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Sin and Forgiveness

Contents
Topic
Introduction
Adam and Eve             Chapter 1
Sin                              Chapter 2
More on Sin                Chapter 3
Cain and Abel              Chapter 4
Forgiveness                 Chapter 5
WHY Must I Forgive? Chapter 6
God’s Forgiveness       Chapter 7
Salvation, Judgment

Scripture verses taken from: [KJV] King James Version
Yellow bold italics is Jesus’ Words.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [KJV]

Written and Compiled by:
His servant, Connie Kramer
Revised from original 10-2015

THIS BOOK IS NOT COPYRIGHTED,
AND IS NEVER TO BE COPYRIGHTED.
This book is free and not to be sold.

IT MAY BE USED BY “WHOSOEVER”
TO EDIFY THE CHURCH, AND TO
HONOR AND GLORIFY GOD.

I always try to make understanding God’s Word as easy as I possibly can for all. God will truly bless your efforts as you strive to learn more about Him. All praise and glory be to the One and Only, Almighty God!

Sin and Forgiveness
Introduction

Forgiveness of sin is one of the basic parts of justification. When God pardons sin, He pardons the sinner from the condemnation of the law. He does this because of the work of Christ Jesus on the cross. He removes the guilt of sin, and the sinner’s certain liability to His eternal wrath because of it. ALL sins can be freely forgiven (Acts 5:31; Acts 13:38; 1 John 1:6-9). Sinners are by this act of grace freed forever from the guilt and penalty of their sins. This is the extraordinary right of God (Psalm 130:4; Mark 2:5). It is offered to ALL people in the Gospel.

Forgiveness is credited to the believer by Almighty God Himself when sinners believe by faith, in the perfect righteousness of His Representative, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ
(Rom.10:3-9). Justification (not guilty in the courts of Heaven) is not forgiveness without righteousness, it is God declaring that the believer possesses a righteousness which perfectly and forever satisfies His law, that being Christ’s righteousness (1 Cor.1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom.4:6-8). There is only one way by which this righteousness is credited to the account of a believer and that is FAITH in (or on) the Lord Jesus Christ. There is NO other way! You either go God’s way or you don’t go at all.

Faith is the condition by which we access Christ, not because it has any merit, but because it is the only instrument by which the soul can ever appreciate or understand Christ and His perfect righteousness (Rom.1:17; 3:25-26; 4:20, 22; Phil.3:8-11; Gal.2:16). So the act of faith which secures our justification, also secures also our sanctification (being set apart for God), and we are totally forgiven by God the Father. Our slate is wiped clean!

God is pure and holy and righteous and just and completely without sin of any kind. He cannot tolerate any sin whatsoever. ALL sin is an abomination to Him. He cannot look on any sin.

So, how can a holy God receive vile sinners into His family and Heaven, without violating His righteousness and justice? The inspiring answer comes from the Book of Exodus. In Exodus 12:13, God clearly tells us: “when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” When God looks down on sinners (ALL of us), He does NOT see our sins, after we by faith trust His only begotten Son to save us. When God looks at TRUE believers, He sees the precious Blood of Jesus that covers our sins, once and for all. God the Father will NEVER turn His Back on the Blood of Jesus, His Son.

Remember, God really can forgive your sins. Before Christ died, forgiveness required a blood sacrifice. But Jesus was our once-for-all Sacrifice. He died so that our sins could be forgiven and forgotten. Trust HIM to save you. The key to forgiving others is to remember how much God has forgiven you. Is it difficult for you to forgive someone? Remember God has forgiven you so much and so often. Realize that God’s infinite love and forgiveness can help you love and forgive others. But also remember IF you won’t forgive others, God won’t forgive you (Mat.6:14-15).

Sin and Forgiveness
Chapter 1, Adam and Eve

God called the man Adam, and Adam named the woman Eve. Adam doubtless had been told by God of the blessing of a Redeemer, the promised Seed.

Life in the Garden was absolutely perfect! It couldn’t have been better. Everything, everywhere was utterly beautiful! They had everything that they needed. Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe, was their personal Friend! They spoke in person to Him every day. God had placed Adam as manager of all Creation.

There was no disease, no sickness, no pain, no worry, no pests, no weeds, no thorns! Adam had a very pleasant job. All Adam needed to do was to go to God for guidance and instruction and God would tell him the best way to do something.

God gave Adam and Eve a great variety of fruits and vegetables to eat; wonderful, fresh tasting food at their fingertips. There were no financial worries, for everything was already provided.

Adam and Eve had never sinned, so there was nothing stopping them from having great talks with each other. They never argued, never hurt each other with sharp, hurtful words. They did not know what hate was. They loved each other completely and loved being with each other. They had a perfect friendship with each other and a perfect fellowship with God.

Can you imagine life like this? I can’t think of a word that would explain it. Awesome? Grand?

Then one beautiful, calm day, everything was about to change! Things would NEVER be the same ever again! Satan enters the scene. Satan knew very well the warning God had given Adam about a certain tree in the Garden.
Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. [KJV] . . . Satan hates God and he desperately wanted to destroy the man and woman God had made. So, in a brilliant maneuver, he planned to deceive the woman.
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? [KJV] . . . This was NOT just a creepy, crawling snake talking to Eve. Satan had entered this particular snake so he could deceive Eve. The serpent was more clever than any other animal God had made. Satan did not let Eve know that she was talking to the devil and not a snake.

Jesus clearly describes the devil in: John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (KJV) . . . The devil loves to do evil things. He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the Truth. There is NO truth in him whatsoever. He is a liar and the father of all lies. He deceives and accuses, he tries to make good seem like evil, and make evil seem right and good. He tries to make people think God is lying, but he knows everything that God says is absolute Truth! We must beware of Satan and his demons!
2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (KJV) . . . Satan can even disguise himself to look like an angel of light! Satan’s motives and tactics have not changed. He still hates God and everyone who loves God.

“Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?” The snake asked Eve. He knew the right answer! He knew what God had said but didn’t care. Satan denies God’s Word and was trying to cast doubt on what God had said. BEWARE!!! This is still one of His favorite moves.
Genesis 3:3-4 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. [4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: [KJV] . . . Satan was lying to Eve! Satan was suggesting that she eat the fruit so she could be like God.
Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. [KJV] . . . Eve fell for Satan’s lies! She believed Satan and NOT God! What a drastic mistake for her and Adam and all their descendants (us).

When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they rebelled against God. They turned away from trusting God. They turned away from depending on God. “Their eyes were opened” refers to their conscience. Before the fall, they were innocent. They did not know what evil was. But as soon as they bit into that fruit, they knew they had done wrong. What did God mean when He said they would die? They did NOT drop dead immediately. They were still physically alive. They made coverings for themselves out of leaves. God meant they would be separated from Him because of their sin, their rebellion. See different deaths: http://www.hisservants.org/death_then_what_1.1.htm

God always means what He says and does what He says. Rom.6:23 says “the wages of sin is death.” They were spiritually separated from God immediately when they ate that tempting fruit.

Because God is holy and righteous, He demands death as the payment of sin (Isa.59:2). Adam and Eve no longer had that personal One on one relationship with God. That fellowship was gone! Dead! They no longer had a oneness with God.

God knew exactly what had happened. He really did not have to ask “Where are you?” (Gen.3:9). He knew they were hiding, and He knew WHY they were hiding. Adam and Eve had reason to fear. They had done wrong! Adam tried to pass the blame onto Eve, and Eve tried to pass it on to Satan. But they BOTH were equally guilty. Each one of us are guilty of our own sins. We CANNOT blame anyone else, nor can we blame Satan. We do the sin, we are responsible.
Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (KJV) . . . As you see, clothes came in with sin. Before sin, there were no clothes! But, the fig leaf aprons (Gen.3:7) were not sufficient in God’s eyes. When God made clothes for our first parents, he made them warm and strong, but coarse and very plain; coats of skin. The animals from whose skins they were clothed, were slain, not for food, but for sacrifice, to illustrate Christ, the Great Sacrifice. The aprons of fig-leaves, were as rags (their our own righteousness Isa.64:6). So God made them coats of skin; large, strong, durable, and fit for them: such is the righteousness of Christ; therefore put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom.13:14).

When God made the coats of skins for Adam and Eve, it implies the establishment of animal sacrifice. It was undoubtedly of divine appointment, and instruction in the only acceptable mode of worship for sinful creatures, through faith in a Redeemer.
Heb.9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (KJV) . . . Why does forgiveness require the shedding of blood? Do we have a bloodthirsty God, as some have suggested? Absolutely not! There is no better symbol of life than blood; blood keeps us alive. Jesus shed His Blood (gave His life, sacrificed Himself) for our sins so that we would not have to experience eternal separation from God. Jesus is the source of life, not death. He gave His own life to pay our penalty for us so that we might live. After shedding His Blood for us on the cross, Christ rose from the grave and claimed victory over sin and death.

Christ died, not only to make the blessing of salvation available to us, but to give power to transfer all blessings to us. All of us, by sin, are guilty before God. I don’t care how good a moral life you live; if you are living without Jesus, you are not acceptable in God’s eyes. You are a sinner! God will turn His Back on you as long as you turn your back on His Son, Jesus! You must come to God on His terms, not yours! And God has made only ONE Way to access Him and Heaven; that being Jesus. God, in His abundant mercy, established a covenant of grace. Our sins and guilt must be done away with by the death of a Sacrifice, and that Sacrifice is Christ!

I have included this chapter on Adam and Eve to show how sin started. Their sin is referred to as the original sin. It was the first transgression (breaking God’s rule) mankind ever committed.
The doctrine of original sin is manifested or shown: (1.) From the fact that mankind is naturally sinful. “There is no man that sinneth not” (1 Kings 8:46; Is.53:6; Ps.130:3; Rom.3:10-11,19, 22-23; Gal.3:22). (2.) From the complete depravity (corruption) of man. No one on their own, show any concern for spiritual things. Man’s apostasy (abandonment) from God is total and complete (Job 15:14-16; Gen.6:5-6). (3.) Sin begins early in life (Ps.58:3; Pro. 22:15). (4.) It is proved by the need for regeneration (John 3:3; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal.3:22). (5.) From the fact that every one dies (Rom.5:12-20).

Sin started many, many years ago. It will continue until God has removed Satan finally and completely (Rev.20:10). Until that time, we all will sin, and we all must turn to Jesus if we want forgiveness of our sins. We don’t have to offer blood sacrifices any more, as in the Old Testament. Jesus offered the Perfect Sacrifice of Himself for us. All we need to do is believe God and trust in His Son Jesus, the Christ (Messiah).
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: [13] Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. [KJV] . . . Believe God, accept and receive Christ!

Sin and Forgiveness
Chapter 2, Sin

The Bible clearly tells us that sin is a serious problem. Sin is not just a deliberate act but is the definite nature of our being. We are not sinners because we sin, but instead, we sin because we are sinners! We are born with a nature to do wrong, and we start doing wrong at a very early age. The Bible truthfully states it.
Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. [KJV] . . . We all are born sinners. We are sinners from the moment our mother conceives us.
Psalm 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. [KJV] . . . The “wicked” are actually anyone without Jesus. Again, we are born sinners. Even from birth we have lied and gone their own way.
Isaiah 48:8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb. [KJV] . . . We are born traitors to God. We are rebels from our earliest childhood. We are rotten through and through.

These are not very nice words, are they? But, God doesn’t lie. So they are true words, even if we choose not to believe them. We are sinners! Because we are born sinners, sinning comes naturally to all of us. That is why it is stupid to think that the answer to all of life’s problems comes from “within.” Well known teachers and physiologists make this claim. They are wrong. According to the Bible, the problem is within, NOT the answer! Scripture tells us, “The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jer.17:9). NONE of us are basically good, we are basically sinful. And this wickedness spills out into everything we do. Every problem we have in our world today can be traced back to our refusal to live God’s way. As we have seen, Adam made his choice, and he suffered the consequences. He set the pattern that all humanity would follow. ALL people sin.
The Bible tells us When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, Adam’s one sin brought condemnation upon everyone (Rom.5:12, 18). Do you think it’s unfair? Do you ask why should we suffer because of what someone else has done? My friend, had you been in the Garden, you would have fallen for Satan’s lies the same as Eve did. You would have eaten of that forbidden fruit the same as Adam and Eve did. There is not a single day that goes by that we do not face similar tests that were set before Adam. God has given us a free will, and the freedom to choose between two separate paths: the path that leads to life and the path that leads to death.
Deut. 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: [KJV] . . . Someone may say, “But I live a good life. I try to be kind and considerate to others. I live by the Ten Commandments.” But the truth is, we CANNOT live by the Ten Commandments (the law), nor can we live by the Sermon on the Mount. It’s impossible! The Ten Commandments were not given to make us good. They show us how bad we really are. Rom.3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. [KJV] . . . NO one can ever be made right in God’s sight by ooing what His Law commands, simply because we are NOT able to keep His Laws. The Law is like a chain, and IF we break one law (one link), we break them all (the whole chain) and we are cursed (Gal.3:10; Deut.27:26). God’s Word makes it quite clear that the more we know about God’s law, the clearer it is that we do not obey it.
The purpose of the Law is to make us realize how sinful we are. It is like a school teacher to us (Gal. 3:24-25). Actually, God’s law shuts our mouths, and shows us how desperately we need His help and forgiveness for our deadly condition as sinners.
Let’s look at some Passages in God’s Word to better understand the nature and seriousness of sin.

*****(1.) We All Have Missed the Mark. Rom.3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [KJV] . . . We all have sinned. Will you claim to be the sole exception to this eternal truth? Will you call God a liar? I’m not going to! Rom.3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: [KJV] . . . Righteous is good. It’s one who is as he or she ought to be. When the Bible says that no one is righteous, good, it is not so much referring to behavior but to inner character (our heart Jer.17:9).

Just what is God’s glorious standard (the glory of God) that we have failed to meet? God’s glorious standard is absolute perfection. Jesus said, “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Mat.5:48). In other words, anyone who is not as good as God is not acceptable to Him. HOW do we become acceptable to God? God tells us!
1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. [KJV]
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. [KJV] . . . We CANNOT get to the Father unless we go through Jesus.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [KJV]

One definition of sin is, to miss the mark. As far as perfection goes, we ALL miss it by a mile. But even though our sinful nature makes it impossible for us to live up to God’s standard, we cannot blame sin on our nature alone. Sin is also a deliberate act on our part.

*****(2.) Sin Is a Deliberate Act. Ephes. 2:1-3 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; [2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: [3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. [KJV] . . . Before we opened the door of our heart to Jesus (Rev.3:20), we were dead, doomed forever because of our many sins. We used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, willingly obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air (Eph.2:2). He is the evil spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. ALL of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God’s horrible anger just like everyone else.

Another word for sins is transgressions or trespasses. This is turning your back on Truth. In contrast to simply missing the mark, this is a deliberate action on our part. And because sin is a deliberate action, we cannot blame our sin on anyone or anything. We are to blame! Everyone chooses to do wrong. They have two choices: right OR wrong! The narrow road OR the broad road! Once your decision is made, and you don’t like the results, don’t try to put the blame on someone else, not even Satan. Satan tempts, yes, but he does NOT make us give in to the temptation. It’s our choice!
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [KJV] If we say we are good, and that we don’t sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the Truth.

*****(3.) The Eventual Penalty for Sin Is Death. Rom.6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. [KJV] . . . According to the Bible, we offend a Holy God every time that we sin. This is not once or twice, but so many times that we can’t keep count. Wages are something that you are paid for work you do. You earn your wages. Because we all have sinned over and over again, we earn the penalty of death, which is eternal torment and punishment in a place called Hell.
Various kinds of sin are mentioned in the Bible: (1.) Presumptuous sins, or sins with an uplifted hand. These are defiant acts of sin, in contrast with errors or unintentional sins. (Ps.19:13). (2.) Secret or hidden sins (Ps.19:12); sins which escape the notice of the soul. (3.) Sin against the Holy Ghost (Mat.12:31-32). This is willful rejection of God’s grace.
In the midst of all this talk about sin and death and Hell, is there any good news? Yes! Because God is loving and merciful and gracious, He has given us A Way to escape the penalty of our sin (our wages). He has made it possible for us to have a relationship with Him and enjoy the hope of eternal life without punishment. We can have remission (acquittal, forgiveness) of our sins, no matter how bad we think they are.
Mat.26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. [KJV]
Heb.9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. [KJV]
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (KJV) . . . God forgives sin when we trust Jesus.

Sin and Forgiveness
Chapter 3, More on Sin
SIN IS:

*****SIN is transgression of the Law. 1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. [KJV] . . . All who sin are opposed to God’s Law, because all sin violates the Law of God.

*****SIN is of the devil. 1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. [KJV] . . . When people keep on sinning, even though they know it’s wrong, it shows they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But praise God! The Son of God came to destroy these works of the devil. John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. [KJV] . . . Those who continue in sin are the children of the devil. They love doing the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning, he has always hated the Truth. There is no Truth in him. He is a liar and the father of lies.

*****All unrighteousness is SIN. 1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. (KJV) . . . Every wrong is sin, but not all sin leads to death. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin because these people will not listen to His pleadings in their hearts. They will not admit they sin. They will never humble themselves before God and ask for forgiveness. This is why they can’t be forgiven.

*****SIN is omission of what we know we should do. James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. [KJV] . . . It is a sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

*****SIN is whatever is not of faith. Rom.14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. [KJV] . . . If you have doubts about whether you should eat something, don’t eat it. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.

*****Thought of foolishness. Pro.24:9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. [KJV] . . . Plans of a fool are sinful; everyone hates a mocker.

*****SIN is all the imaginations of the unrenewed heart are. Gen.6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. [KJV] The Lord saw the extent of the people’s wickedness, and He saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil. God sees ALL we do, and ALL we think!

SIN DESCRIBED AS:
*****Coming from the heart. Mat.15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: [KJV] . . . Evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander; these all start in the heart. Jer.17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? [KJV] The human heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. (KJV)

*****The fruit of lust. James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. [KJV] . . . Evil desires (lusts) lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death.

*****The sting of death. 1 Cor. 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. [KJV] . . . Sin gives death its hurtful power. The sting of death is sin; but Christ, by dying, has taken away this sting. He has made atonement for sin, He has obtained remission (forgiveness) of it. The strength of sin is the Law. No one can answer its demands, no one can endure its curse, and no one can do away his own transgressions. For that reason there is terror and anguish in death. So, death is terrible to the unbelieving and those who refuse to repent. All sins remain in tact to those without Jesus. They are not and cannot be forgiven unless they accept Christ and His Work on the cross. Christ is the ONLY Way to have your sins forgiven!
Death may grab a believer, but it cannot hold him/her in its power.

*****Rebellion against God. Deut. 9:7 Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord. [KJV] . . . Israel made God very angry out in the wilderness. From the day they left Egypt (even until now), they have constantly rebelled against Him.
But, we cannot blame only Israel for rebelling. Each time we sin, we rebel
against our Maker. If we had been in the wilderness, we too would have rebelled.

*****Works of darkness. Ephes. 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. [KJV] Don’t have a friendship with someone you know will get you into trouble. Take no part in their worthless deeds of evil and the devil; instead, rebuke and expose them.

*****Dead works. Heb.6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, [KJV] Stay close to the Word of God. Let us become mature (perfect) in our understanding. Turn away from evil deeds and place your faith in God.
Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (KJV) . . . The precious Blood of Christ will purify our hearts from evil deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God. Christ Jesus offered Himself to God as a perfect Sacrifice for our sins.

SIN, GOD HATES IT.

*****An abominable thing that God hates. Pro.15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. [KJV] . . . The Lord despises the way of the wicked, but He loves those who do right. Who are the “wicked” to God? Those without Jesus.
Jer.44:4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate. [KJV] . . . Again and again God sent His servants, the prophets, to plead with them, “Don't do these horrible things that I hate so much.”

*****Reproaching the Lord. Num.15:30-A But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; - - - [KJV] . . . Those who brazenly violate the Lord’s will, no matter who they are, blaspheme the Lord.

*****Defiling. Pro.30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. [KJV] . . . This verse is for today! So many so-called Christians either live in sin themselves, or tolerate all the wickedness around them. Adultery, fornication, homosexuality, same sex marriage, alcoholism, drugs, etc. are common place today. Those of us who warn against such evils are looked down upon and blasphemed. Sin is sin! God has NOT changed, nor will He change His mind about sin or anything else (Heb.13:8; Jam. 1:17).
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. [KJV] . . . Evil, vulgar sin separates you from a Holy God. Unless you repent and confess your sins, God will NOT hear your prayers.

*****Deceitful. Heb.3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. [KJV] . . . Warn each other every day, so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.

*****Disgraceful. Pro.14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. [KJV] . . . Being good and right and just exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

*****Like scarlet and crimson. Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (KJV) . . . Scarlet or crimson, was the color of a deep-red permanent dye. Its deep stain was almost impossible to remove from clothing. The stain of sin is like this, but God CAN remove sin’s stain from our lives. God’s Word assures us that if we are willing and obedient, Christ will forgive and remove our most permanent, deep set stains (Psalm 51:1-7). NO one but God can forgive sins.

*****Christ alone was without sin. 2 Cor. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (KJV) . . . God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the Offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
Heb.4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (KJV) . . . Christ, our High Priest understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same temptations we do, yet He did not sin. Since the death of Christ on the cross, we no longer need a human priest. Jesus opened the way to Heaven for us so that we can access God ourselves, personally! (Rom.5:1-2).
Heb.7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (KJV) . . . Why would we want a sinful human priest when we have Jesus? Yet people today still insist on confessing their sins to a man.
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. [KJV] . . . Under the Old Testament sacrifice system, a lamb without blemish was offered as a sacrifice for sin. Jesus is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Because Jesus lived a perfect life and sacrificed Himself for our sins, and God accepted His Sacrifice, we can be completely forgiven.
1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. [KJV] . . . We can look to His death for us and know that we need never suffer eternal death.. . . http://www.hisservants.org/death_then_what_1.1.htm
1 Peter 1:18-20 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: [20] Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, [KJV] . . . God paid a Ransom to save you from the sinful life you inherited from your ancestors. The Ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose Him for this purpose long before the world began. This was all done for you.

*****God hates sin: Deuteronomy 25:16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God. (KJV)
Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (KJV)

*****God will punish all sin. Isaiah 13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. (KJV) . . . God will crush the arrogance of the proud and the haughtiness of the mighty.

*****Only God can forgive sins. Micah 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (KJV) . . . Nothing we can do or offer God will make Him forget our sins. Only the Blood of Jesus can wash us clean.

*****Only Jesus can make us right with God. Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (KJV)

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (KJV) . . . God purchased our freedom through the precious Blood of His Son, our sins are forgiven.
1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (KJV) . . . We ALL sin, even if we refuse to admit it.

Sin and Forgiveness
Chapter 4, Cain and Abel

If we are truthful with ourselves, we will admit that God is awesome, supreme and sovereign. There is nothing any of us can hide from God. He knows everything about each one of us, our hearts, our thoughts, our words and our deeds; and every sin we commit. And be assured, He will punish ALL sin!

We cannot (no way, no how), save ourselves from God’s wrath and the everlasting destruction of Hell. We are sinners, and we cannot “get away with our sin.” There is NOTHING we can do to make ourselves acceptable to God.

There is only one Way we can become God’s friend and be made acceptable in His sight, and that is Jesus. We either come to God on His terms, or He will NOT have us!
Rom.5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [KJV] . . . Only when we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, can we ever have peace with God.
Rom.5:9-10 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. [KJV] . . . We are made right in God’s sight by the Blood of Christ, we know He will save us from God’s wrath and judgment. We have been reconciled with God by the death of His Son, and know we will be delivered from eternal punishment by His life.

When Adam sinned, sin was passed on to all mankind. It started with his own son, Cain. Cain tried to access God on his own terms, as millions do today. God wouldn’t have it then, and He won’t have it now!

From the start, people have refused to agree that God is sovereign and supreme, and to admit the seriousness of sin. It is sad for TRUE Christians to see the horrible state in which our present society resides. The decline and degradation of morals is a disgrace. Just think what God thinks when He looks at the ever worsening situation. Moral values certainly have plummeted. Sinners roam freely in gross sin with no thought of the judgment that is sure to come. They seem to think: “If it makes me feel good, why not?”

But God has NOT changed! Nor is He considering any changes. He has always hated sin, He has always punished sin; and He will continue to do so. IF you think you have gotten away with something . . . you may have in human terms . . . BUT you will NEVER get away with any sin in God’s eyes. Trust me on that. God still requires the death penalty for sins. God is Holy!

The life of Cain is a serious example of the horrible results of rebelling against a Holy God. Cain knew what God expected of him. His parents had told both he and Abel. Both Cain and Abel believed in the existence of God. And both came to God, offering sacrifices.

WHY was Cain’s offering refused?

Cain and Abel represent the two groups of people in churches today. Cain represents people who ‘worship God’ coming in their own way; and Abel represents people who come God’s way.

Just believing in God and offering what WE think is very good, will NOT make us acceptable to God. Even the devils believe there is a God (Jam.2:19). It is certain that the devil and his demons are NOT acceptable to God!
Gen.4:3-5 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. [4] And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: [5] But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. [KJV] . . . Abel brought one of his sheep that he had raised. He offered it in faith, looking forward to the Promised Deliverer. Abel offered a blood sacrifice which God demanded. There are just two examples of this basic principle that runs through the Bible.
Lev.17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. [KJV]
Heb.9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. [KJV] . . . Without a blood sacrifice, there is NO forgiveness of sins. Abel came to God, God’s way, and God was pleased and accepted Abel’s sacrifice. Abel agreed with God that he was a sinner and only God could save him from everlasting punishment. He believed the Promises God had made to his parents that He would one day send the Great Deliverer.

Cain, on the other hand, offered things that he had grown from the ground that God had cursed (Gen.3:17). It’s not that the things Cain offered were not good. Cain simply did not come to God admitting he was a sinner. He came to God HIS way, not God’s way. Cain did not believe God, nor trust in the way God had told him to come. His offering was obtained by his own efforts, NOT by faith. And it was not an offering of blood (which looked forward to Christ). And the 4th reason God rejected Cain’s offering was that his heart was not right. God can see very clearly what is in our hearts, and He did not like what He saw in Cain’s heart. Cain came to God trusting in his own way, and so God rejected his offering.

God has NOT changed! He is exactly the same today! He no longer demands that we sacrifice sheep to Him, but He still demands a Blood offering, and that Offering is Jesus. Unless we trust and believe in Christ as the Great Deliverer, God will refuse and reject our offering too, the same as He did Cain.

People think they can make up their own way of accessing God: going to church, giving money, working in the church, helping others, being good and doing good things, rites and rituals . . . these things are not bad things (like Cain’s offering), but they are trying to buy their way into God’s Presence. Nothing you do, no amount of money can put you into God’s Presence! You must come to God on HIS terms and only His terms! And that one and only Way is faith in the only begotten Son of God. Jesus is the Promised Deliverer that Adam and Abel looked forward to. We can either come to God on His terms (Abel) or hopelessly try it our way (Cain). Think about it!

Sin and Forgiveness
Chapter 5, Forgiveness

Forgiveness is: absolution, acquittal, pardon granted, mercy, exoneration, remission, reprieve, justification, vindication, clearance, dismissal of all charges. We ALL are sinners (Rom. 3:10, 23), which makes us ALL natural enemies of God (Rom. 5:10). We must be forgiven of our sins to become God’s friend (Rom. 5:1). Jesus is the only Answer! He is the only One who can make us right with God. Many do not like to hear this, but it is the Truth, and someone’s not liking it doesn’t make it any less the Truth. Unless we are forgiven for our sins, we are doomed to the pits of Hell. We are God’s enemy. And yes, there is an actual place called Hell! (Mat. 25:41, 46). To say there is no Hell is the same as saying there is no evil in the world. There are two groups of people in the world: sinners (the devil’s children) and forgiven sinners (God’s children). We must have Jesus’ righteousness to be God’s children. (See Rom. 3:22, 25; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil.1:11; 3:9). We must be forgiven!

Bible verses on Forgiveness

Psalm 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. [KJV] . . . Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!
Psalm 51:1-4 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. [2] Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. [3] For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. [4] Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. [KJV] . . . David begs God for forgiveness. God has great mercy and unfailing love. He has great compassion, and is able to blot out the stain of our sins. He can wash us clean from all our guilt. He can purify us from our sin. BUT, we must recognize our shameful deeds and admit we are wrong. If true believers don’t confess their sins, they haunt us day and night. It really is against God and God alone that we have sinned. We do what is evil in His sight. God is always right in what He says, and His judgment against us is always just.
Romans 4:6-8 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, [7] Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. [8] Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. [KJV] . . . King David described the happiness of an undeserving sinner who is declared to be righteous. He said there is great joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. There is tremendous joy for those whose sin is no longer counted against them by the Lord (Ps.32:2).
Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. [KJV] . . . Jesus was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised from the dead to make us right with God.
Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? [KJV] . . . Should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not! Since we have died to sin when we accepted Christ, how can we continue to live in sin?
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. [KJV] . . . Here’s that amazing verse again. I think we need to memorize this one. According to the Law of Moses, nearly everything was purified by sprinkling with blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.

That’s why we need Christ!

Hebrews 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. [KJV] . . . God tells us here that He will never again remember our sins and lawless deeds once He has forgiven us.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [KJV] . . . If we confess our sins to God, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. Always remember to go to God in prayer in the Name of Jesus.
Romans 5:1-10 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [2] By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [3] And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; [4] And patience, experience; and experience, hope: [5] And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. [6] For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. [8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. [KJV] . . . To me, this is a wonderful Passage of Scripture. It shows us we need faith, and it shows us the grace and mercy of God. Because of our faith in Jesus, we have been made right in God’s sight. We have peace with God because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of high privilege where we now stand as God’s children. We can confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory one day.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into troubles and trials, for we know that they are good for us. An unbeliever cannot do that. We know troubles help us by teaching us patience. That patience makes us strong in character. And our character builds up our confident hope of salvation. We learn to believe God and know He will not disappoint us. We know how much God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. We are utterly helpless without Christ. But He came right on God’s schedule, and died for sinners; all of us. Someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good, but God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
     And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the precious Blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God’s wrath and judgment of Hell. Since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by His life. Trust Him always!
Romans 3:25-26 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. [KJV] . . . God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy His anger against us because of our rebellion against Him. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed His precious Blood, sacrificing His life for us.
What happened to people who lived before Christ came and died for sin? O.T. believers looked forward in faith to the Promised Deliverer (Gen.15:6; Gal.3:6). Unlike O.T. believers, we know about God who loved the world so much that He gave His own Son (John 3:16). Have you put your trust in Him?
Phil.3:8-11 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, [9] And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: [10] That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; [11] If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. [KJV] . . . Everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. All is garbage alongside of Christ. I know that with my goodness or ability I cannot obey God’s Law. I know that I must trust Christ to save me. My faith in Christ makes me right with God. Let me know and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. Let me learn what it means to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so I can one day experience the resurrection from the dead.

God will forgive ANY sin IF we are truly sorry for what we have done. And once He forgives a sin, He forgets it!
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (KJV)
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (KJV) . . .

Are you God’s child? http://www.godcannotlie.org/true_children_of_god.htm

Sin and Forgiveness
Chapter 6, Why Must I Forgive?

Forgiveness is one of the great principles of our Christian life. Jesus showed us this when He hung on the cross and prayed for the very people who had put Him there (Luke 23:34). His words, which were extremely powerful and unexpected, brought about the conversion of one of the thieves hanging on a cross next to Him. Because Jesus completely forgave us, He wants us to follow His example by our forgiving others.
Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (KJV)
Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (KJV)

What the Bible tells us about forgiveness.

*****(1.) Forgiveness First Comes from God. Think about all the times God has forgiven you . . . completely, when you have repented. Our forgiveness of others should flow from us to them, as God’s forgiveness flows from Him to us.
Mark 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. [KJV] . . . Jesus’ Words.

*****(2.) Forgiveness Should Know No Limits. For a Christian, no wrong should be too great or too small to forgive. (Mat.18:21-35).

*****(3.) Forgiveness Is Not Selective. You can’t choose to forgive some people and not forgive others. Matthew 5:43-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. [44] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; [45] That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. [46] For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? [47] And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? [48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. [KJV] . . . Jesus’ Words.

*****4. Forgiveness Breaks Down Walls. When you choose to forgive, YOU are the one who is blessed; for YOU experience true freedom (Gen.45:1-15). Christ makes Himself and His loving-kindness known to His people, out of the sight and hearing of unbelievers. Joseph shed tears of tenderness and strong affection. This represents the Divine compassion toward the contrite. “I am Joseph, your brother.” This would humble his brothers more for their sin of selling him, but would encourage them to hope for kind treatment. When Christ manifests Himself to His people, He encourages them to draw near to Him with a true heart. Sinners must grieve and be angry with themselves for their sins. After true reconciliation with the Lord Jesus, sweet communion with Him follows.
Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (KJV)
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (KJV) . . . Do you honestly want God to forgive you like you forgive those who have offended you? Think about this!
Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: [15] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (KJV) . . . Do you see that little 3 letter word in this Passage? “BUT” IF you don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive you. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. BUT if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? [22] Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. (KJV) . . . The rabbis taught that people should forgive those who offend them, only three times. Peter, trying to be especially generous, asked Jesus if seven (the “perfect” number) was enough times to forgive someone. But Jesus answered, “Seventy-seven times,” meaning that we should NOT even keep track of how many times we forgive someone. We should always forgive those who are truly repentant, no matter how many times they ask. How many times has God forgiven you? Speaking for myself, He forgives me much more than seven times a day! He does NOT keep track of my offenses as we will see in the next chapter. If I sin, and ask His forgiveness from a sincere and truly repentant heart, God forgives me. And if you are like me, you mess up quite often.
Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. (KJV) . . . If people persecute you because you are a believer, don’t curse them; pray for them.
Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. (KJV) . . . Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Be honorable, imitate Jesus, so that people will glorify God.
Romans 12:19-21 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. [20] Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. [21] Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (KJV) . . . Never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, “I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,” says the Lord. Instead, do what the Scriptures say: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.” Don’t ever let evil get the best of you, always conquer evil by doing good.
1 Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. (KJV) . . . Don’t ever repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing and pray for them! That is what God wants you to do, and if you do it, He will bless you for it. We are always to imitate our Lord Jesus in all we do.

Sin and Forgiveness
Chapter 7, God’s Forgiveness

God’s forgiveness is a wonderful thing. It is one of the many awesome privileges of His children. Our Holy God makes a way for us to have our sin forgiven and forgotten. How often do you thank Him? Forgiveness of sin is one of the key parts of justification. When God pardons sin, He absolves (acquits, frees from blame) the sinner from the condemnation of the Law. Justify = just as if I’d never sinned. He does this because of the Work of Christ on the cross. He removes the guilt of sin, He removes His eternal wrath from us, He removes the judgment of an agonizing eternal Hell from us. All our sins are forgiven freely (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 1 John 1:6-9). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and penalty of his/her sins. This is the exceptional right and privilege of God (Ps.130:4; Mark 2:5). It is offered to all people in the Gospel. NO one is exempt from God’s wonderful offer.

Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (KJV) . . . When God forgives our sins, He completely forgets them! They will never be held up to us ever again. He will never remind us of them later. But, because God forgives our sin, we must forgive others.
Isaiah 55:7 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. (KJV) This is a gracious offer of pardon, peace, joy and happiness. When you truly seek God, it is never in vain. When you hear His Word calling to you, it is His Spirit striving with you. But there is a day coming when the Spirit will no longer strive with you (Gen.6:3). It is certain that at death, the door will be shut. There is NO second chance, NO second time around; only judgment! Don’t let anyone with the devil’s doctrine tempt you and tell you differently. They are wrong! (Heb.9:27).

There must be not only a change of the way, but a change of the mind. We must change our judgments about persons and things. Stopping evil practices is not enough, we must strive against evil thoughts. To repent is to turn to or return to our Lord, against whom we have rebelled. It is leaving our way of doing things, and start doing and thinking God’s way! If and when we do this, God will abundantly pardon our abundant sins.

Our thoughts about sin, Christ, and holiness, concerning this world and the other, differ greatly from God’s thoughts (Is.58:8-9). We forgive, but we cannot forget; but when God forgives sin, He remembers it no more (Heb.8:12; 10:17). Delivered from the wrath to come (1 Thes.1:10), converted sinners finds peace in their conscience; and love forces them to devote themselves to serving their Redeemer. When a person is truly converted, instead of being quarrelsome, profane, selfish, hateful and/or immoral, they become patient, humble, loving, gentle, kind, and peaceable. With Christ in a person’s life, things change!
Psalm 103:11-13 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. [12] As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. [13] Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. (KJV) . . . God’s unfailing love toward those who reverence Him is as high as Heaven. When He forgives our rebellious acts, He removes them as far away from us as the east is from the west. North and south can meet, but east and west never meet. You can go east a million miles, you will never meet west. But you can go only to the North Pole, and when you reach the top, you then start south. So when God tells us He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west, it means He really removes them! The Lord is like a father to His children, He is loving, compassionate and tender and to those who fear Him. He wants to forgive us.
Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. [19] He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. [KJV] . . . There are many so-called gods in the world today. But WHERE is there another God who pardons the sins of His people? THERE IS NONE! Our great and awesome Creator God delights in showing mercy. He has great compassion on us. He will trample our sins under His Feet and throw them into the deepest part of the ocean. And He will NOT go fishing for them either. He forgives us totally! Our sins are gone!
Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (KJV) . . . Christ is the One all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in Him will have their sins forgiven through His Name. Jesus is the only way (Jn.14:6; Acts 4:12) to God the Father who can forgive our sins. The Bible does NOT lie! Trust Jesus!
Heb.8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (KJV) . . . God truly is merciful! He will forgive our wrongdoings when we trust in Christ. God will forgive us and never again remember our sins, because of Jesus.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV) . . . If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every sin.
1 John 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. [KJV] . . . The apostle John wrote this little, power packed Book, so that we would know our sins have been forgiven because of what Jesus did for us.

Some Psalms reveal the authors responding to God: (1.) they recognized their sinfulness and tendency to do wrong; (2.) they realized that sin was rebellion against God Himself; (3.) they admitted their sins to God; (4.) they trusted in God’s willingness to forgive them; and (5.) they accepted His forgiveness. The following Psalms are a reminder of how easy it is to drift away from God and fall into sin. They also show what is needed to reestablish that fellowship. These Psalms emphasize these subjects: Psalm 6; 14; 31; 32; 38; 41; 51; 102; 130; 143.  Read God’s Word.

SALVATION

If the conscience of a person is not persuaded by the Word of God, God considers this person ‘dead’ (spiritually). Begging never saves souls, for if it did, I would have gained many for Jesus; but it does not! No matter how my heart breaks, no matter how many tears I shed, people cannot be saved by my begging them to come to Jesus.

It is possible for someone to get away with actual murder here on Earth; but when Judgment comes, you will be held accountable for all sins you have committed. The only hope anyone can have is the Blood of Jesus; the Blood He shed on the cross for you and for me, for the entire world!

Christ Jesus qualifies 100% to be our Saviour, and 100% to be our Judge. The tears and Blood He so willingly shed, the tremendous grief He bore in His tender Heart, the excruciating pains He suffered out of love for mankind, makes Him the kind of Saviour and Judge I want!

Jesus today is our Advocate in the Heavens above; He’s our Saviour sitting on the Throne of love. And one day He will be our Great and Wise Judge, sitting on the Throne of love and mercy. We will be judged fair and right in every respect! He will have authority and wisdom to judge every person who has ever lived!

As you read this, you can do one of two things: (1.) you can accept Jesus as your Saviour and send your sins ahead to judgment where they will be forgiven and disposed of while you are still on Earth. Your slate can be wiped clean, OR (2.) you can reject Jesus and stockpile your sins in the books of Heaven where each single sin will be judged by Christ one day. God will not force you to choose Jesus, it is your choice! What will you do?

Many churches today are NOT teaching the Christ of the Bible! He is love! YES! IF we obey Him, but for those who refuse to trust and obey Him; there is only looming judgment waiting.

The Bible does NOT teach everyone will go to Heaven; in fact, it teaches just the opposite! Only a “few” will ever make it to Heaven (Mat.713-14). And the Bible does NOT teach that anyone gets a second chance after death! For unbelievers, after death, only God’s wrath and judgment remains (Heb. 9:27).

So, how can you be saved from God’s wrath? From sin and its penalty? From the agonizing and everlasting destruction of Hell? God made A Plan! One single Plan, and that is Jesus! Only Jesus! John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [KJV] . . . The Father is in Heaven. IF you want to go to Heaven you must go through Jesus! There’s NO other way!
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (KJV) . . . NO other person, NO other god can save you, only Jesus!
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: [KJV]
1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. [KJV]

You must be “born again” into the family of God to be His child and His heir. Only Jesus has the power to do that! Only Jesus holds Heaven’s key! Without Jesus you will cast into Hell (Rev.20:15; 21:8; John 8:24).

CLOSING COMMENTS

BECAUSE OF SIN:

· WE SHOULD PRAY TO GOD.
· To search for sin, in our hearts. Psalm 139:23-24
· To make us know our sin. Job 13:23
· To forgive our sin. Ex.34:9; Luke 11:4
· To keep us from sin. Psalm 19:13
· To deliver us from sin. Mat. 6:13
· To cleanse us from sin. Psalm 51:2
· Prayer is hindered by sin. Psalm 66:18; Isa.59:2
· Blessings withheld on account of sin. Jer. 5:25

· THE WICKED.
· Servants to sin. John 8:34; Rom. 6:16
· Dead in sin. Eph. 2:1
· Guilty of sin, in everything they do. Pro. 21:4; Eze. 21:24
· Excuse sin. Genesis 3:12-13; 1 Samuel 15:13-15
· Encourage themselves in sin. Psalm 64:5
· Defy God in committing sin. Isa.5:18-19
· Boast of sin. Isa.3:9
· Make a mock at sin. Pro. 14:9
· Expect exemption in sin. Psalm 10:11; Psalm 50:21; Psalm 94:7
· Cannot cease from sin. 2 Peter 2:14
· Heap up sin. Psalm 78:17; Isa. 30:1
· Encouraged in sin, by prosperity. Job 21:7-15; Pro. 10:16
· Led by despair to continue in sin. Jer.2:25; Jer.18:12
· Try to conceal sin, from God. Gen.3:8, 10; Job 31:33
· Throw the blame of sin, on God. Gen. 3:12; Jer. 7:10
· Throw the blame of sin, on others. Gen. 3:12-13; Ex.32:22-24
· Tempt others to sin. Genesis 3:6; 1 Kings 16:2; 1 Kings 21:25; Pro. 1:10-14
· Delight in those who commit sin. Psalm 10:3; Hosea 7:3; Rom.1:32
· Shall bear the shame of sin. Eze.l 16:52
· Shall find out the wicked sin. Num. 32:23
· Ministers should warn the wicked to forsake sin. Eze. 3:9; Dan. 4:27

· SIN LEADS TO.
· Shame. Rom. 6:21
· Disquiet. Psalm 38:3
· Disease. Job 20:11
· The ground was cursed on account of sin. Gen. 3:17-18
· Toil and sorrow originated in sin. Gen. 3:16-17, 19; Job 14:1
· Sin excludes from Heaven. 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5; Rev. 21:27
· When finished, sin brings forth death. James 1:15
· Death, the wages of sin. Rom. 6:23
· Death, the punishment of sin. Gen. 2:17; Eze.18:4

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