Tag Archives: forgiveness

Three Ps in a Pod, part 2

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You are pardoned. You are forgiven. And that is the first P! You already knew that though, if you read last week’s post, Three Ps in a Pod, part 1.

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Even as I type, this biblical truth baffles me. It does not seem like it should be. Why can you or I be pardoned? My feelings tell me that I don’t deserve it. My actions certainly don’t warrant it either. I am not worthy. At all.

But am I going to let my feelings dictate my actions?

Am I going to let my circumstances guide my behavior?

Am I going to let the devil’s lies provoke me?

In short, am I giving permission to believe anything other than God’s holy, unwavering, encouraging, inspired, and truthful Word?

If we go back to 2 Corinthians 5, specifically verse 14, we can see why we can answer “No” to the previous question.

Here is the second part of verse 14, “…because we are convinced that one died for all,” 

Convinced…are you convinced? Or do you just have an opinion? Is what you believe just that or is it a deep conviction that motivates you to act accordingly? More on this later…

The first P in the Pod is Pardon. You and I can have a full pardon from sin. WHY?

Because ‘one died for all’.

Listen, this is the bottom line. You want the meaning of life? Jesus died for you. Why are we put on this earth? Jesus died so we can live.

There are so many scriptures that point us to the cross on which Jesus died. The Easter season is coming up soon. People will go to church for the first and perhaps, the only time this year. The point is that life (and everything else we seek answers for) is found in the cross.

I don’t fully understand how God loved me enough to let His son die for me. But I will accept the pardon. Anyone can.

I was originally planning on explaining some of the Old Testament sacrifices that God required. All the blood! Then, in Hebrews, Jesus is described as better than those sacrifices. He used His own blood! Maybe a series on the Blood?

Know that His death and shed blood obliterated sin. The penalty of sin is gone. Remember two posts back? A new creation? Yes, that is you and I. We have been forgiven.

Pardon (noun)-that action of forgiving or being forgiven for an error or offense.

Our sin was an offense to God. We were cut off from Him. He wanted to love us and wrap His arms as a father hugs his child. But the bars of sin prevented such expression.

prison-bars

 

Hey, no problem. Here is the key to open those bars:

God’s son will be born as a baby.

Jesus will live as a human.

He will be sentenced, beaten, broken, and finally crucified.

He will die on that cross.

They will bury his body in a borrowed tomb.

But then he will rise. He will ascend to heaven.

And then he will sit down because his work of salvation is complete.

Now we are free to be hugged by God because the bars of sin are no longer between us.

We have been pardoned.

Let God hug you right now. He is waiting.

 

Three Ps in a Pod. part 1

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2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: The old has gone, the new is here!” NIV

Doesn’t that just sound great reading that verse? I am filled with hope just knowing that I am a new creation! But there is still more so for the next two minutes, let’s see what we can discover!

Therefore…how many times do we see that word in Scripture? In 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, the NIV has it listed 3 times. So what is it there for?

Our verse, verse 17, starts with “Therefore…”. So we need to ask the question,
What is it there for?

 

Paul is writing to a church that is having some issues. Many of these issues are similar to ours today. I think that the Corinthians were having an identity issue. Christ had done a redeeming work but the people were not translating that to their daily lives very well.

Chapter 5 starts with Paul describing how our bodies are temporary. We will be clothed with glory when we die. Verse 10 talks of the judgement seat of Christ. All will stand before Christ someday. This should galvanize us to live all the more for Christ!

There is a transition, then, into verse 11. The author is trying to explain why he preaches and lives the way he does. Jumping to verse 14, it reads, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all,…”

I love the strong language…compels. Who is compelled these days? Wow!

And more strong words…

“one died for all…”

Because my two minutes is almost up, I will get right to it.

You have been pardoned for your sin. I have also been pardoned.

The sin is gone.

I will jump into this blissful pool of sin-eradication next week.

Until then, enjoy your Pardon. =-)

Once a year then once for all. Pretty awesome.

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My tan is fading. Bummer. My memory is still sharp though and I have a great memory from my cruise. Let me tell about it, alright? =-)

People had told me that you could eat anytime you wanted to while cruising. Really? Anytime? Yes. You could get food literally, anytime of the day or night. My wife and I met some friends on the ship. We ended up hanging out with them most of the week. Around 11:30 or midnight, we would find ourselves at the Cafe Promenade. Pizza. Yep, right out of the oven. Hot pizza. There were desserts and sandwiches as well. But I liked the pizza. It is a lasting memory for me.

cafe promenade

So it is true. You can get food 24/7 on a cruise ship. Wow.

Let me rephrase that last statement. A person has access to food 24/7 on a cruise ship.

That word, access, caught my attention.

Along with food on a cruise ship, there is something else that we have access to 24/7.

The book of Hebrews is one of my favorite books. There are two specific verses that I want to point out. They are both in chapter 9.

Hebrews 9:7, “But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.”

and then verse 12, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”

temple layout

The book of Hebrews is filled with comparison. In this instance, Christ is being compared to the High Priest of the Old Testament. Verse 7 is talking about the priest. The “he” in verse 12 refers to Christ.

  • Every year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the most holy place with animal’s blood to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people. This was God’s way of bringing forgiveness to the people. Once a year.
  • When Jesus was crucified, he took on the role of high priest. However, he did not enter the earthly temple. He entered the heavenly temple. But Jesus had his own blood to bring forgiveness. Once for all.

Do you see the difference? And what a difference it is! And because Jesus used his own blood and entered the heavenly temple, eternal redemption (forgiveness) can be obtained!

YOU AND I NOW HAVE ACCESS TO GOD. Complete, full, and unhindered access to God. We can be forgiven. Life can now be truly lived because of the access granted to us by Christ. Forgiveness for sins is already been paid for.

I just need to ask.

And being forgiven is far better than pizza at midnight at the Cafe Promenade on the Navigator of the Seas sailing in the Caribbean Sea.

Why don’t you try both and see which one you like better? Bon Voyage!