Snapshots
Biblical Truth
OF
God's Forgiveness - The Antidote For Sin
BIBLE REFERENCES:
Matthew 5:48 (NIV) “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
John 3:16 (NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Romans 5:8 (NIV) “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 7:21-25 (NIV) “So I find this law at work; when I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work with my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”
Ephesians 1:4-7 (NIV) “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
1 John 1:9 (NIV) “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 5:4, 5 (NIV) “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
APPLICATION:
God always has a perfect plan for you and me, no matter how many times we mess up. This new, perfect plan comes by way of God’s forgiveness, mercy and grace. He offers this plan through the cross. Certainly, this new, perfect plan will not be the original; but, it will still lead us to perfection in God’s sight.
How is it possible for us humans to even think and talk about perfection (let alone live it!) when we are so imperfect and prone to errors and mistakes? Perfection seems so unattainable. No matter how hard we try, we still fall short of the mark. The Holy Scriptures teach us that perfection is not something we can achieve on our own - by working harder, by being more disciplined, by self denial or by deep spiritual meditation. Perfection is a gift from God; it comes through God’s mercy, grace and forgiveness and it comes by way of the Cross.
Jesus paid the full price for your sins and mine on the Cross. Humbly accept his gift of salvation.
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A PRAYER:
“God, I know my ways are far from being perfect. I humbly accept your mercy, grace and forgiveness for the mistakes I have made; help me to do better in my walk with you.”
SNAPSHOT:
