This article is about forgiveness. We are in desperate need of it. Scripture teaches us that God has forgiven us in Christ. (Colossians 2:13-14) But we do not “feel” forgiven. We human beings find it difficult to believe God. Why is that?
God created us for fellowship with Himself. He equipped us with the capacity for fellowship by creating us in His image, both male and female. (Genesis 1:26-27) He created us to experience love, joy, peace, patience, mercy, harmony and overall goodness. He also created us with the capacity to experience pain, guilt and fear.
At the dawn of human history our first parents lived in harmony with God. They apparently lived in this harmony for quite some time, but there came a day when that changed. An adversary to both God and man entered the garden and struck up a conversation with Eve. He discredited God and convinced Eve that God could not be trusted. He then enticed her to take to herself the prerogative of determining for herself what was right and what was wrong. In Eve’s mind she was now the source of knowledge. She enticed Adam to “eat” with her and he did.
For the first time fear and a sense of insecurity entered the human heart. God had not changed. But in Adam and Eve’s heart He had. He was now to be feared. He was not to be trusted. God came into the garden in the cool of the day for fellowship with His children. At the sound of His approach they hid among the trees. Their foolish hearts had become darkened. (Romans 1:21)
Today man still lives in guilt, fear and doubt as a result of continuing to believe the lie that God cannot be trusted. The fellowship with Himself that God created us for continues to elude most of us. Why?
An absolutely amazing thing happened 2,000 years ago. The Creator God became flesh and dwelt among us. He entered into our fleshly existence and became one with us fulfilling an Old Testament prophecy that a virgin would conceive and bear a child. (Isaiah 7:14) We were to call Him “Immanuel”, a word meaning “God with us”. (Matthew 1:23) We were also to call Him Jesus, a name that means Savior. (Luke 1:31) These two names are linked together. God would be one with us and save us from our sins so that we could be one with Him.
The prophet, John the Baptist, proclaimed that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) Jesus fulfilled that statement by becoming our sin bearer. (1 Peter 2:24) God willingly took away everything that could stand in the way of fellowship with Himself. Yet we continue to believe the lie. God cannot be trusted.
God has forgiven us. He has reconciled us to Himself. He is not counting our sins against us. (2 Corinthians 5:19) (Colossians 1:22) Yet we continue to live in the darkness of ignorance, guilt and fear. Why?
There are basically two reasons. The first is that we in the western world have a view of God that is simply wrong. The adversary is not dead. He continues to discredit God. Scripture informs us that he is the “ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” (Ephesians 2:2 NIV)
How often have we heard the message that God is keeping a record of every sinful thought and deed that we have ever committed? Not true. Notice, “…God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:19 NIV) So much for the list. Scripture informs us that “God is love.” (I John 4:8) It continues to inform us that love “…keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:5b) And again, “…love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8b NIV)
God deeply wants fellowship with us. He came to be with us, to be “one” with us. But, He will not force Himself upon anyone. He is the ultimate in humility and gentleness. His power is only used to help us, to strengthen us. God has removed every barrier that exists between us and Himself. Except one.
That barrier is the second reason why we live in darkness. It is the barrier of our evil conscience. (Hebrews 10:22) It convicts us of our evil behavior, convinces us of our unworthiness and tars the face of the Father portraying Him as an evil judge. This is quite different from the Holy Spirit for He convicts us of our sinfulness by His very Presence, but He draws us into relationship with God. Our evil, guilty conscience causes us to turn away.
Scripture comforts us with these words, “…if our heart (evil conscience) condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things (knows that He has forgiven us). (I John 3:20 NKJ)
Jesus says to us, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)
We must see the Father clearly and know Him as He is. Only Jesus knows the Father and He is so willing to reveal Him to us. “All things have been committed to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:27-30 NIV)
