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Video Transcript:
I want to speak especially to all who struggle with guilt. King Jesus has something infinitely better for you than placing you on probation. When you come to him in faith and in repentance, he pronounces you “Not guilty!” He forgives! He drops all charges that could be brought against you. He reconciles! Forgiveness is more than probation.
Forgiveness is not God giving you an opportunity to prove yourself. God says to you in Jesus Christ: “Your sins and your iniquities I will remember no more.” No probation. No suspended sentence. No remaining guilt. No proving yourself.
I…am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. (Isaiah 43:25, NIV)
You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19).
As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12)
In Christ you do not live under a suspended sentence, because the sentence for your sins has been passed on your Savior! The sentence has already been served. That is why there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! Forgiveness is God dropping all charges against you forever and wiping your record clean.
There may come a time in your life when you have to choose between being like David and being like Jesus. Suppose your trust has been broken. You have been sinned against, but the one who sinned comes to you in genuine repentance. Will you choose probation, or will you choose forgiveness?
You could say, “I’m glad you’re sorry, but now you need to prove yourself. If you mess up again, you are gone. And I am going to be watching you like a hawk.” That would be like David.
To forgive would be like Jesus. And to forgive means to reconcile, to embrace, to love and to be at peace.
[This sermon clip is adapted from Pastor Colin’s sermon, “Grace,” from the series The Life of David.]
Colin Smith
Founder & Teaching Pastor
Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near - So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on Twitter.
