OUR CONFESSED SINS ARE FORGIVEN AND FORGOTTEN

PROCLAMATION

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”  Hebrews 8:12 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the unknown human author of The Book of Hebrews under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to the Hebrew believers, and indirectly to all believers.  The author begins this eighth chapter by talking about the new high priest, Jesus, and the new covenant. (Hebrews 8:1-9)  Then, according to the author, The Lord God said that He would write this new covenant on the minds and hearts of His people, and He will be their God. (Hebrews 8:10)  Then The Lord God said that He would not only forgive the sins of His people but that He would also no longer remember their sins. (Hebrews 8:12)

 

APPLICATION

This text indicates that as believers when we confess our sins and ask to be forgiven that there will be a full forgiveness and complete pardon for our sins. (Hebrews 8:12 and1 John 1:9)  The Lord God will not bring our forgiven sins to His mind.  He will be merciful unto us.  However, this does not give us the right to go out and continually repeat our sins.  If our prayer requests to be forgiven is not sincere, then they will not be answered.  Jesus said that some who calls upon the name of The Lord will be told to depart from Him because they were workers of iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23)  Only the fervent prayers of the righteous are effective and very productive. (James 5:16)

 

OUR CONFESSED SINS ARE FORGIVEN AND FORGOTTEN

Proclamation:

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”  Hebrews 8:12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the unknown human author of The Book of Hebrews under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter the author begins by talking about the new high priest, Jesus, and the new covenant. (Hebrews 8:1-9)  Then, according to the author, The Lord God said that He would write this new covenant on the minds and hearts of His people, and He will be their God. (Hebrews 8:10)  Then The Lord God said that He would not only forgive the sins of His people but that He would also no longer remember their sins.

Application:

This text indicates that as believers when we confess our sins and ask to be forgiven that there will be a full forgiveness and complete pardon for our sins. (1 John 1:9)  The Lord God will not bring our forgiven sins to His mind.  He will be merciful unto us.  This does not give us the right to go out and continually repeat our sins.  If our prayer request to be forgiven is not sincere, then they will not be answered.  Jesus said that some who calls upon the name of The Lord will be told to depart from Him because they were workers of iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23)  Only the fervent prayers of the righteous are effective and very productive. (James 5:16)

ONCE WE'RE FORGIVEN THE LORD WON'T REMEMBER OUR SINS

Proclamation:

"But when This Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.  Since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool, because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.  The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this.  First He says: 'This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says The Lord.  I will put My laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.'  Then He adds: 'Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.'"  Hebrews 10:12-17 (NIV)

Explanation:

The unknown author of the Book of Hebrews was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to the scattered people of God after the crucifixion of Jesus, The Christ.  The author clearly stated that Jesus sacrificed Himself once for the sins of all.  Now He is in heaven, seated at the right hand of God, The Father.  His sacrifice paid the price for those who were being credited with righteousness.  Once they believed, He put His Word in their hearts and on their minds.  Then The Lord God said that He would no longer remember their sins.

Application:

Today, we need to know that Christ died on the cross for our sins.  The moment that we believed, we were forgiven and declared righteous.  The Holy Spirit of God entered each of us to bring to our remembrance The Word of God and all that Jesus taught us. (John 14:26)  When we choose to follow Him, our past sins are forgiven.  We still remember our past sins because the devil reminds us of them as part of his scheme to separate us from the love of God by having us think that we are not worthy.  The Lord has forgiven us, (Hebrews 8:12) and we need to learn to forgive ourselves.  We no longer have to beat ourselves up for our past sinful mistakes and indiscretions.  We are now new creatures. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  We are not perfect but thank God, we are not who we used to be.  As we daily strive to be more Christ-like, we continue to confess our sins and ask to be forgiven knowing that we are not as good today as we are going to be. For we know that He who began a good work in us will complete it. (Philippians 1:6)