Good morning steemians. Just wanna share with you what the Lord impressed in my heart to share this beautiful Tuesday morning.
Forgiveness according to the English offline dictionary means "to pardon, to waive any negative feeling or desire for punishment".
One can't ask for forgiveness when he or she hasn't done any wrong. One must have been at fault to ask for forgiveness.
image source
In our secular world you have to ask for forgiveness before you can be forgiven right?
But the mystery of forgiveness according to the scriptures is quite different.
Let's take a look at Luke 15:11-19
15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15:15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
15:16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
15:19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
The son decided to go approach the Father to make him one of the hired servants. But a son is always a son, never a servant. Hallelujah!!!
The passage also recorded that while the son has been away the Father was longing, waiting patiently for his arrival "and he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him" - verse 20. This showed the Father has been watching out for him, desiring the day he would see his lost son, but the son was busy rehearsing what to tell the father so he will be accepted back to the household as a servant.
How does it affect us today? Simply replace the characters with yourself and the Eternal Father. You will get a clear picture of everything am trying to cut across.
The unrevelated teachings that we have to receive penance for our sins is so unscriptural, because Jesus bore all our transgressions and iniquities (Isaiah 53).
The Father is calling on us to come as we are. You can't wash yourself, the Father has got the clean garment (robe of righteousness) for you. You don't have to do anything for the Father's acceptance, he said you are accepted in his beloved (Jesus). He looks at you through His Son Jesus and only see a righteous person.
image source
The Father is longing for our fellowship and calling out for us.