DRAWING NEAR
January 13
Enjoying God's Forgiveness
In Christ we have "the forgiveness of our trespasses, according
to the riches of [God's] grace, which He lavished upon us" (Eph.
1:7-8).
In Christ we have infinite forgiveness for every sin--past, present,
and future.
On Israel's Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) the high priest selected
two goats. One was sacrificed; the other set free. Before releasing
the second goat, the high priest symbolically placed the sins of the
people on it by laying his hands on its head. This "scapegoat" was
then taken a great distance from camp and released--never to return
again (Lev. 16:7-10).
The Greek word translated "forgiveness" in Ephesians 1:7 means "to
send away." It speaks of cancelling a debt or granting a pardon. Like
the scapegoat, Christ carried away our sins on the cross.
In Christ, God cancelled your debt and pardoned your transgressions,
and He did so "according to the riches of His grace, which He
lavished upon [you]" (v. 8). That means you have infinite forgiveness
because God's grace is infinite. You cannot sin beyond God's grace
because where sin abounds, grace super-abounds (Rom. 5:20).
God delights in lavishing His grace upon you. Such grace is
overflowing and cannot be contained. You are forgiven for every
sin--past, present, and future. You will never be condemned by God or
separated from Him (Rom. 8:1-2, 31-39). Even when you fail, God
doesn't hold your sins against you. Christ bore them all so that you
might know the joy and peace that freedom from sin and guilt brings.
Let the reality of God's grace fill your heart with joy and
assurance. Let the responsibility of glorifying Him fill you with awe
and reverence. Let this day be a sacrifice of praise and service to
Him.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God for His infinite grace and forgiveness.
Look for opportunities to extend forgiveness to others.
For Further Study:
Read Matthew 18:21-35.
What characteristic marked the wicked slave?
What was the king's response to the wicked slave's actions?
What point was Jesus making? How does it apply to you?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Leviticus 16:7-10 (NKJV)
7 "He shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at
the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
8 "Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the
LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat.
9 "And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord's lot fell, and
offer it as a sin offering.
10 "But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be
presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, and to
let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness.
Romans 5:20
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where
sin abounded, grace abounded much more
Romans 8:1-2
8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in
Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according
to the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free
from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:31-39
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can
be against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us
all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who
justifies.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is
also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes
intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?
36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We
are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him
who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor
principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but
up to seventy times seven.
23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who
wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 "And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him
who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 "But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be
sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that
payment be made.
26 "The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master,
have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'
27 "Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion,
released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him
by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'
29 "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him,
saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'
30 "And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he
should pay the debt.
31 "So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were
very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
32 "Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You
wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33 'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant,
just as I had pity on you?'
34 "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers
until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from
his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
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In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
http://www.gty.org/Gospel/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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