The power of forgiveness
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
All too often we either consider forgiveness a mysterious and spiritual transaction that has little to do with our present everyday life or we take it for granted and neglect the principles and/or qualities of it. Forgiveness has a historical setting in our Christian life, where the forgiveness of God through Christ, was granted, but its effects on our daily living it over looked.
Christ has subdued, cleansed and forgotten our sins:
One, if not the greatest part of forgiveness, is our sins and iniquities being forgotten and cleansed (Mic 7:18-19). Our sins are blotted out from the record that stands against us (Isa 43:25; 44:22; Col 2:14; Psa 51:1, 9). In Micah God says He will subdue our iniquities – subdue means to bring into bondage or as Wesley said in his hymn – “He breaks the power of canceled sin and sets the prisoner free”. Paul relates to this fact in his epistle to Timothy where he shows the result of seeking forgiveness as opposed to not seeking forgiveness (1 Tim 5:24). Any sin confessed is judged in Christ as they are placed on His cross and judged by God as Christ’s death did for all (1 Jn 2:2).
Christ replaced our sins with His righteousness:
God is clear that there is none righteous and all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, therefore we are not fit for His heaven for no sin and no unrighteous person shall enter. Since we come to God as sinful creatures and abominable, God imputes the righteous life of Christ to us (2 Cor 5:21) and not only imputes it, He imparts to us righteousness by the power of His Spirit (2 Cor 5:17). His divine nature is implanted within us so that we are able to live the righteous life demanded by His righteous character (Gal 6:15; Eph 2:10).
Victory over sin:
Since we have been made new creatures and are now children of God, we must go on from here to complete surrender for complete victory (Eph 4:23-25; Col 3:10-14). Sin controls or plagues us because we permit it. God has given us the victory and we must enter into that victory if we are going to live that holy life God desires and requires (Ro 6:12-14).
Forgiveness is a part of our Christian life:
Not only are we forgiven, but we are also to forgive others in order to retain our forgiven state (Mk 6:12). We must remember that forgiving others is not because they deserve it, just as we were forgiven for Christ’s sake (Isa 43:25; Eph 4:32). Forgiveness is not easy in all instances but God will supply the needed grace to help us forgive another.