Thought for Today - August 11, 2023
God's Promise Of Forgiveness
By: Robert A. Searles
The question is asked - “Who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord?,
Or who shall stand in his Holy place?” Psalm 24: 3 (KJV).
Since
the fall of mankind in Eden, no one has been found to be qualified to
stand in his own righteousness, before God, because the answer to this
question, and requirement is - “He that hath clean hands and a pure
heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity; nor sworn
deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and
righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Psalm 24: 4, 5.
Only one person has ever qualified to enter the gate of God's holiness,
and he alone is righteous among men. He alone has clean hands and a
pure heart, and has not lifted up his soul to vanity, nor sworn
deceitfully. His name is Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Messiah who
came down from God. He alone may enter, in his own righteousness, into
the presence of God the Father.
For God has declared that
there is none righteous. “For as it is written, there is none
righteous, no not one.” Romans 3:10 “For all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God.” Romans 3: 23 (KJV)
The good news
is, that there is no sin that God cannot or will not forgive if we will
humble ourselves and by faith ask for his forgiveness. Jesus, while
feasting in the house of a Pharisee, forgave a sinful woman, who showed
her faith and acceptance of him by washing his feet with her hair, and
anointed them with precious ointment. See Luke 7: 36-50
If we expect to be the recipient of God's mercy and forgiveness, we must
not hold resentments and grudges against those who have trespassed
against us, but we must be willing to forgive as God has forgiven us
All of mankind carries a heavy burden on his shoulders, and that burden
weighs him down, and causes him shame, and degradation, and if not
removed, will send him to hell. That burden on the shoulder of all
mankind is sin. Those who continue to carry that heavy burden of sin in
their heart, can have no fellowship with God. And since God created
man to enjoy his fellowship, and when a man's fellowship with his
creator is not a fact of his life, then man is like the beast of the
earth that perish. God is not willing that any should perish. He has
provided a way by which all men and women, boys and girls, can have the
burden of sin removed from them, and their fellowship with him
restored.
Without God's fellowship, men and women, boys and
girls, perish; families fall apart; nations and empires crumble. It
is almost impossible today to turn on the television or log on to the
internet without seeing someone with a gun or weapon in his hand ready
to kill, or to witness someone in bed with another person's wife or
husband, committing adultery, or hearing filthy blasphemous words being
broadcast for all to hear. How could a Holy God have fellowship with
that kind of trash?
I fear for our nation that, if it's
people do not turn from their wicked ways and get back to the business
of fellowship with God. who has made provision for, all who will, to
accept his offer of salvation, that fearful judgements will fall upon
us. God is more willing to forgive than we are to be forgiven. God has
promised us forgiveness and restoration to fellowship with him if we
will only accept his terms.
What are God's terms? They are
– to humble ourselves; pray; turn from our wicked ways; seek God; Then
God is faithful to keep his covenant with men. God hears; forgives sin;
heals; the Lord is merciful, gracious, slow to anger; plenteous in
mercy; he remembers sin no more; the lost are found and restored to
fellowship with him. God has provided forgiveness to all who will call
upon him.and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
A well known promise from the word of God
which has been repeated and quoted and preached many times, but is
truly valid for the salvation of our nation - “If my people which are
called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face,
and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will
forgive their sin, and heal their land.” 2Chronicles 7: 14 (KJV)
“If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1: 9
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in
mercy. He will not always chide; neither will he keep his anger
forever. He hath not dealt with us according to our iniquity. For as
the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them
that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he
removed our transgressions from us.”. Psalm 103: 8 -12
“And they shalt teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his
brother, saying, know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the
least of them unto the greatest of them, sayeth the Lord; for I will
forgive their iniquity; and I will remember their sins no more.”
Jeremiah 31: 34
How wonderful for us to have God remember
our sins no more! God has provided a way that his promise of
forgiveness may be fulfilled through his only begotten son, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures,
he was buried and rose again the third day, according to the
scriptures, he ascended into heaven-and is now our high priest
interceding for us. He will come again at God's appointed time to
restore all kingdoms and nations to himself.
Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry
Psalm 26:7.
