The Joy Of Forgiveness – Sunday Thought For Today

I’m sure most are familiar with the parable Jesus told of the lost son or its commonly called: “The parable of the prodigal son.”  The prodigal son represents unrepentant sinners.

There are two specific things we should note about the unrepentant sinner.  The first is: The disposition of the unrepentant sinner is selfishness.  They are selfish and possession driven.  The second is: Sinners disregard future woes that will come upon them, because of their disobedience.

While this is true of unrepentant sinners, it can also be true of Christians.  They can be selfish (e.g., demand others go along with what they want), coercive and manipulative, while striving to be the center of attention.  Such is the condition of the heart as addressed by Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV).  As Christians, we must examine ourselves in the context of 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV).  A spiritual healthy Christian gives attention to the condition of their heart.

But, the unrepentant sinner is not subject to such spiritual checks and balances.  As sinners we want our own way and we want it now.  Before we were saved, we pretty much had total disregard for the future woes that sin would ultimately bring upon us.

However, there is a lifting of the weight of our waywardness when we confess our sins, repent and accept Christ as our Savior.  As we discussed in our men’s group at church, there is also a release from the darkness when we turn back to Christ if we’ve backslidden.

Neither do we live burdened and guilted by the memory of our sinful past after we’ve accepted Christ.  We give praise to God, because Christ has set us free from the weight of sin.  We’ve been restored/reconciled to God.  There’s joy within our hearts and a psalm upon our lips.

There’s nothing like the feeling and sense of release that comes from being forgiven.  I’ve said many times that I bathe in the warm wash of redemption every day.  We must not live in the darkness of guilt, burdened by what we used to be.  We live in the now, with the new song of forgiveness in our hearts.  We are forgiven by God, we must forgive ourselves.  Forgiveness and redemption is the message we share.

READ:

Psalm 19:12-14 (KJV)

12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.