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FORGIVENESS OF SINS
IF a minister of Christ is bound to preach the Gospel with all plainness and fidelity, he is no less bound to guard it against abuse, and to inculcate on the professors of it the strictest conformity to the commands of God. St. Paul was careful to insist upon even the minutest parts of practical piety; and to shew, that the Gospel not only required, but had a direct tendency to produce, holiness, both in heart and life. In truth, if our religion do not prevail to regulate our tempers, and to correct every evil disposition of the soul, it is not sincere; nor will it ever be approved of God in the day of judgment. Yet, in enforcing practical duties, we should take care to urge them upon right principles; not as a forced obedience to the law, in order to obtain acceptance with God, but as a willing effort to adorn the Gospel, through which we have already been accepted of him. A sense of God’s pardoning love should animate us, rather than a servile fear of his displeasure: and, whilst God’s mercy to us should operate as a motive to obey him, it should also serve us as a pattern for our own conduct towards our offending brethren, whom we should “forgive, even as God, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven us.”
Now, it is a fact, that forgiveness is bestowed on men whilst they are yet in this world. And this truth I shall consider,
I. As revealed in Scripture—
The truth itself is fully declared—
[God, in proclaiming his name to Moses, represented himself chiefly under the character of a sin-pardoning God: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin [Note: Exo_34:6-7.].” And the whole of his dealings with his people, in every age, have borne testimony to him in this view, as “a God delighting in mercy,” and as accounting “judgment a strange act,” to which he was utterly averse. The whole of the Scripture declarations may be comprised in that saying of the prophet, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon [Note: Isa_55:7.].” To cite the New Testament in confirmation of this truth is needless; seeing that, from one end of it to the other, it proclaims God as “rich in mercy unto all that call upon him.”]
The ground of all his mercies is also declared—
[All the favour that God bears to man is “for Christ’s sake.” This was shewn from the first moment that his designs of mercy were revealed to fallen man. There can be no doubt but that sacrifices were ordained of God, for the purpose of shadowing forth that great sacrifice which should, in due time, be offered for the sins of the whole world. For Abel offered his sacrifice in faith [Note: Heb_11:4.]: but faith must have respect to the word of God; and, consequently, God must have previously made known to man the way in which alone a sinner should find acceptance with him. Indeed, though we are not expressly told that the animals, with the skins of which God clothed our first parents, were offered in sacrifice, I can scarcely doubt but that the whole mystery of the Gospel was revealed to them in that act; and they were taught, that through the sacrifice of Christ their iniquities should be forgiven, and that through the righteousness of Christ they should stand with acceptance before God. The whole of the Mosaic economy exhibited this truth in the most striking colours, in that no person could come to God but by sacrifice; and “without shedding of blood there was no remission of sins [Note: Heb_9:22.].” On this subject the New Testament expatiates in every part; referring our reconciliation with God to the atoning blood of Christ [Note: 2Co_5:19.], and declaring that “no man cometh unto the Father but by Christ [Note: Joh_14:6.].” The whole labour of the Apostles was to make this known: “Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses [Note: Act_13:38-39.].”]
In my text, the Apostle not only asserts this truth, but speaks of it,
II. As experienced in the soul—
Many will not admit that any one can know his sins forgiven. And I readily acknowledge, that it is a point on which a man may easily deceive his own soul, especially if he judge of it by any other criterion than that which God himself has proposed. If the life and conversation bear witness to us that we are the Lord’s, then may we safely indulge the hope that we are accepted of him.
God has, in former ages, given to men an assurance of his favour—
[To Abel this was given by some visible sign, which excited the envy and wrath of his brother Cain [Note: Gen_4:4-5.]. David, on the very first acknowledgment of his transgression, was informed by Nathan that his sin was pardoned [Note: 2Sa_12:13.]; and he himself takes notice of it in a psalm of grateful acknowledgment: “I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord: and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin [Note: Psa_32:5.].” To Hezekiah and Isaiah were similar assurances given [Note: Isa_6:7; Isa_38:17.]. And our blessed Lord not only repeatedly vouchsafed this blessing to those who waited on him, but maintained his right to do so against those who questioned his power and authority to pardon sin [Note: Mat_9:2-6. Luk_7:48-50.].]
At present, also, is the same blessing still vouchsafed to his faithful servants—
[What can be meant by the Spirit of adoption that is given to the believing soul [Note: Rom_8:15]? “What can be meant by the witness of the Spirit [Note: Rom_8:16.], the sealing of the Spirit [Note: Eph_1:13.], the earnest of the Spirit [Note: Eph_1:14.]? What can be meant by “the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost [Note: Rom_5:5.],” if God never imparts to his people a sense of his pardoning love? I grant that if these divine sensations be not accompanied with a holy life, they are a mere illusion; but if the whole of our character and deportment be such as becomes the Gospel, then may we assure ourselves that these testimonies are from God, and that “our names are indeed written in the book of life [Note: Luk_10:20.].” We may “know that we have passed from death unto life [Note: 1Jn_3:14.].” Nor is this the privilege of the adult Christian only: for even the least in the family of Christ may possess it: as St. John says, “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for the sake of Christ [Note: 1Jn_2:12.].” And to the whole Ephesian Church it was proclaimed, “God, for Christ”s sake, hath forgiven you.”]
But it is not merely as comforting the soul that I insist on this, but chiefly and principally,
III. As operating in the life—
A sense of God’s pardoning love should operate on us generally—
[Nothing but this will ever call forth our energies fully in the service of our God. It is “the love of Christ that must constrain us:” and that, duly apprehended, will cause us to live altogether unto Him who died for us, and rose again [Note: 2Co_5:15.] — — —]
More particularly should it produce in us a forgiving temper against our offending brethren—
[A spirit of forbearance and forgiveness is insisted on by the inspired writers, as indispensable to the Christian character; insomuch, that a person who is not under its influence has no hope of obtaining mercy at the hands of God. The mercy which we ourselves have received for Christ’s sake, is proposed in my text as a powerful motive for the exercise of a forgiving disposition on our part, and as a pattern which, in the exercise of it, we should resemble. The same important truth is taught us in the parable of the unforgiving servant; who, when forgiven by his master ten thousand talents, seized a fellow-servant by the throat, and cast him into prison for the trifling debt of one hundred pence. For such merciless conduct his lord was justly incensed against him; as he will be against all who know not how to imitate the goodness of their God [Note: Mat_18:23-35. There was no proportion between the debts, the one being about three pounds, and the other nearly seven millions.]. It is on this principle that our Lord requires us to “forgive an offending brother, not seven times in a day, but seventy times seven [Note: Mat_18:21-22.].” For, if we call to remembrance our own offences, and consider for a moment how great and multiplied they have been, we shall see, that no injury which a fellow-creature can do to us can bear any proportion to the offences which we have committed against God: and, consequently, that there should be no disposition in us but to render to our fellow-creatures according to what we ourselves have received at the hands of God.]
Application—
1. Be sensible of your obligations to the Lord Jesus Christ—
[It is not for your own sake that God has forgiven you, but for his dear Son’s sake. And if Christ had not interposed for you, to reconcile you unto God by his own death upon the cross, you would to all eternity have been in the condition of the fallen angels, who are receiving in hell the due recompence for their sins. Reflect, then, on your desert before God, and on the mercy you are receiving at his hands; and then direct your eyes to the Saviour, and give him the glory due unto his name. Of course, it is here supposed that you have deeply repented of your sins, and “fled for refuge to Christ, as to the hope set before you:” for, if you have not thus come to Christ, you are yet “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, and without any scriptural hope of salvation” — — — But if, indeed, you have believed in Christ, then should every faculty of your soul be called forth in grateful and continual praises for all that you now enjoy, and all that you hope for in a better world — — —]
2. Endeavour to requite them in the way that he himself has enjoined—
[Look, not to your conduct merely, but to the inmost dispositions of your souls. His love to you should be the model of your love to others. Let his image, then, be seen upon you. And, as men are known by the very form of the characters they write, so “be ye epistles of Christ, known and read of all men [Note: 2Co_3:2-3.].” “Let the same mind be in you as was in him [Note: Php_2:5.];” and, “as he has loved you, see that ye also love one another [Note: Joh_13:34.].”]