We Are All in the Same Boat

Dearly beloved of God, who of us is without sin? Who of us deserved the salvation and eternal life God so freely gave us in Christ?

According to Almighty God, none of us; we were all dead in sin, without God, and without hope in this world.

In spite of this, God forgave us in Christ by the riches of His grace. He cast our sins as far as the east is from the west, as far as the deepest sea is from the highest mountain. He cleansed us from sin.

Our sins are lost in God’s forgetfulness. He remembers them no more, not because He is forgetful, but because He chooses not to remember them.

We were justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as the place of propitiation. In His forbearance, He passed over the sins we previously committed. They are doubled, the ledger concerning them is closed. The Lord Jesus Christ bore the penalty for them on the cross. He paid for them with his life.

God does not bring up our past sins and throw them in our face every time we fall short; the adversary is the accuser of the brethren, not the One True and Living God.

He determined that since we confessed Jesus as Lord and believed that God raised him from the dead we would be saved. He decided that we would we be in Christ, members of his body, and that we would be identified with him. Who of us deserved such grace?

There is no question that God forgave us in Christ, and likewise, that we are to be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another – the standard – even as God forgave you in Christ.

We should walk as followers of God as His beloved children and forgive our brothers and sisters as we were forgiven. We should follow Christ’s example.

None of us is perfect and we all need a good covering of love and forgiveness from one another. If we choose not to forgive one another, eventually no one will be left with whom to fellowship.

We ought to forgive one another lest Satan should get an advantage of us; we are not ignorant of his devices. The love of God covers over a multitude of sins quietly; it forgives as God forgave us in Christ.

After such an outpouring of love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness from God to us, who are we not to forgive someone who is in the same shape as we were?

None of us know anything as we ought to know it; head knowledge puffs up, but the love of God edifies.

People need our forgiveness when they least deserve it. Who of us is without sin? Mature believers are always the first to forgive.

When asked how often we should forgive a brother the Lord replied, “I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” The Lord then instructed them with a parable on the subject in Matthew 18:23 and following.

Dearly beloved, we should be merciful just as our Father is merciful. Where would we be if He hadn’t showed us mercy? We all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. We need a lavish covering of God’s love, grace, and mercy. Be imitators of Him when dealing with one another.

The Pharisees wanted to stone the woman they caught in adultery, but the Lord said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Do you want to be like those hardhearted Pharisees or like our Lord?

The Lord forgave the malefactor crucified with him as they were dying. The man said that he deserved to die for what he did, but the Lord forgave him even then.

Dearly beloved, those who have been forgiven much should know how to forgive much. We are all in the same boat.