{"id":2960,"date":"2014-08-16T08:38:41","date_gmt":"2014-08-16T08:38:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=2960"},"modified":"2014-08-16T08:38:41","modified_gmt":"2014-08-16T08:38:41","slug":"can-god-forgive-and-forget-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=2960","title":{"rendered":"Can God Forgive and Forget All?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Can God\u00a0Forgive <\/em>and\u00a0Forget <\/em>All?<\/strong><\/p>\n

James Smith, 1858
\nThe\u00a0ways <\/em>of God are very astonishing, and the\u00a0works <\/em>of God are very great.\u00a0Creation <\/em>fills us with admiration;\u00a0providence <\/em>often fills us with surprise \u2014 but\u00a0grace <\/em>overwhelms us with wonder. When we think of what God has\u00a0done<\/em>, when we dwell on what God has\u00a0given<\/em>, and then turn to what God has\u00a0said<\/em> \u2014 we involuntarily cry out, \u201cWho in the Heavens can be compared to Jehovah, or who among the sons of the mighty, can be compared to our God!\u201d<\/p>\n

But in nothing does the Lord appear more glorious, than in receiving sinners, and pardoning their sins. Here the largeness of his\u00a0heart<\/em>, the freeness of his\u00a0grace<\/em>, and the infinity of hislove<\/em> \u2014 shines forth in their meridian splendor. He\u00a0receives <\/em>so readily, he\u00a0pardons <\/em>so freely, and he\u00a0blesses <\/em>the pardoned criminal with such vast and varied blessings! Truly, we may well look up to Heaven filled with devout gratitude and awe, and exclaim with the psalmist, \u201cYou, Lord, are good, ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all those who call upon you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think that God can forgive and forget all?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Can we wonder at this? Rather, is it not a wonder, that we are not daily overwhelmed with a sense of the Lord\u2019s wondrous love in pardoning such sinners as we are? In accepting such transgressors as we are? In adopting such rebels as we are \u2014 to be his sons and daughters?<\/p>\n

But does he\u00a0forgive <\/em>every returning sinner? He does! And can he\u00a0forget <\/em>all their hard speeches, wicked thoughts, and ungodly conduct? He can, and treat them as if they had never offended him, in thought, word, or deed. Hear his own wondrous words, \u201cI will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.\u201d\u00a0Hebrews 8:12. Again he repeats the pleasing truth, \u201cThis is the covenant I will make with them after those days, says the Lord I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and their iniquities will I\u00a0remember <\/em>no more.\u201d\u00a0Hebrews 10:16,\u00a017. Again, \u201cI have\u00a0blotted out <\/em>as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and as a cloud, your sins; return unto me for I have redeemed you.\u201d\u00a0Isaiah 44:23. As if he took the register, and obliterated every word, every letter \u2014 so that neither man nor angel could trace out a line.O the wonders of redeeming grace!<\/em><\/p>\n

Not only are we\u00a0forgiven<\/em> \u2014 but our sins are\u00a0covered<\/em>, they are thrown into the\u00a0depths of the sea<\/em>, the Lord has cast them\u00a0behind his back<\/em>. So that as it was said of old of Israel, it shall be found true of us, \u201cIn those days, and in that time, says the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for \u2014 and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah \u2014 and they shall not be found; for I will pardon them!\u201d<\/p>\n

O sweet thought \u2014 God will never think of how I have sinned against him! He will never allow one of my numerous crimes to be mentioned unto me, when I arrive at home! All will beforgiven<\/em>, and not only forgiven \u2014 but\u00a0forgotten<\/em>. What a perfect pardon! What a complete justification! Into what an honorable position are we exalted!<\/p>\n

We can look around creation, up into Heaven, and down into the depths of Hell, and fearlessly ask, \u201cWho can lay anything to the charge of God\u2019s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sinner, do you ask for yourself, and in reference to your own conduct,\u00a0\u201cDo you think that God can forgive and forget all?\u201d<\/em> I answer, I not only\u00a0think <\/em>so \u2014 but I am\u00a0sure <\/em>of it. If you are willing to accept of pardon on God\u2019s terms, he is quite willing to pardon you. Therefore, howeverdepraved <\/em>you may be, however\u00a0vile <\/em>your conduct may have been \u2014 he is still saying to you, \u201cCome now, and let us reason together, says the Lord; though your sins are as scarlet \u2014 they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson \u2014 they shall be as wool.\u201dIsaiah 1:18. And his Apostle assures us, that the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanses from all sin\u201d. And then adds, \u201cIf we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\u201d\u00a01 John 1:7,\u00a09.<\/p>\n

When the sinner feels the load of his guilt, heartily desires deliverance from it, and confesses it with self-loathing before God \u2014 it is evident that the Holy Spirit is working in his heart; and this work of the Holy Spirit, proves that all his sins were transferred to Jesus, were punished in the sufferings of Jesus, and were completely atoned for by the death of Jesus; and on that ground it is clear, that God will forgive and forget all.<\/p>\n

Fear not, poor sinner, with the Lord there is\u00a0mercy<\/em>, in the blood of Jesus there is\u00a0merit<\/em>, and in the Word of God we are\u00a0assured <\/em>that he is a God ready to pardon.<\/p>\n

Should a backslider read these lines, and should he ask, whose crimes are aggravated by the clearest light, a profession of Christ, and union with the church of God: \u201cDo you think that in\u00a0my <\/em>case, he can forgive and forget all?\u201d We reply without the least hesitation, Yes! Hear his own blessed words, \u201cReturn, O backsliding Israel, says the Lord; and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful, says the Lord; and I will not keep my anger forever. Only acknowledge your transgressions, that you have transgressed against the Lord your God.\u201d\u00a0Jeremiah 3:12,\u00a013.<\/p>\n

Can any terms be more easy, \u201cReturn <\/em>and be forgiven,\u00a0confess <\/em>and be pardoned.\u201d As if the Lord\u2019s heart was so set upon bringing you back to himself, that he would dispense with everything he could. Yes, my poor, miserable, backsliding brother, or sister \u2014 as sure as the father forgave and restored his\u00a0prodigal son<\/em>, as sure as Jesus pardoned the\u00a0adulterous woman <\/em>in the temple; so sure will the Lord pardon you, restore you, and bless you with his presence and his smile.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is\u00a0full <\/em>of compassion!\u201d Precious words!<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is\u00a0plenteous <\/em>in mercy!\u201d Glorious assurance!<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u00a0waits <\/em>to be gracious!\u201d Invaluable promise!<\/p>\n

Come then,\u00a0sinner<\/em>, come then,\u00a0backslider<\/em>, come, whatever may be your case or condition, whatever may be your fears or doubts \u2014 come just as you are, and receive pardon, peace, and Heaven without money and without price! Come and be pardoned at once. Come, and receive a pardon procured for you by the blood of Jesus, guaranteed to you by the faithfulness of God; a pardon of all sin, a pardon that will stand forever! Come, come, come and prove for yourself, however base you may have been!\u00a0Yes, God can forgive and forget all!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Can God\u00a0Forgive and\u00a0Forget All? James Smith, 1858 The\u00a0ways of God are very astonishing, and the\u00a0works of God are very great.\u00a0Creation fills us with admiration;\u00a0providence often fills us with surprise \u2014 but\u00a0grace overwhelms us with wonder. When we think of what God has\u00a0done, when we dwell on what God has\u00a0given, and then turn to what God […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[93,34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-author-james-smith","category-gods-love"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2960"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2960\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2961,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2960\/revisions\/2961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}