Forgiveness of Sins and Salvation from Sins


	Lesson Three Forgiveness of Sins and Salvation from Sins In this lesson, we will cover: I. Sins and the Sinful Nature A. Everybody is a sinner (1 John 1:8) B. Sinful nature - root of sins (Rom. 3:23; 7:19-20; 5:19) C. Product of the sinful nature (John 8:34; Rom. 6:23a) D. Evidence of sins (Gal. 5:19-21) II. Forgiveness of Sins A. The meaning of forgiveness (Matt. 26:28; Heb. 9:22b; 10:17b) B. The practical way to be forgiven (1 John 1:9a, 7) III. Salvation from Sins (Matt. 1:21; Rom. 8:2, 9, 11-13; Gal. 5:16) Robert Chapman's Experience of Being Forgiven of His Sins Robert Chapman (1803-1902) lived a Christian life that was filled with spiritual reality. J.N. Darby states, "He lives what I preach." According to Charles Spurgeon, Chapman was "the saintliest man I ever knew." At an age of fifteen, Chapman started to work as a legal apprentice in London. By twenty, he was leading an active albeit sinful social life among the upper class. One evening Chapman was walking near a chapel. One of the elders there saw him and invited him to come in. Chapman accepted the invitation, and that very night he heard the gospel of Christ. A few days later, Chapman was born again. In his first prayer after believing, he said, "Lord, I remember Thy dealings with me! When Thy hand at first arrested me, and Thy Spirit convinced me of sin, my cup was bitter with my guilt and the fruit of my doings ...all was dreary winter within. Sick was I of the world, hating it as vexation of spirit, while yet I was unable and unwilling to cast it out. ...In the good and set time Thou spakest to me, saying, 'This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing.' And how sweet Thy words, 'Son be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee!'" Chapman experienced a sweet realization that God had forgiven his sins. The joy he received led him to praise Christ for His redemptive work in his first prayer: "How precious the sight of the Lamb of God! and how glorious the robe of righteousness, hiding from the holy eye of my Judge all my sin and pollution! Then did the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb did sing." Reference: Broadbent, Pilgrim Church; Robert Peterson, Robert Chapman, A Biography Sins and the Sinful Nature Everybody is a sinner. The apostle Paul says, "Some men's sins are clearly evident" (1 Tim. 5:24a). You will find that some people's sins are easily seen through their actions - like murder, assault, and fraud. Others' sins may not be so obvious. These people hide or hold back their deeds despite having evil intentions. According to the New Testament, however, having evil intentions in your heart is as sinful as doing them. For example, the Lord Jesus tells us that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matt. 5:28b). Evil intents also include a haughty look and a proud heart (Prov. 21:4). No wonder the wise king Solomon asks, "Who can say, 'I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin'?" (Prov. 20:9). Surely no one can. We all have unclean hearts. In God's eyes, every one of us is sinful. You must therefore realize that even after you have been born again, you are still a sinner. The Bible clearly says that you deceive yourself if you say you have no sin (1 John 1:8). Since we are capable of sinning, we must know what sins are. We must also know how God deals with the sins that we commit. Lastly, we must see how God saves us from our sins. All these crucial matters are covered in this lesson. Sinful Nature - Root of Sins What are sins? Literally, the word sin means to act in disobedience to (or to miss the mark of) God's law. God's righteous law was written in the Bible to tell us what kind of life we should have. It is God's intent that we should live a holy life to glorify Him. However, we have not obeyed God's word. Rather, we "have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). As a result, we do not and cannot have a daily walk to glorify Him. You may ask, "Why do I sin?" It is because we each have a sinning nature within us. When Paul spoke of this nature in himself, he said, "The good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me" (Rom. 7:19-20). Paul called his sinful nature sin. This sinful nature, which came through Adam's fall, made each of us a sinner. "By one man's disobedience many were made [or constituted, caused to be] sinners" (Rom. 5:19). Now, as a constituted sinner, you have an uncontrollable tendency to sin. You are compelled to sin even when you try not to. Our sinful nature indicates that we belonged to the devil. "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning" (1 John 3:8a). In fact, we were the very children of the devil (1 John 3:10). No wonder our Lord Jesus called Simon Peter, "Satan," when Peter was not mindful of the things of God (Matt. 16:23). Peter's sinful nature made him one with Satan. Product of the Sinful Nature As a believer you must realize that your sinful nature produces serious consequences. If you could fully realize the gravity of your sins, you would surely appreciate God's forgiveness and salvation from your sins. The following are examples of what the sinful nature produces in us: · Sin enslaves us. "Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin" (John 8:34). We were sold under sin (Rom. 7:14b). As a result, sin becomes our master, reigning in our mortal body to make us obey our body's lusts (Rom. 6:12). Being thus enslaved to sin, we cannot help but commit sins. · Sin leads to spiritual death. "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23a). This spiritual death means that we are separated from the living God - the God who is life (Deut. 5:26; Matt. 16:16; Col. 3:4). Before we were saved, we "were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). This means that we were unable to contact and experience God. Now each time we sin, we continue in this kind of spiritual death. · Sin may even cause us to die physically. "There is sin leading to death" (1 John 5:16b). Evidence of Sins Our sinful nature is the root of our sins. What then is the manifested evidence of our sins? According to the Bible, such evidence is found in the works of the flesh, "which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like" (Gal. 5:19-21a). Forgiveness of Sins The Meaning of Forgiveness Our God is holy and righteous. Whenever we sin against Him, we go against His righteousness and holiness. Because of this, each time we sin, God has a claim against us (e.g., Exo. 32:33). If God chooses to overlook or ignore our sins, He would be denying His own righteousness. This in turn would make Him an unrighteous and unholy God. God's way of dealing with our sins is to forgive our sins. This means that God must abandon all His claims against us without violating His own righteousness. To forgive therefore is not a light matter. Consider a country with a righteous law. If a man in that country were to break some aspect of the law, he has committed a grave offense. He cannot simply be forgiven and be released from the offense. Even if he regrets committing the offense, he must still be punished for his offense. Otherwise there would be unrighteousness. The Bible shows us that the righteous way for God to forgive our sins is the shedding of blood. Hebrews 9:22b states, "Without shedding of blood there is no remission." Here remission refers to the release of claims and forgiveness of sins. To accomplish this remission, God sent forth His own Son to die "for the ungodly…in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:6-8). In other words, Jesus had to shed His own blood to pay on our behalf the penalty of our sins. This is why Jesus said, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matt. 26:28). Now that Jesus' blood has been shed, God can forgive our sins righteously (1 John 4:10). God can say to every believer, "Your sins are forgiven you for His [i.e., Jesus'] name's sake" (1 John 2:12b). In addition, the Bible shows us that when God forgives our sins, He forgets them. He says, "Their sins…I will remember no more" (Heb. 10:17b; cf. Isa. 43:25). The practical way to be forgiven We have just seen how God has fulfilled His righteous requirement in order to forgive our sins. Now, for our part, God simply requires us to confess our sins. The apostle John says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9a). Furthermore, when we confess our sins, God will cleanse us from every unrighteousness and sin by the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7, 9b). Cleansing means the removal of stains that results from our sins. Salvation From Sins As mentioned before, we believers are capable of sinning. Sins are deceitful (Heb. 3:13). They cheat us by giving us pleasure and enjoyment that never last (Heb. 11:25). Moreover, they entangle us and frustrate us from running our Christian race on the earth (Heb. 12:1). Do not think that we can stop ourselves from sinning by self-effort. Remember what Paul says, "What I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. ...I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells" (Rom. 7:15, 18a). Although we are saved, we are still in our fallen body, the flesh. "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:8). Thus, no matter how much we try to glorify God, we simply cannot. It is therefore not enough for God to forgive our sins. God must also save us from our sins. For this reason, Paul realized that he needed deliverance when he was wrestling with the sin of coveting (Rom. 7:7-25). Paul asked, "Who will deliver me from this body of death?" The answer was: "I thank God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom. 7:24b-25). God's way of salvation is through Jesus Christ. Jesus means Jehovah the Savior. Through an angel God told the young virgin Mary that she "will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). In order to save us from our sins, Jesus became the Spirit that gives life to men (1 Cor. 15:45b). Paul says that this Spirit of life has an operating law that "in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2). This law is a spontaneous strength that stops us from committing sins. It is operative whenever we let the Spirit of life dwell in us (Rom. 8:9, 11-13). In addition we must exercise to have a daily walk in this Spirit that gives life. "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16). In this way we are set free from sin and saved from sins. Discussion Questions 1. How do we know that we are sinners? 2. What are some consequences of sins? Can you think of one that has not been mentioned? 3. What is the righteous way for God to deal with our sins? 4. What would you tell your unbelieving friends about God's forgiveness of sins? 5. How does God save us from our sins? Practical Tips Let God point out your sins to you. Paul said, "I would not have known sin except through the law" (Rom. 7:7). You cannot know your sins on your own. Only God can show you what your sins are. You may use Job's prayer as an example. He prayed, "Make me know my transgression and my sin" (Job 13:23b). Spend time with God everyday and let Him point out your sins to you. Confess your sins to God. God has provided an easy way for us to be forgiven of our sins - 1 John 1:9. When you realize that you have sinned, you must confess your sins. This means that whatever God tells you about your sins, agree with Him and say the same thing back to Him. Jesus Christ the righteous is your Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1c). As your Advocate Christ will fight on your side before God. Do not participate in others' sins; keep yourself pure. It is important that you have a healthy relationship with the Lord. But you must also pay attention to the company you keep. "Do not be deceived: `Evil company corrupts good habits'" (1 Cor. 15:33). Exercise also not to "share in other people's sins" and "keep yourself pure" (1 Tim. 5:22). Additionally, pray that God would give you the right company. Then you will be able to "pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Tim. 2:22b).