Holiness among other things is the absence of sin. God is pure and holy and perfect in every way. God is absolutely free of any and all imperfection. It is called righteousness. We have a difficult time wrapping our minds around the idea that sin has never had any place in God’s being. Jesus led a sinless life. Jesus had to be perfect in order to be a Perfect Sacrifice for our sins. If Jesus had ever sinned, He would have needed forgiveness and He would have needed salvation. He was and is the Perfect Lamb of God who took our sins upon Himself on the cross so that we would be forgiven and counted righteous in the sight of God. If Jesus did not die for ALL of our sins, we would be required to die for them.
Either we die for our sins or we trust Christ to die in our place in what is called Substitutionary Atonement. Substitute means “in our place”, Atonement is the payment. He who knew no sin became sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). God took ALL sin upon Himself so that we would be found not guilty of sin. That is a spiritual and literal fact. Christ died for the sins of the entire world so that we might be saved from our sins. The forgiveness of God is ABSOLUTE, there are no sins that we will be judged for since they have been completely paid for by Christ.
We cannot enter heaven with sin so it stands to reason that ALL of our sin must be forgiven so that we can enter in innocence. God keeps no record of wrongs IF we trust in Christ’s forgiveness. Justification is the forgiveness of God granted to us JUST AS IF we never sinned. Think of sin as garbage or cancer. It is not possible to exist in heaven. God must remove it or we will be forever separated from God and that is an unthinkable thought! God knows we all have sinned and fallen short of His righteousness and perfection. There is no possible way for us to enter heaven without the forgiveness of sin offered by God through the cross.
Questions
1. If you believe in Christ’s sacrifice on your behalf, you will by faith in Him, be forgiven for all your sins (past, present and future). Have you placed your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? What is the just payment to those who reject God’s forgiveness? The payment has been made but it is not ours if we do not believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. It is our responsibility to respond to God’s amazing grace. Those who refuse Christ will die in their sin.
2. Do you think you have committed a sin that is unforgivable? If you see Christ that way, you must consider the sacrifice of Jesus to be imperfect and insufficient. Where sin increased, God’ grace and forgiveness is greater. Light drives out darkness. Mercy for any sin no matter how small or great is required for forgiveness. Believe in what Jesus has done for you, do not look at your failures and think you have not done enough for God. You will never be holy enough, good enough, righteous enough.
Place 100% of your faith in Christ and no faith in you!
3. Do you think any sin committed against you is unforgivable?
Considering how great is the love of God in that He died for you (Romans 5:8), worship Him, thank Him and obey Him. His desire is that you forgive yourself, forgive all who have sinned against you just like Christ did for you. Vengeance is mine says the Lord, Do not seek harm toward anyone. Keep no record of wrongs in your heart (1 Corinthians 13:5), You were not built to live with garbage or cancer in your heart. Be holy just as God is holy. This way of living is called sanctification. Forgive all sin. Die to sin. Live for righteousness.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. 1 Peter 2:24
