Understanding and accepting the extent of God's forgiveness -- which is absolute and complete -- will free us to enjoy God's presence rather than fear it or feel guilty in it.

WHY IS UNDERSTANDING THIS TRUTH IMPORTANT?

This truth is huge. In fact, this truth often makes the difference in people really "getting" their relationship with God. Here's why: Failing to understand God's absolute forgiveness prevents many people from living in the joy that God intended. When we are afraid or feel guilty before God we're going to avoid Him. And it's hard to carry on a relationship with someone you're trying to avoid.

"Symptoms" of not understanding/accepting God's perfect forgiveness include: Thinking we’ve sinned too often or too “big” for God to forgive us; distance from God because of guilt, or that we feel He’s disappointed with us; approaching God with an “I’m scum” attitude, rather than with confidence; focusing too much on ourselves and whether or not God likes us at the moment.

When we fail to accept the complete forgiveness of God for all we've ever done and all we will ever do, our relationship with Him is severely damaged and we are unable to experience the joy and freedom our relationship with God is designed to bring.

THE TRUTH: GOD HAS FORGIVEN US COMPLETELY

Even though we are free from sin, we sometimes mess up. God is not surprised when we do this; He understands that we aren’t perfect and doesn’t expect us to be perfect. He has forgiven all our sin, and there is none too big for Him to forgive. When we don’t understand and believe this truth, we begin to think that God won’t forgive us if we keep messing up, or that He is frustrated with us, or that He will give up on us. If we believe God feels this way, we are believing lies. These thoughts will cause us to drift away from God because we let our guilt come between us and God – and this is exactly what Satan wants!

2 Corinthians 7.10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

This verse shows that when we sin and feel bad, God wants us to repent and turn from that sin – this is the “godly sorrow that brings repentance”. Satan wants sorrow, and the guilt that comes from it, to separate us from God – this is the “worldly sorrow that brings death”.

Whenever we begin to feel that God is upset with us and holds our sin against us, remember that you are no longer guilty before God!

Romans 8.1 – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

When God forgives us, it’s complete. He doesn’t forgive some sins and not others, He doesn’t partially forgive sins, and when He’s forgiven our sins, they’re gone!

Psalms 103.2-3 – Praise the LORD, O my soul…who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases…

Psalms 130.3-4 – If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness…

Remember that we are a new creation and God sees us as blameless before Him. We cannot rely on our feelings when we feel guilty about our mistakes. We must remember the truth God has given us and accept His forgiveness and believe He has forgiven us, no matter what we do or how many times we do it. This truth has been compared to a parent teaching their child to walk. When the child takes a step and falls down, does the parent get upset, abandon the child, and give up on him? Of course not! In the same way, when we fall down, God is right there ready to help us back up and encouraging us to take another step. God wants to be with us every step of the way as we learn to walk in Him and He will finish what He started in us!

Philippians 1.6 – being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

NEXT: Our Acceptance: God's Unconditional Love

How do I really make this truth a part of my everyday life and not just in my head?