1071. Forgiveness From God: Contrasting the Old Covenant to the New

One of the biggest struggles for those who have been chained to various types of legalism is the worry that God hasn't forgiven them. Perhaps such a concern is because of something they did or they may have frequently done. It usually results in people feeling as though they need to repeatedly seek more forgiveness from God, over and over again. This leaves people wondering from day to day if they are truly forgiven.

This has similarities to the Jewish people under the obsolete Old Covenant, before the cross and resurrection. They kept offering one bloody animal sacrifice after the other—which only provided a temporary covering or atonement. If a renewed forgiveness by God is still needed whenever one falls short of perfect performance, how is it any different from what the writer of Hebrews calls a new and better covenant? The good news is ... Jesus offered one sacrifice (as opposed to many sacrifices under the law). That is all that was needed. He took sin away, once for all, and ended the sacrificial system forever—which God never desired in the first place.

In this episode we mentioned that we have talked about 1 John 1:9 several times over the years. Here is one episode on that subject in case anyone wants to go back and listen.

https://www.growingingrace.org/2024/03/952-fleeing-from-falling-into-forlorn.html




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1051. The Listeners Speak! The Changes Grace Brought to Them (Part 2)

A few weeks ago, we asked our listeners to respond with comments to this:

Name something that completely changed things for you when coming from a traditional or legalistic-based religious mindset compared to a greater knowledge of the gospel of grace. For those who have experienced such a journey, the differences are nothing short of amazing (and exciting). There is a good chance you have had similar experiences you'll find very relatable.

This week includes the topics of:

-Thinking everything you have ever done will be played back on a big screen for all to see (probably in 4K technology).
-The topic of fasting and whether it should be considered as a required mandate.
-"Keep a short account with God." Including the worry of not having confessed sins or continually feeling the need to ask God for more forgiveness.
-Being "all in" by fully committing to participating in the many church ministries and activities.




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1036. Will God Forgive You if You Don't Forgive Others?

Jesus made a statement to His disciples after giving them what is commonly referred to as The Lord's Prayer in Matthew Chapter 6.

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

As we compare this to some things Paul said about forgiveness in Ephesians chapters 1 and 4 (for example), we'll see a contrast. Did Paul and Jesus have a theological disagreement? Of course, this is not the case. But something changed from the time Jesus said what He said to His disciples before the cross, and when Paul was writing to believers after the cross. Forgiving others is important ... but it is not required as some sort of quid pro quo in order to be forgiven by God. But the power of God abiding in us will help us to forgive when we think it seems too difficult.



   
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1015. Will Your Dedication Be Enough? The Limitations of Legalism

Did Jesus really take away sins for all time? Was the blood He shed enough to complete what was necessary for eternal redemption or do you need to work at adding something to what He has done? How can you be sure your efforts of "doing" will bring justification without judgement?

Many church goers have struggled with thinking the gospel revolves around right doing while going through life being needlessly worried about whether they are truly forgiven and in right standing with God. It's tricky because even the most aggressive of legalists can bait the top of the eye-pleasing dessert with some grace-like sugar sprinkled over a religious hook underneath.

When it comes to us and our good or bad actions within the eternal life package, how much "doing" will be enough? How does that mesh with the blood of Jesus from the perspective of a new and better covenant? The good news is ... God's grace has no limitations.



   
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1014. Contrasting Atonement With What Jesus Did

The word "atonement" gets tossed around quite a bit in church circles, but it really isn't a word that should be associated within the context of the New Covenant. It was something more prevalent within the previous and now obsolete covenant the Jewish people were in before the cross.

Atonement represented a covering that included a priesthood involving many repeated sacrifices that ultimately could not take away sins. It was a covering, and it was temporary. The blood of Jesus was shed once and took sins away forever ... to be remembered no more by God. When people today debate whether we have an unlimited atonement (or not) is simply displaying a lack of knowledge regarding the eternal redemption which came through Jesus Christ.

Most of the corporate Christian church world has been stuck somewhere in-between these two very different covenants, making it harder for than it needs to be and putting unnecessary fear and pressure on themselves and others.



   
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1013. Forgiveness - According to the Riches of His Grace

Many people who have already come to believe in Christ – who Himself in reality has set them free from the bondage of sin and death – are yet unfortunately living in a type of bondage. It’s a needless, unwarranted bondage that is based upon not knowing the fullness of the reality of all that was accomplished for them through God’s grace. Their daily lives consist of a struggle of wondering if they’re truly forgiven by God for all their sins, and wondering where they stand with God, when He has already done everything to provide full redemption through Jesus’ blood – the forgiveness of sins – according to the riches of His grace.

Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus, and in Him we have access, by faith, into this grace in which we stand. The grace of God truly is something we can stand in, and Paul encourages us to do so – to stand firmly in the grace and freedom of Christ. God has set us free to live free lives, so let’s not submit ourselves to the bondage of trying to relate to God through our works.



   
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952. Fleeing From Falling into the Forlorn Futility of Frequent Forgiveness

When we talk about the once-for-all forgiveness found in the one sacrifice through the blood of Jesus, we'll often notice a variety of spiritual muscle spasms from those who had a (1) particular Bible verse taken out of context and pounded into them for many years, found in 1 John 1:9.

Considering what we have covered in recent programs about forgiveness, how does this mesh with what we find in other passages? Was John really talking to believers to encourage them to remember to confess each individual sin ... sins that God declared He would no longer remember inside of a new and better covenant? And if that were true, where would it leave a person if they didn't confess every wrongdoing? Can we walk in and out of fellowship with God while consistently going back and forth between abiding in the light or darkness? Is it confession or blood that causes us to receive forgiveness?

One more question that absolutely needs to be answered within our hearts: Is the forgiveness of sins from God dependent upon you or something you do ... or is it the result of a Savior who bled, died and rose one time? Let's get some answers with a consistent context that will help make people truly free indeed.



   
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951. Forgiveness Assured for All Time - The High Priest Sat Down

If a believer in Christ becomes tempted to ask God for more forgiveness over and over, this is a sign they have not yet come to realize the plenitude of God's forgiveness that came through the one sacrifice of Jesus. It implies a lack of confidence in His shed blood. But since this is what the bulk of the religious message has coached people to do ... habits and uncertainties can be a challenge to break, especially when approaching these things from an old covenant perspective.

There were many priests under the Mosaic law who daily offered animal sacrifices time after time, yet never taking away sins. They could only provide a temporary covering. Sins kept happening so the blood of bulls and goats kept rolling down the sacrificial conveyor belt. And now the good news ... But the one High Priest (Jesus) "having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God." Why was this Priest able to sit down after the sacrifice of Himself? Because the issue of forgiveness was completed. He finished the job.



   
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950. How Can I Be Sure I'm Completely Forgiven?

Even those claiming to be believers in Christ have experienced a fear of not being forgiven by God, sometimes walking around in guilt and condemnation rather than peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Many have been taught that repeated forgiveness is needed when we stumble—that we are forgiven for past sins up to this moment, but frequent requests must be made to God for more forgiveness when sin rears its ugly head again.

Context is often missing and leads to misunderstandings when we see a statement like Jesus made to His disciples ... that God would only forgive them if they would forgive others. If they did not forgive others, God would not forgive them. (Gulp!). Then we assume Jesus was also speaking to us in this reference. This would not be good news for anyone.

Let's take a closer look at what religion refuses to teach—that the blood of Jesus brought a permanent forgiveness of sins with a single sacrifice "for all time" (past, present, and future).



   
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928. It's Not an Apology, but We Have a Confession

On a number of occasions, the Bible refers to "holding fast to our confession." Notice the confession is singular, not plural. Some might think this has something to do with continuous confessions of sins. But we know our sins were forgiven, taken away, no longer counted against us, and remembered no more by God. The Apostle Paul never once suggested confessing sins to receive a renewed forgiveness from God.

So what were the writers really talking about along these lines after Jesus would have established the New Covenant? Let's take a closer look at why some were encouraged to hold firmly to a good confession of hope ... a confession of Jesus Christ and the gospel.

We take a closer look at not "what" the writer was referencing ... but "who" they were highlighting in this passage and throughout the letter.



   
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