HOW MANY TIMES WILL GOD FORGIVE ME FOR THE SAME THING?-Lartey Reynolds
We’ve all heard the quote “Forgive and forget”. God shows us the
meaning of that quote. In Matthew 18:21-22 Peter asked Jesus a similar
question. Peter asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother
when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Then Jesus responds, “I
tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” In other words,
Jesus is saying that we shouldn’t keep track of how many times we
forgive, but instead forgive from our heart as the parable of the
unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23-33) says.
Something that is truly amazing is that even in the Old Testament God promised to forgive all our sins (Psalms 103:12, Jeremiah 31:43, Isaiah 1:18). Clearly, the Old Testament has many promises of forgiveness (these and more!). These promises are forever. God not only puts our sins out of sight; he also puts them out of reach, out of mind and out of existence!
In the New Testament we see Paul speaking of his sin in Romans 7:19-21. He then asks who will rescue him from this body of death, but concludes, “Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord… Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 7:25a, 8:1). The moment we fell into sin in Genesis 3, a savior was promised to us, as we see in Genesis 3:15. From the beginning of our existence until judgment day, forgiveness will be given to ‘those who are in Christ Jesus’.
There is only one thing that will cause us not to receive God’s forgiveness. That is to stop asking for it or think we cannot be forgiven.
A short prayer which Jesus taught is a good prayer to pray whenever we sin. This is the prayer of the tax collector in Jesus’ Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18. The prayer is simply, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). We acknowledge our sin and come to Him for forgiveness, the only one who can grant us the forgiveness we need.
This is also the kind of forgiveness we can pass on to others. As we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Paul reminds us also to “forgive as the Lord has forgiven you” (Colossians 3:13).
STAY BLESSED
Sent from my iPhone
LARTEY REYNOLDS
(NATIONAL COORDINATOR, J.G.C PRAYER WARRIOR)
ACCRA
contact:
Something that is truly amazing is that even in the Old Testament God promised to forgive all our sins (Psalms 103:12, Jeremiah 31:43, Isaiah 1:18). Clearly, the Old Testament has many promises of forgiveness (these and more!). These promises are forever. God not only puts our sins out of sight; he also puts them out of reach, out of mind and out of existence!
In the New Testament we see Paul speaking of his sin in Romans 7:19-21. He then asks who will rescue him from this body of death, but concludes, “Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord… Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 7:25a, 8:1). The moment we fell into sin in Genesis 3, a savior was promised to us, as we see in Genesis 3:15. From the beginning of our existence until judgment day, forgiveness will be given to ‘those who are in Christ Jesus’.
There is only one thing that will cause us not to receive God’s forgiveness. That is to stop asking for it or think we cannot be forgiven.
A short prayer which Jesus taught is a good prayer to pray whenever we sin. This is the prayer of the tax collector in Jesus’ Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18. The prayer is simply, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). We acknowledge our sin and come to Him for forgiveness, the only one who can grant us the forgiveness we need.
This is also the kind of forgiveness we can pass on to others. As we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Paul reminds us also to “forgive as the Lord has forgiven you” (Colossians 3:13).
STAY BLESSED
Sent from my iPhone
LARTEY REYNOLDS
(NATIONAL COORDINATOR, J.G.C PRAYER WARRIOR)
ACCRA
contact:
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