WE ARE FORGIVEN
“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as GOD in Christ also HAS FORGIVEN YOU.“
Forgiven. A powerful word. Without God’s forgiveness we’re hell bound. With God’s forgiveness, our eternity is secured in heaven. The word “forgiveness” in this verse means “to pardon.” In our society, a pardon is “the forgiveness of a crime and the cancellation of the relevant penalty; it is usually granted by a head of state (such as a monarch or president) or by acts of a parliament or a religious authority.* There is no greater “head of state” than He who is “head of the universe.” And it is HE, the LORD GOD, who has pardoned us of our crimes of sins and cancelled the relevant penalty due us. The babe from heaven came on a mission. Jesus was born to die so that we could be forgiven. May we keep our focus on God’s GIFT of FORGIVENESS in CHRIST this CHRISTmas!
Heavenly Father, We sing Your praises! We shout “hallelujah” for pardoning and forgiving us. Glory and honor to belong to You.
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardon