Grace - What's Troubling About Forgiveness

Sins were dealt with differently under the Old Covenant as compared to the New Covenant, and this difference is revealed in our difficulty in understanding how our sins are dealt with today.  Forgiveness is troubling to us because what we do understand very well is justice.

Got Sin?  Our first reaction is to bring on the judgment!

Some believers have a very difficult time accepting that justice has been fulfilled by someone being punished for another's sin.  Somehow it doesn't fit right with us; it's not how we've conceived that justice should be dealt out.

"The soul who sins shall die!" (Ezekiel 18:20 - read with gritted teeth and clenched fist!)

I've known so many people who at one time believed that only their past sins were taken care of by Jesus' blood and that with each new sin they needed to ask for forgiveness.  It's like they were hunched over as though carrying a heavy weight and never able to walk upright, free, and with fullness of joy.

Why were they so burdened?

It's because of a mentality based on Old Covenant principles.  Under the OT, only your past sins were covered!  Each new sin required fresh blood!  That's right:  slay your pet to get right with God.  And in order to do just that, not only did your sacrifice have to be spotless and perfect, but also the manner which is was offered and sacrificed had to be exact.  Forgiveness in this way required extensive and exacting details or else it was rejected.

Most people don't realize that the OT's continual blood sacrifice of animals served as a reminder of sins committed.  The amazing truth for us, however, is that the blood of Jesus is no longer a reminder of our sins because the sins are no longer remembered.  Not just past sins, but every sin we will ever commit was found in Jesus as our sacrifice.  Do you realize how this happened?

The Life and Blood of an infinite God destroyed our finite sins.  To the Infinite, everything is finite.

Hebrews 10:3 (NIV)
3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins

Hebrews 10:12 (NIV)
12 But [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

Hebrews 10:17 (NIV)
17Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."

Note the deliberate contrast Hebrews is making here point for point. Animal blood could not cleanse the conscience. The blood of Jesus cleanses the conscience. Animal blood is offered endlessly. Jesus' blood is offered once for all. The blood of animals offered repeatedly functioned as a continual reminder of sins. Under the blood of Jesus sins are remembered no more.  It's done...Jesus sat down because the work was finished.

I hope you'll rejoice in the reality of the forgiveness God has given you under the New Covenant.  You may find it troubling at first, because a very strong sense of justice has been instilled to you in how Christianity has been preached to you through a filter of Old Covenant shadows, but when you "get it", you'll find an overwhelming reason to rejoice!

In Christ, you are forgiven now and forevermore!

Grace=Peace,

Jeremy