What to do with Forgiveness

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” 1 John 1:9 NLT

In my early days as a Christian, I used God’s gift of forgiveness like a swinging gate. On one side there was the sinful behavior. However, after the delight of the sin had worn off, guilt and sorrow would set in causing me to run to God’s gate to confess my sin. Then, knowing that God had forgiven me, I walked through the gate where relief and gratitude would meet me on the other side. This side of the gate offered me yet another chance to be a “good” Christian despite my willful and repeated disobedience. Deep in my heart, I was thankful for God’s bottomless basket of forgiveness. Unfortunately, in hindsight, I recognize that there was no true repentance on my part as there was no true turning away from those sinful behaviors.

But what was God’s intention for forgiveness? Here is how the Apostle Paul described the situation for us when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior:

“When you came to Christ . . . there was a spiritual procedure-the cutting away of your sinful nature. . . Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. God disarmed the evil [influences] . . . by his victory over them on the cross of Christ.” Colossians 2:11-15.

I did not appreciate this victory over sin until I was much older and had recommitted my life to Christ deciding to focus on Him, not on the tantalizing treasures of society’s norms. I had seen and suffered the effects of sin enough that I wanted to be on the forgiveness side of the swinging gate. I wanted to obey God and heed Paul’s warning:

“Don’t let anyone lead you ashtray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and the evil powers of this world, not from Christ . . . So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry . . . Get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other. ” Col 2:8, 3:5-9.

What to do with God’s forgiveness? Accept it! Truly repent! Realize that now:
I am setting my “sights on the realities of heaven”;
I am clothed with a “brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as [I] learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within [me]”;
I am clothed in “tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience”;
I “make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends [me]”;
I wear the most important piece of clothing that is the “love that binds us all together in perfect harmony”;
I “let the peace that comes from Christ rule in” my heart and will always be thankful;
and, finally, I “let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in” my heart and make me wise (Col 3:1-16).

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of forgiveness. I accept it gratefully! And I pray for strength and wisdom to lead a life that honors your abundant generosity!