I bless you in the name of Jesus and be welcome to my blog.
A new lesson that I share refers to the "Forgiveness of God". It is said that during the Second World War there was a man named Hans Rookmaaker, who was an active member of the Dutch resistance. But he was captured by the Germans and sent to a Nazi concentration camp, where he began to read the Bible.
In studying the Word of God, he discovered that God's inner desire is to forgive our sins. So he gave his life to Christ and marveled at the joy and freedom he had found.
When Rookmaaker was released from prison at the end of the war, he immediately joined a church. But instead of having fellowship with free people, he was surprised to find so many Christians still living in bondage to sin and not experiencing God's forgiveness.
The Bible teaches that confession is a prerequisite for God's forgiveness, whether for initial salvation or for daily communion. This confession implies repentance, and when necessary, restitution.
Confession without repentance is a fraud. In Proverbs we read: "He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and goes away will obtain mercy" (Pr 28:13).
Sometimes confession also implies restitution (Exodus 22: 1-15). In general, this is a forgotten aspect of confession. If our sin deprived someone of something that belonged to him or corresponded to him (something material, money or work), we should not only apologize to the offended person, but we should also approve it as soon as possible.
The wonder of the Scriptures is the good news that God does not forgive anything that with a sincere heart confesses his sin. Manasseh was one of the most wicked kings of Judah. He overthrew Hezekiah's reforms and served false gods with more zeal than the heathen nations that God had destroyed before the Israelites (2 Chronicles 33: 1-9). However, when he was captured by the Assyrians, Manasseh humbled himself before the Lord, and God forgave him.
If God could forgive a pagan and evil king when he humbled himself, surely he will also forgive us if we confess our sins and repent. Confession is humiliating, but "if we confess our sins to God, we can be sure that He has to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1: 9). Memorize this passage and, often, ask God to make it happen in your life.
There is another precious verse to add to your memorization list: "And I will never again remember your sins and transgressions" (Hebrews 10:17). How remarkable that the omniscient God promises not only to forgive our sins but also to forget them forever.