The Forgiveness of God

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."
Hebrews 8:12

The father runs to meet the prodigal. (Luke 15)

I. God is faithful to forgive our sins.

1 John 1:9

II. Through Jesus Christ, and because of the debt He paid (2 Corinthians 5:18, 19; Colossians 1:21, 22), we can draw near to God with freedom and boldness.

Hebrews 4:15, 16; 10:19, 22
1 John 3:21

III. Scripture well describes the completeness of our forgiveness in Him.

Psalms 85:2
Isaiah 55:7 (" ... He will abundantly pardon!")

A. All our past sins have been forgotten. (The Lord forgives and forgets!)

      Isaiah 43:25
      Jeremiah 31:34
      Hebrews 8:12; 10:17

B. God has blotted out our transgressions as a thick cloud.

Isaiah 44:21, 22
Colossians 2:13, 14

C. He has cast them into the depths of the sea.

Micah 7:18, 19

D. Our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west.

Psalms 103:11-14

E. Scripture says our sins are covered up. God does not look upon them any more.

Psalms 32:1

F. We are washed whiter than snow.

Psalms 51:7
Isaiah 1:18

G. God has cast all our sins behind His back.

Isaiah 38:17

IV. God requires more than confession with the mouth. It is the heart of man with which He is really concerned.

A. The continual forgiveness of our sins in a day by day walk with God is conditional upon our forgiveness of others.

Matthew 6:9-15; 18:23-35
Mark 11:22-26

B. God demands true repentance (a complete turnaround, the forsaking of our own way).

Isaiah 55:7
John 8:11

C. Sorrow for sin is necessary (Psalms 38:18), but it is not in itself sufficient (Mark 10:17-22; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; Hebrews 12:17).

D. We must expose and confess our sin. Nothing can remain hidden from God.

      Psalms 32:2-5; 38:17-18; 66:18; 69:5
      Jeremiah 16:17
      Ezekiel 8:12; 9:9