Am I truly forgiven?

admin — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 17:15:10 +0000

First and foremost, let us delve into the question: How do we, as Christians, receive forgiveness?
We attain forgiveness through faith and repentance. Jesus Himself declares, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). As Christians, we receive forgiveness when we acknowledge our sins, sincerely turn away from them, and place our trust in Jesus. This truth is widely known among believers.

When we experience forgiveness, God, in His mercy, pays our debt and sets us free from the dire consequences of our sins (Eph. 4:32; Col. 2:13, 3:13).

It’s important to understand that God’s forgiveness towards us is a gracious act where He chooses not to hold our sins against us. However, this doesn’t mean He ignores sin. God is perfectly just and righteous, so He cannot simply overlook sin, as it would compromise His character.
Indeed, God’s righteousness is an expression of His love. If He were to refrain from punishing sin, He would cease to be loving, as the opposite of wrath is not love, but apathy. God is not a distant figure showering kindness without regard for justice. He is the holy Creator of the universe. It’s crucial to understand that God cannot suspend justice any more than He can cease to be God.

This then compels us to ask a deeply moving question: How does God, with His unwavering justice, offer forgiveness to those who turn away from their wrongdoing? Am I truly forgiven? The Bible reveals that God achieves this through the sacrificial atonement of His Son (Rom. 3:24). In essence, Jesus, the Son of God, takes upon Himself the burden of our sins, appeases God’s wrath, and graciously pardons the repentant heart. As Luther passionately explains, “Christ stands in our place, carrying the weight of our sins…He is the eternal answer to our wrongdoing, bringing reconciliation between us and God the Father” (Luther, 1959).
Moreover, the forgiveness bestowed upon believers through Christ is all-encompassing. In Him, God no longer holds their transgressions against them (Rom. 4:8). Every trace of sin is addressed. Through Christ, their wrongdoings are completely covered (Ps. 32:1). Their trespasses are eradicated, cast far away to the utmost reaches of the earth (Ps. 103:12).

Through the embrace of Christ’s grace, God no longer recalls their past offenses; they fade into oblivion. Through Christ, the penalty is paid, and those who were once burdened with guilt and shame are declared innocent. This divine forgiveness liberates them from the heavy chains they once carried. It is vast and freely given, echoing the timeless words of Newton, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.”
Most importantly, God’s forgiveness extends to everyone, regardless of their identity or past actions. As Volf eloquently states, “No one is too wicked to be forgiven by God, and Christ’s sacrifice encompasses all” (Volf, 2005). This includes individuals from all walks of life – the drug dealer and the gentle elderly woman, the thief and the dedicated social worker, the devout believer and the skeptic, the oppressor and the oppressed.

The offer of divine forgiveness precedes our repentance. The concept of unconditional election reminds us that God chooses sinners before the world began, not based on their merits, worthiness, or even their willingness to repent, but solely by His boundless grace and sovereignty.
In truth, the audacity of the gospel lies in the fact that God loved us even when we were entrenched in our sinful state (Rom. 5:8). Therefore, the gospel is a joyous proclamation because it is freely offered to all, regardless of their identity or actions.
Through His death and resurrection, we are made righteous, saved and purified by the precious blood of Jesus.

Intentionally Chosen: Adesewa’s Journey to Salvation and Faith

admin — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 20:50:10 +0000

In this heartfelt interview, we dive into Adesewa’s salvation journey, a story that beautifully portrays God’s intentionality in calling her to Himself. From a works-based and self-righteous life to discovering the profound love of God, Adesewa shares her transformation, the excitement of her Christian walk, and the significance of active evangelism in her faith.

Interviewer: Hello, Can you tell us more about yourself?

Adesewa: Hello, my name is Sewa. I am a lover of people and I really enjoy forming authentic connections with people around me. I like to find out what drives people, their experiences and how that has shaped their ideology and who they are today – perhaps in another life I would have made an excellent psychologist, but for now, I am a current PhD student in Cancer Sciences.

Interviewer: Can you tell us more about your salvation journey?

Adesewa: My salvation journey is one that portrays God’s intentionality in calling me to Himself. I was brought up in a Christian family, I knew of God but I really did not know Him for myself. I initially had the belief that my salvation was based on my parents’ faith, and then later the faith of people around me, simply put, I was a Christian because that was all I was exposed to. I tried to maintain the works-based religion and I was failing in every aspect- I was always the person in church every 2-3 weeks “rededicating” their life to God.

I cannot remember the exact day I became saved, but I remember just being tired of trying to earn my salvation and I prayed (by myself in my room) to God that I was done trying and I needed his help to know, and to love Him. A few Sundays after, there was an announcement for a baptism service in my church after the service and I publicly professed my faith in Christ and I got baptised! The scripture my Pastor had the time had spoken over me during my baptism was Mark 12:30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”.

Interviewer: What was your life like before you accepted Christ?

Adesewa: Life before Christ was one filled with a works-based and self-righteousness. I would constantly strive to earn God love and forgiveness whilst being caught up in repetitive cycles of unending sin, particularly the subtler sins. I would seek after everything but God to satisfy my desires and needs. In a sense, I was my own God.

Interviewer: What has been the most exciting part of your christian walk so far?

Adesewa: The most exciting part – okay I have two. First, coming to the realisation that God actually wants to reveal Himself to me , and he desires for me to know him intimately. This is really profound to me because this is the same God who holds the whole universe, he is mindful of me- yes mind blowing! Second exciting part is my faith community- I have been stretched, encouraged and found joy within the various faith groups, either my church , bible study groups or just being around of christians. It has been a good reminder of what eternity in fellowship would look like and that in itself makes me excited.

Interviewer: Do you think active evangelism is super important? If Yes, why?

Adesewa: Yes, I think active evangelism is important in the sense that we get to share about the good news of Christ, that Christ died for sinners and he is the answer to the deepest desires and longings we all have. A lot of people are searching for answers and have a void in their lives in which they turn to other vices to fill, I like to think about active evangelism as being the solution to this. Most importantly, it is important because Christ encouraged us to do so. We are to teach the word of God with the promise that God will be with us till the very end.

Interviewer: What advice would you give believers who have not started to actively evangelise?

Adesewa: The one advice I would give is don’t overthink it- you will be surprised how much people are actually willing to engage in a conversation about God and are seeking for Him. Often it seems like we are alone during this path of evangelism but as mentioned above, we can hold on to God’s promises that he will be with us through everything step of the way.

Interviewer: Any last words for all believers?

Adesewa: Be encouraged and filled with hope- Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope”.

Holy Faith – Reconcile UK

Am I truly forgiven?

Intentionally Chosen: Adesewa’s Journey to Salvation and Faith