"...in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;" Rom 3:25
So often when we make mistakes, we would rather not suffer the consequences for them. There is not much that we would not do to have them excused, forgotten about and withheld from our account. It is at times like these that we can experience perfect clarity about the difference between right and wrong. When we face consequences, be they actual or possible, we are most often driven to prayer, sincere or otherwise.
The good news, beloved, is that God forgives and God forgives completely. He throws our sin into the deepest part of the sea. He places them behind his back. He pushes them further away from Him than east is from west. This is possible because of the great sacrifice of Jesus. Despite the fact that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, we have been "justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;" Rom 3:24. This is one of the greatest privileges associated with being a Christian.
There are two important things, however, that we must keep uppermost in our minds. First, God's forgiveness is not a license to continue committing sin. The point of a personal relationship with the Lord is love and obedience. We should be seeking ways to please him rather than ways to get away with things. Second, God never promised to relieve us of earthly consequences. No matter how heartfelt your repentance is, should you be overtaken in a fault of sexual immorality for example, you could still very well find yourself suffering from a disease, destroying a marriage or welcoming an unplanned child into the world. God surely forgives, but there are times He withholds relief. Lessons are better learned by consequences than escapes. The lessons here are to obey God and always do the right thing.
In Revival,
Lee
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