Today we're going to be asking the question, “are you hearing the true Gospel or are you influenced by legalism?”
There are a few signs that would be very telling as to whether you are influenced by legalism or not. I know that by sharing on the things that I'm going to be sharing some of you might be shocked and you might kind of think, “well, how can he say that?” And you might be thinking to yourself that it’s all too extreme but let me just say the Gospel is extreme. It's the, the good news of God's extremely unconditional extreme love.
The reason why I'm sharing this is because believe that it's going to help you. It's going to help you to enjoy your relationship with God more and it's going to help you to grow in your relationship with God more, because the more you see the beauty of Jesus and the more you see the wonder of His grace, the more you're going to fall in love with Him! So here we go…
If you are not 100% sure that you are 100% forgiven, then you're not hearing the Gospel and you're influenced by legalism.
Now you might even be at my church, at one of our GraceLife churches but if you are shocked at that statement, then either you're not listening to what we're teaching you, or you haven't been around long! If you're in GraceLife, then this would be something that you should be established in. Sadly, the majority of Christians I know are not 100% sure that there are 100% forgiven. They think that God forgives them in instalments. They think that, God gave this lump sum payment of forgiveness upfront when they got born again but now they need to cash in to get more (enough) forgiveness. They wrongly believe that every time you make a mistake and you must obtain more forgiveness through repentance and confession. But that's just simply not true.
Colossians 2:13-14 The Passion Translation (TPT)
“This “realm of death” describes our former state, for we were held in sin’s grasp. But now, we’ve been resurrected out of that “realm of death” never to return, for we are forever alive and forgiven of all our sins! He canceled out every legal violation we had on our record and the old arrest warrant that stood to indict us. He erased it all—our sins, our stained soul—he deleted it all and they cannot be retrieved! Everything we once were in Adam has been placed onto his cross and nailed permanently there as a public display of cancellation.”
We are forever forgiven of our sins. You are forever forgiven. Jesus has cancelled out every legal violation we had on our record. He deleted it all and they cannot be retrieved. We are completely forgiven, forever forgiven. Our sins have been completely eradicated. That is the good news of the gospel! But sadly, there are so many Christians walking around feeling like they are not forgiven. They're walking around and looking like they're condemned. They just under this cloud of condemnation, guilt and shame because they don't know the truth that God has completely forgiven them.
God is not holding your sin against you. He's not holding any wrongs against you. He's completely forgiven you. He's at peace with you.
Hebrews 8:12 The Passion Translation (TPT)
12 For I will demonstrate my mercy to them
and will forgive their evil deeds,
and never remember again their sins.”
That's powerful!
Hebrews 10:17 The Passion Translation (TPT)
17 And then he says,
“I will not ever again remember their sins and lawless deeds!”
God will never remember your sins, ever. Now you're mother-in-law might. Your church might remember your sins or remind you of them. People around you will remember your sins, you remember your sins, but God does not because they've been nailed to the cross and they've been eradicated, completely cancelled. God is not dealing with you on the basis of your sin. He's dealing with you on the basis of your faith in Jesus who is the payment for your sin.
John 1:29, John the Baptist says of Jesus, “behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus was the lamb of God who took away sin, who dealt with sin.
1 John 2:2 says, and Jesus “is the atoning sacrifice for our sin and not only for our but for the whole world.”
Everyone sins have been forgiven. The question isn't, are you sorry enough to be forgiven or have you been forgiven? The question is, have you received the payment? Have you received the gift of the forgiveness of your sins? Because you don't experience it unless you put faith in Jesus to receive it. You are completely forgiven and in the mind of a Christian, they should not be 1% shadow of a doubt that you aren't forgiven or that you are completely forgiven. You are completely forgiven for all times. Amen. That's good news and our trusted encourages you.