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NASB | Acts 13:38 "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 13:38 "So let it be clearly known by you, brothers, that through Him forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you; |
Bible Question:
I want to enrich my understanding with regards to God's forgiveness because it's the platform from which I want to live out my faith. I prayerfully consider what you have to share and I choose to be open minded. Is God's forgiveness conditional or unconditional? I would like to know your thoughts. My findings are as follows. God choosing to forgive us, signing for our pardon, not counting our sins against us, and legally justifying us is unconditional. While we were yet ignorant, disobedient, and unrepentant sinners, He already has cried out, "It is finished!" Objectively, legally, as far God's heart is concerned, God has forgiven the human race. But experiencing God's pardon, the healing of His forgiveness, the joy of His reconciliation, and the peace of justification is conditional. We have to believe, repent of our sins, and come home to God to have a saving experience of what Christ obtained for us at the cross. Subjectively, experientially, every individual needs a faith response not in order for God to forgive but to experience God's forgiveness. I've read in 2 Cor. 5:19 that God was in Christ reconciling the world (seems all people to me) to himself not counting their sins against them (I understand because all sins were counted against Christ) and realizing that Christ paid in full the penalty for all sins by all people for all time, I've been thinking along the following lines: a. We do not come home in order that God may forgive and justify us but He has forgiven so that we can run back home Him and experience His salvation. Isaiah 44:22 “I have swept away your sins like the morning mists. I have scattered your offenses like the clouds. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” b. God revealed His unconditional love by signing for our pardon and accomplished our reconciliation and justification even before we knew about Him, repented of our sins and believed in Him. Rom 5:8 "But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us... 10...while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son... c. Our acts of faith, repentance, or confession, do not cause God to forgive or justify us. These acts change us, not God. Coming home to Him simply allows us to experience who He already is: eternally loving and unconditionally forgiving! I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." God doesn't become faithful and just when we confess. He is and always was. Confession seems to be for our sake as in James 1:5, "Confess your sins...that you may be healed." d. Every person born into this world is born fully forgiven and legally justified. The question isn’t whether people are forgiven or not but whether they’ve come home to God or stayed away. Romans 5:18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness makes all people right in God’s sight and gives them life. e. Many people will still be eternally lost and it is not because they were not forgiven by God but because they chose to reject a loving God who has already forgiven them. John 3:18 “There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God.” In sharing the Good News then, I don't see myself as a believer as one who is forgiven (while the nonbeliever is not forgiven) who then shares the Good News to the nonbeliever and if he/she believes and repents, God will forgive. Instead, I see the nonbeliever also as one who is forgiven and justified (positionally not experientially) because of the cross. I reach out to the nonbeliever and lead her to discover that God's has already forgiven her, doesn't count her sins against her (for they've been legally cancelled at the cross), signed for her pardon, sees her as His child (prodigal son). It's Good News! Then she can choose to run home (not just walk) and finally experience and celebrate God's gift of eternal life and all the blessings of salvation. I've seen people get really excited with God when I share the gospel in this manner. But what do you think? I would appreciate your comments or feedback. blessings, jaccal2000 |
Bible Answer: I believe that the forgiveness of our sins is unconditional. In Eph.2:8-9 "for by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any should boast. When I look at myself as a lost guilt sinner, I find that there was nothing I could within myself to merit God's salvation and forgiveness. It was God by his Spirit who worked within my heart and drew me to Christ. It was God by his Spirit through his word who showed to me my lost condition and sinnership before him. Thus by his Spirit he gave me repentance and opened my understanding to accept that Christ procured my redemption upon the cross. My act of faith was simply rested on what God had shown to me that the work and worth of the Savior's work was sufficient to me my terrible need. I believe there are two sides to forgivesness: First because of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross he has been given grounds whereby lost sinners can be forgiven. However, the sinner cannot come into the good of this forgiveness until they are ready to accept it by faith. The Bible does not teach universal salvation. In Romans 3:22 we read "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all who believe, for there is no difference" We see here that forgiveness is offered to all, but only those who believe or put faith in Christ come into the good of what Christ has offered. Without faith there is no forgiveness. I respectfully disagree on your thought that the unbliever is potentially forgiven positionally and not experimentally. I believe the word of God supports the truth that the unbeliever is condemned already. Jesus said "He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God" John 3:18 You propose ". Every person born into this world is born fully forgiven and legally justified." I believe that every person born into this world is born a lost sinner and are under the condemnation of God. Propitiation as found in 1 John 2:2 speaks of the sacrifice of Christ from God's perspective. When Christ died on the cross his sacrifice satisfied the righteous claims of God's holy throne, thereby, providing God a ground or mercy seat upon which he could forgive sinners. Sinners must repent of their sins and place total faith in the work of Christ before they can be forgiven. Should they chose to carry on in unbelieve they will die unforgiven and be lost forever. Justification, forgiveness of sins is only through faith in the work of Christ as found in Romans 5:1 Forgiven Robert |
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Questions and/or Subjects for Acts 13:38 | Author | ||
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Sir Pent | ||
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phophiend | ||
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jaccal2000 | ||
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Robert Nicholson |