In Him we have . . . the
forgiveness of sins . . . —Ephesians 1:7
Beware of the pleasant view of the
fatherhood of God: God is so kind and loving that of course He will forgive us.
That thought, based solely on emotion, cannot be found anywhere in the New
Testament. The only basis on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy
of the Cross of Christ. To base our forgiveness on any other ground is
unconscious blasphemy. The only ground on which God can forgive our sin and reinstate
us to His favor is through the Cross of Christ. There is no other way!
Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony at
Forgiveness is the divine miracle of
grace. The cost to God was the Cross of Christ. To forgive sin, while remaining
a holy God, this price had to be paid. Never accept a view of the fatherhood of
God if it blots out the atonement. The revealed truth of God is that without
the atonement He cannot forgive— He would contradict His nature if He did. The
only way we can be forgiven is by being brought back to God through the atonement
of the Cross. God’s forgiveness is possible only in the supernatural realm.
Compared with the miracle of the
forgiveness of sin, the experience of sanctification is small. Sanctification
is simply the wonderful expression or evidence of the forgiveness of sins in a
human life. But the thing that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a
human being is that God has forgiven his sin. Paul never got away from this.
Once you realize all that it cost God to forgive you, you will be held as in a
vise, constrained by the love of God.
(Taken
from Oswald Chambers – “My Utmost for His Highest” November 20)