The God Who Forgives

Introduction

And the spoken word is the primary means of language. But sometimes we struggle with those words, don’t we? A slip of the tongue, a misspoken word, and we say something that we didn’t really intend to say, or sometimes we just use the wrong words and don’t know how to properly use those words. I think most of us probably struggle with that to some degree, don’t we? With certain words at least effect and effect, who versus whom. What’s the correct spelling of this usage of the word capital or of compliment? And to those of us who struggle at knowing what’s the right word to use in every time, especially when we’re writing, we just simply say there, there, there.

And that’s the words want and need.

But if we think about it, if we’re honest with ourselves, we probably want a vacation. You need air. You need food and water. You want a vacation. You want a cup of coffee in the morning. You don’t really need it in the truest sense of the word. And so, with that understanding of that narrow and precise definition of the word need, I want you to think this morning about something that you need. That list, if we use that word again very precisely, that list becomes very short, doesn’t it? Of what you really need. This morning I’d like for us to concentrate upon one thing that we need. One thing we’re going to see that we desperately need, and one thing that our God delightfully and abundantly gives.

1. A Desperate Need for Forgiveness

Let’s talk about forgiveness this morning. That’s a need. That’s not a want. That’s a deep spiritual need we have to be forgiven of our God. And so let’s just begin with that premise that this is not just a need, but I think we could classify it as a desperate need. Now, sadly, it’s a need, and even a desperate need that much of the world doesn’t recognize that it does need.

Romans chapter 3, you know where I’m going, don’t you? Romans 3, verse 23 speaks of the need, the universality of that need. When it says, Romans 3, verse 23 says, for all have sinned. If we don’t understand the import of that and what exactly that means, the apostle goes on to say, and have fallen short of the glory of God. We’ve fallen short of the glory that God intended us to have, and we fall short of His eternal and matchless glory. Because we have sinned. A couple chapters further in the book of Romans, another familiar text in chapter 6, verse 23, helps us understand the weight and the gravity of that statement that we have sinned. It’s not just that we’ve made a mistake, it’s not just that we have messed up when we sinned, but when we sin and fall short of the glory of God, we have a desperate need because of the consequences of that sin.

And Romans 6 and verse 23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. We’ll talk more about that death as we go on to talk about this God who forgives. Look with me in the book of Psalms. Look at Psalm 100. Psalm 130. As we try to emphasize what I hope everyone in this audience already understands, and that is the desperate need that we have for forgiveness. Notice how the psalmist put it. Psalm 130. Let’s look at two verses, verses 3 and 4. He begins by saying, I’ve cried out to God. Psalm 130, verse 3, and he says to God in this cry, if you, Lord, should mark iniquities, oh Lord, who could stand. But there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared.

If God marks our iniquities, if there is no process by which those iniquities and sins and transgressions can be removed, the psalmist asked rhetorically, who can stand? And the answer rings in our ears, no one, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and the wages of that sin is death. And so do we understand our plight, and that this is a situation that clearly fits under the category of need. We have a desperate need for the forgiveness that God offers. But just because we need something doesn’t mean that it’s going to be supplied always. There has to be someone or some mechanism that would offer that need.

2. God Delights in Mercy

And there is one who forgives. But not only does God forgive, the scriptures are clear in this fact that not only does God offer forgiveness, that he delights in showing mercy. Have you ever done something or given something to someone else, but you did so reluctantly. You didn’t really want to do it. Maybe you felt compelled or obligated. Maybe there was some kind of law or social pressure that made you feel like, okay, I’ve got to do this, I need to do this. And you did it, but you didn’t really want to do it. Paying taxes may come to mind. Something that you do, and you do because there’s an obligation. You may do that because there’s a law, they’ll come and get you if you don’t, or you may do it out of some kind of civic or patriotic pride.

But you didn’t really just delight in doing that. Contemplate the fact that sin is a rebellion against the very nature and the glory of God. But God not only offers that forgiveness, the scriptures tell us that He delights in offering that forgiveness. Go with me in the Old Testament to the book of Micah. In Micah chapter 7, we’ll see that point emphasized in maybe an unlikely place. Micah, like many of his contemporaries, the other prophets, are speaking at a time in which God’s people are not what they ought to be. That’s an understatement, isn’t it? God’s people are not what they ought to be. And in fact, these prophets are sending the message not only are you not what you ought to be, but because you are so bad at being what you ought to be, God is going to punish you and even punish you severely.

But in the midst of that pronouncement of condemnation and judgment, God so often gives hope. And Micah the prophet does that. As he’s railing against Jerusalem and the people of God and their sins, notice the hope that he offers. In Micah chapter 7, begin with me in reading verses 18 and 19. Micah chapter 7, 18 and 19, the prophet said, Who is a God like you? Pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage. He does not retain his anger forever. Because he delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Who is a God like you? Who delights in mercy? I want us to get the picture of our God this morning. Of not just a God who judges and condemns sin, and not just a God who gives and out for that, not just a God who offers a means of forgiveness and salvation, but I want us to picture a God who, when offering that means of forgiveness and salvation, does so with delight. He is a God who delights in mercy. Think of just a little bit about that word. We’re talking about language being the vehicle for thought and words being the means of that language. Think about that word delight. What’s something that you delight in? That you truly take joy in doing and experiencing. That’s the word of the inspired prophet that says God not only offers forgiveness, he doesn’t do so reluctantly.

He doesn’t do so because he feels compelled and forced to do so. He does so with delight. That’s a powerful thought. And not only does he delight in doing it, notice the severity, the strength at which he does that. He says he will cast our sins into the depths of the sea. Those sins are not set aside just slightly.

By the way, sometimes we do that when we claim to forgive someone, don’t we? Oh, I forgive you, but I’m going to file that away because I may need that as ammunition later. God delights in mercy, and he takes our sins from us and takes them to the middle of the ocean. And binds them up and weighs them down with an anchor. And drops them, and they drop to the depths of the sea. How deep is the ocean. How far away does God cast our sins? The poet said he cast them as far as the east is from the west. That’s how far God removes our iniquities and our sins from us. And so he delights. And this is illustrated in the New Testament, is it?

Turn over to Luke chapter 15. You know Luke 15 for the story of the three parables that have to do with forgiveness and God’s attitude. And that’s the point of Luke chapter 15. We’re not just seeing three parables, three stories about forgiveness. We’re not just seeing three stories about God restoring someone who is lost. We’re seeing three stories that illustrate how God feels about that. And really how that is contrasted with the attitude of the Pharisees. Look in those first two stories very quickly in Luke chapter 15. Look at the joy over finding that lost sheep and that lost coin. Look in Luke chapter 15, verses 6 and 7. And when he comes home, he calls his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.

Jesus adds, I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance. Rejoice with me. That’s the picture of our Father in forgiving us. Look at the next story. Luke chapter 15, verses 9 and 10. And when she had found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I found the peace which I lost. And Jesus adds, likewise I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Can we picture that scene in heaven? That when a sinner returns to God, God not only forgives, there’s no begrudging, reluctant forgiveness. Well, okay, you don’t deserve it, but I’m going to give it to you just this one more time.

But don’t you dare mess up again.

Do you know what this cost me? These two parables say there’s joy. That God is rejoicing. God delights in that mercy. That there is joy in a celebration in heaven. When God forgives. And then there’s that third story of the prodigal son. And we need to forever understand that this third story, like the two before it, aren’t about the son. The first story wasn’t about the sheep. The second story wasn’t about the coin. And the third story is not about the prodigal son. All three of these stories are about the one who found them. The one who forgave. These are stories about God. And not only his forgiveness and mercy, but his attitude in forgiving and showing mercy. Look at the attitude illustrated in that third story.

Luke chapter 15, verse 20, very quickly it says, and the son said to him, or excuse me, verse 20 of Luke 15, and he arose, that’s that prodigal son, and came to his father. Now picture this scene with me. Don’t just read the words. Visualize the scene that Jesus is trying to portray here. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Don’t ever read that passage of scripture without trying to picture that scene. The scene of a father, who maybe is implied, was looking. Who maybe several times a day since his son had rebelled and left home. That several times a day would glance down the road just to see if he’s coming back.

And maybe for the 4,138th time that he glanced down that road, he was there.

Well, there he comes. He’s blown all of my money that I worked so hard for and he didn’t appreciate in the slightest. There he comes. Crawling back home. I guess he expects me to take care of, I guess he expects me to give him some more money. I guess he expects me to welcome him back, though that he walked away. No. There’s only one word that’s used to express the feelings of that father. Says he saw him and he had compassion. He ran to him, hugged him and kissed him. Don’t ever read that story without trying to picture that scene, and don’t ever read that story and fail to see that that is describing our heavenly father. When we come back to him, he delights in forgiving us.

3. God Forgives Abundantly

And it follows that if we have this desperate deep need, and we have a God who is love and who delights in showing mercy, then shouldn’t it follow that not only will he extend that forgiveness, but he will shower us with that forgiveness. The scriptures not only tell us that God forgives, and not only that he forgives delightfully, but that he forgives abundantly. Look with me back up in the Old Testament again, this time in the prophet Isaiah. Again, isn’t it interesting that these prophets who we often speak of as the portrayers, the speakers of doom, of judgment, that there’s so many times the references that we go to to speak of the forgiveness and the love and the mercy and the restoration and the salvation that God offers.

In Isaiah chapter 55, look at verses 6, 7, and 8. Isaiah 55 in this invitation to an abundant life that the prophet extends, he says, Isaiah 55, verse 6, beginning, seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. You know, so many times we quote verse 8 there of God’s thoughts and ways not being ours. And we think of that the idea of God is so wise and so all knowing. He is omniscient, and we’re just puny little creatures, and we don’t know anything, we don’t understand anything.

And certainly there’s an application to be made. That is true. But when he says, My ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts, he’s not just talking about I’m so much wiser and all knowing than you. He’s talking about his thoughts and ways when it comes to pardoning. That God doesn’t hold those grudges. That’s our ways and our thoughts. God doesn’t withhold mercy. That’s our ways. That’s our thoughts. God says, You come to me, and I will pardon you abundantly. Because I’m not like you.

What that tells us is it doesn’t matter the severity of the sin. It doesn’t matter the number of sins that we may have committed. God says, Come to me, and I’ll forgive. Again, the New Testament speaks of that as well. Look over in the book of Romans, chapter 5. In Romans chapter 5, and showing how that sin entered through man, Adam, and salvation, this forgiveness that we’ve been talking about all morning, entered in through the person of Jesus Christ. Notice how he ties all of our thoughts together for us, and talking about our need for this, and how God answers that need. Look with me in Romans chapter 5 in verses 20 and 21. It says, moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.

So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let’s see if we can illustrate what Paul is talking about here. Paul is saying that wherever there was a law, whenever God made a law, man violated that law. In fact, I challenge you this morning, can you name a law that man has not broken? Can you name a commandment of God that man has not violated and violated terribly and over and over again? And so Paul is saying that wherever sin came, wherever law came in, sin abounded. And we put the word sin up there once, but you could put the word sin up there thousands of times, couldn’t you? Because not only was that law broken once, it was broken multiple times.

And so wherever law abounded, sin abounded. And so the sin, the more laws there were, the more sin there was. And so law was not the answer. But notice how he finishes that thought. The law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded. Watch this. Grace abounded much more. And so there’s a law. And for every law there was sin. There was multitudes of sin. It abounded. But he says that wherever sin abounded, grace abounded much more. What the apostle here is saying is here’s our desperate need because whenever God made a law that was for our bediment to bring us closer to him and to make us be like him, we broke that law. There’s our desperate need. But grace abounded much more.

Conclusion

What he’s saying is, you can’t out sin the grace of God. No matter the severity of your sin, no matter the number of your sins, God’s grace abounds much more. Now, it might do us well to conclude with this thought. The apostle Paul will go on in the very next chapter to say, now what do we do about that? Do we continue in sin? That grace may abound? Is that just a free license to sin? Let’s illustrate it with a more modern illustration. Let’s imagine that you’re overwhelmingly in debt. You have your mortgage, you have a double and triple mortgage on your house. And you’re about three months behind on all of those. Your credit cards are maxed out. In fact, you’re above the limit. And the creditors are calling and banging on the door.

And someone, some generous benefactor steps in and writes one check. It pays off all your credit cards. Pays off your first, second, and third mortgage, wipes that slate clean. What’s your response? First of all, your response is going to be gratitude, isn’t it? But then what do you do after the gratitude? Do you now think I’ve got all these credit cards with no balances on them? Let’s go shopping. In fact, let’s go shopping in Paris and swing by London because now that might be the attitude of some. The Apostle Paul says in chapter 6, that’s not what we do. We don’t have the slate wiped clean and become free of sin to sin more.

They at least made the problem worse. And so I’m going to be better now. And so God delights in forgiving. We understand that. He forgives abundantly. We know that. And we rejoice in that. But we don’t abuse that grace and that love. Our challenge this morning is to appreciate God’s mercy and forgiveness. And because of that, we become better people and better children. In fact, I want to challenge you to rejoice in the delightful, abundant forgiveness of God. But never quit. You need to be like I four. Don’t ever quit working on yourself. Allowing the mercy and the forgiveness of God to make you be a child of His. Will you come to Him? We may be separated, but the Father is still waiting. He’s still looking down that road, ready to run to you and to embrace you and to forgive you.

Reach out to us if we can help you in a study of God’s Word, if we can help you in your obedience to God’s word. Don’t let this social separation keep you separated from God. If we can help you, encourage you and study with you in any way, reach out to us. We’re here to help and to love. But more importantly, God is here, and he’s watching and waiting for your return.