The subject of forgiveness has been a common guest on our program over the years. Even believers in Jesus Christ will often struggle with whether they are truly forgiven or wonder where they stand with God. In their minds they may ponder whether they are they forgiven only up until this moment - until another sinful thought or action occurs. Have they confessed everything? Of course they haven’t confessed all of their sins - and we should ask if that activity even brings a renewed forgiveness from God.
When contrasting the Old Covenant to the New, we find quite a contrast as the book of Hebrews explains the true power of the blood of Jesus that was shed just one time. The Jewish people were unable to rest in God’s forgiveness. Why? Because they had to keep seeking a renewed forgiveness on a daily basis. It’s likely we haven’t fully understood what occurred on that cross when Jesus died and uttered the words, “It is finished.” The good news is far better than we think, and it’s why we live in something called a better covenant, established upon better promises.
650. The Conviction of the Holy Spirit
As a Christian, you may have heard it over and over in the local assembly: “The Holy Spirit will convict you of your sins.” But is this a true statement, or has it been twisted in a way that puts believers back under a sin consciousness that He came to deliver people from? Understanding our identity in Christ, and the ministry of the Spirit within us… the Helper… the Comforter. It’s part of our conversation on this week’s program.
592. A Heart Condition
The sin condition of the heart entered the world through one man (Adam). This form of the word for “sin” is a noun in the Greek and appears nearly four times more often than the verb in the New Testament. Death entered through this “sin condition” and it spread to all men, because the noun would lead to sinful actions, since all have sinned (verb). Jesus came to destroy and take away the sin of the world, the condition that resulted in everyone being identified as sinners, as inherited through Adam. Through one sacrifice at the cross, God dealt with and resolved the sin problem forever; both the sinful nature and the sinful actions. If this was not the case, Jesus would need to keep suffering repeatedly, and the cross would have to be considered inadequate. Fortunately for us, His one-time shedding of blood was more than enough, and now the issue is simply choosing to believe in order to receive the new nature of righteousness within our hearts.