p. 4 | GOD'S FORGIVENESS by J. H. Durland

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 28, 1892

GOD'S FORGIVENESS.

By J. H. Durland

BY ELDER J. H. DURLAND.

THE forgiveness of sins necessarily involves the justification of the sinner. This is clearly taught by the apostle Paul when he says, "Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Rom. 4: 6–8. If the great Creator and Ruler of the universe brings no charge against a sinner,—puts no sin either of omission or commission to his account,—he is accounted as having perfectly fulfilled the law. The Lord looks upon him as though every moment of his life he had perfectly loved God with all his heart, and mind, and soul, and strength, and his neighbor as himself. He who has never broken the law, has kept it; and he whom God acquits of having ever broken the law, is regarded by him as equally righteous, and entitled to that life which is the reward of perfect obedience.

If the Lord had said, "I will not inflict the curse which is due to the transgressor of my law," then the sinner, though delivered from the curse, could not have pleaded righteousness and a title to eternal life. But he has said much more than this. He has promised not to put the sins of the believer to his account, thus pledging to reward him as one that had never broken his law. According to good critics, the expressions which are used in the Greek Testament to signify forgiveness, seem to convey the idea of something far beyond the mere remission of the curse. The word is used about forty times in the Greek Testament, either as a verb or a noun, and signifies "the sending away of sins," "to lift up," "to take away." Sometimes it is defined "to loose, or release from," "to wash away," "to cover," "not to put to the sinner's account." See Col. 2: 13; Rom. 4: 3–6; 3: 22–27. Every one of these expressions implies not merely a forgiveness that remits the curse, but a forgiveness that removes the sins themselves, so that the man who receives it is regarded as having kept the law of God.

If the remission of sins necessarily involves the justification of the sinner, it is equally true that the justification of the sinner necessarily involves the forgiveness of his sins. They are not convertible terms, and the two things are inseparably connected with each other. When a man is forgiven, he is at once

justified, and if he is justified, it is in consequence of his having been forgiven.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Many take this promise trembling, because they look upon their past life as having no good thing in it. While they believe the Lord will not bring upon them the punishment due for their past sins, they are afraid to accept him as one that has entirely taken the sin away. They are afraid to come out boldly and say that the Lord accepts them. They are so afraid that he does not that they refuse to accept him. Thus they make the best friend they have a liar. This is just where Satan desires to keep them. But God gives us greater privileges than to doubt his word. He wants the believer to accept full forgiveness. He wants all fear to be taken away, and desires us to come to him as though all our past sins were never committed.

Sinner, believe that God for Christ's sake looks upon you with the same favor as he would had you never sinned against him. This will give confidence to trust him to keep you in every hour of temptation. Say with the Psalmist, "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." It is not, "I believe he will forgive," but, "He forgave." We are to believe it is done, and act before the world as though it was done.

What will be the result of such a life? It can be nothing but joy and peace. When a man can take the Lord at his word, lay all his sins before him, and believe everything of the past is removed as far as the east is from the west, he must have joy in his heart. Let us not be content until we have this kind of forgiveness.