchant, what is the treasure/pearls, where is the field, and what is the symbolism behind “sold everything he had?”).  Figure out the meaning behind this parable on your own. Then, read the interpretation at the bottom of this page…  

 

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Meaning behind the parables:

1)     man/merchant… is Jesus

2)     treasure/pearls… are human beings

3)     the field… is the world/cosmos

4)     sold… Jesus gave up His life for you when He was crucified

 

In other words, with the symbolic meaning inserted into these parables, it now reads like this:

The kingdom of heaven is like human beings hidden in the world.  When Jesus found them, He hid them again, and then in His joy gave up His very life (crucifixion) for those human beings.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like Jesus looking for human beings. ⁴⁶When He found them, He gave up His very life for them.

  

• Have you ever experienced God’s offer of forgiveness?  How did you feel when you received God’s forgiveness of your sin nature ____________________________________________________?