How Forgiven Are You?

Dearly beloved, does God hold your past sins over your head? Does He throw them in your face to humble you?

“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1, 2)

Does this mean that the Lord will count Israel’s sins twice to make her guiltier? No, this is an Eastern idiom that was commonly used in their culture. The sentence before the expression, “double for all her sins”, says that “her iniquity is pardoned” so it cannot mean that God will count them twice as much.

In Eastern lands during the times that the Bible was written, if you went bankrupt, for example, the elders would post a statement of your debts at the entrance to the town and it would remain posted until all of your creditors were paid in full. Everyone would see it and know of your debts. The situation would be quite embarrassing; you would be shamed and everyone in town would know about it.

It would be very difficult to dig yourself out of such a hole. But, let’s say that one of your family, or a relative, or a friend, saw how dire your situation was and decided to help you out by paying off your debts in full. The elders would then take the piece of paper listing your debts, fold the paper in half, doubling it, and tack it back on the gate. You would be forgiven your debts because a benefactor paid them in full. The past was past and you would have a fresh start. This is the custom called, “double”.

Israel received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins, meaning she was pardoned, forgiven, and the issue was settled. Isn’t that wonderful?

God says in Psalms that, “He forgives all your iniquities. He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear Him.”

He says in Micah that “He will hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”

In Jeremiah, God says, “…for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” According to Him, He does not remember them; and these verses were written in the Old Testament.

What about us who live during the Administration of the Grace of God and the Mystery of Christ?

The Lord Jesus was the last sacrifice for sins forever! We were forgiven in Christ by the riches of His grace! It is finished!

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it [his resurrection from the dead].”

When Christ was nailed to the tree, God nailed our sins on his cross with him; they too were doubled. God blotted them out. We stand in Christ’s victory over sin and death by the grace of God.

God declares His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through His forbearance. There is no more legal condemnation, no more judgment against those who are in Christ Jesus. We are the righteousness of God in Christ, and we should not have any sense of sin, condemnation, or guilt before God; He forgave us in Christ.

Beloved, let go of the past; God has. Our Father forgave us for Christ’s sake, so forgive yourself and walk as those that Lord cleansed from sin. He does not hold them over your head and He will not throw your sins in your face; He chooses to forget them.

“But this Man [Jesus Christ], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made his footstool, for by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

In Christ, and by his sacrifice on your behalf, you are perfected forever! Christ did his part; you’ve been forgiven, beloved.

He delivered us from sin's guilt and condemnation, and the day is quickly approaching that we will be delivered from the presence of sin when he returns. He will transform these bodies of humiliation to be like his glorious body!! May your joy be full, beloved, rejoice forevermore.