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Sep 16, 2018

Sin and Forgiveness

Sin and Forgiveness

Speaker: James Gallaher

Series: The Believer's Journey

Category: Sunday Morning

Keywords: forgiveness, guilt, shame

Portraying morality and truth as relative has become the trend in our day and age. Yet God often brings guilt as a means to bring freedom from something destructive. It's when the enemy brings about shame that keeps us from experiencing the healing and forgiveness that comes from the Lord when we take ownership for our guilt.

Opening Scripture:  Psalm 130

Psalm 130:1 “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord.”

“Depths” is hard to grasp but it’s where we all start – at the bottom - no matter what our abilities are. David knew the depth of guilt – a depth only a Savior could redeem him from. For many believers, this is a hard concept to relate to.  

Psalm 51:4 “Against You, You only, have I sinned.”

David understood the separation that sin had on his life. Adam started the blame game and justifying our sin by comparing to others. Our society today does the same and because we are tired of feeling guilty, we justify our behavior by comparing and blaming others.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins . . .”

That’s grace, but grace has become an excuse for sin instead of a deterrence from sin. Spurgeon said, “Too many think lightly of sin and therefore think lightly of the Savior.” We must reacquaint ourselves with the depths of despair that sin’s condition brings about if we are to gain a perspective of its true height of redemption.

Psalm 130: 3 “If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” 

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Psalm 130:4 “But, there is forgiveness with You!”

Forgiveness is only available for the guilty and only the guilty can receive forgiveness. And with forgiveness comes waiting . . .

Psalm 130:5-6 “I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.”

What do we wait for? Many hope for their own desires, their own comforts rather than hope in the promises of God. We wait for God. That is HOPE. We wait for His promises. HOPE. We wait for His presence. HOPE. Where is our HOPE? In God’s Word!

From Spurgeon:

  • Waiting exercises patience.
  • Waiting gives time for preparation to receive.
  • Waiting changes us.
  • Waiting makes the blessing sweeter.
  • Waiting shows the sovereignty of God.

Psalm 130:6 “My soul waits for the Lord, more than the watchmen for the morning.”

The psalmist's hope is without anxiety or fear but rather is sure as the sun will rise so shall God’s promise be for Him.

Isaiah 21:11-12

How far gone is the night? How much longer is my trial? Morning comes, morning always comes. Are we grateful during the night? Hope and waiting puts our confidence in God. Hope has an expectation.

Guilt drives us to God. Shame does not – it separates us from God. Our world today has tried to eliminate guilt and the gravity of sin. Guilt is meant to drive us towards the cross, but it can only do if we see it in the context of who we are. What do we do with our guilt? Own it, confess it, take it before God and cry out. The God we turn to is not waiting with spite and vindictiveness to dismiss us. He waits with forgiveness in hand, paid for by the blood of His Son which was poured out for you.

2 Corinthians 7:10

Matthew 11:28-30

Psalm 130:7-8 “O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is lovingkindness, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

The psalmist began in a personal place and then went to the world. We are called to take the same HOPE to everyone everywhere, to all who will receive it.