Melcena’s Words on Christian Themes

This is day three of the teaching on forgiveness. If you would like to hear the teaching,

just go to http://www.soulwinnerradio.com/PastorScottDavidson and listen. You may also download it from the “Details” page. This is taken from Forgiveness 1.

Matthew 26:28  for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.

The meaning of forgiveness:

The provision for remission of sins is Christ’s blood. Why is that? Because of the law. Hebrews 9:11-22 But Christ having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh: how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a last will and testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it. For a will is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives. Therefore even the first covenant has not been dedicated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” Moreover he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry in like manner with the blood. According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.

When Christ was on the cross, you will remember about the renting of the vale in the temple? Matthew 27:45-56 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lima  sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink. The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.” Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.” Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Check out verse 51 Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. Why? Right at the death of Christ an offering had been made. An offering that was acceptable, was required and fulfilled the law. I am trying to get to the meaning of forgiveness. In Hebrews 9:11-22 what law are we talking about? Let me show you what happened when Christ was crucified. I am talking about the law in connection to forgiveness. We are digging deep here to get the whole weight of the blood of Jesus Christ in light of the provision that has been made for you. The law sets out the requirement that demands fulfillment for you to receive forgiveness.  The law says that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

When Jesus was crucified the vale was torn in two and that made a way for the new, eternal High Priest to take His eternal place. When Jesus went in to the most holy place prior to that day there was the law that required a high priest to go in to that holy place only once a year offer atonement for the people’s sins and for his sins. But since the crucifixion, since a Holy sacrifice has been made, the vale in the temple was torn in two meaning that there is a new and living way in which you may approach God.

Christ entered before us, making intercession for us and took His Priestly Office as the Eternal High Priest of God. He now makes intercession for you day and night. The new and living way was provided for when the law was fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-20 “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Forgiveness is the remedy that allows you to have the right standing before God. The blood of Christ makes a way for your blatant, raw, nasty sins to be paid for. And now the Great Holy God can justly forgive you. He is a just God. He doesn’t kick your sin under the dirt. He deals with it justly. Your sins are dealt with justly. Through Christ’s blood God is willing to forgive you.

The meaning of forgiveness in light of the fulfillment is Christ entering the most holy place. The priestly office of the high priest from an earthly view point terminated. The Way to God has been opened. The Great High Priest has taken His new place. And there is a new and living way that you must approach God. It is by faith that you come. It is by faith that you receive forgiveness of sins. It is by the blood of Christ that you may have provision to approach a Holy God.  Jesus said that unless your righteousness is greater than that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Who can keep the law?…  Christ. How can you benefit from the law? You must be in Him that is True. You must be in Him that is Pure. You must be yielded to the One that is the Head of all things. Whose blood redeemed you. Whose blood saved you. Whose spirit empowers you. Who gives you life. Who gives you breath. Who gives you guidance to turn from sin. Who gives you power to say no to ungodliness and unrighteousness. Whose spirit presence gives you self-control to say no to ungodliness. That is how you walk in the imputed righteousness of Christ. It is by faith that you are justified. It is by faith in Christ. It is by faith in the Son of God that you have a position in Him that God justly declares you blameless. And it is because of your condition before God and the favor of God coming down on you where before you were under wrath.    John 3:36 One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Before you were unsaved now you are redeemed. Before you were under wrath but now you are in grace. It is through the Grace of God that you walk uprightly. It is through the Grace of God that you say no to ungodliness. It is through the Grace of God that you confess your sins and experience the ministry of the Holy Spirit that convicts you of your sins and turns you from a life of ungodliness and sinfulness. Where before, you were on earth without God without the presence of the Holy Spirit and you had no restraint to say no to ungodliness therefore sin abounds. Restraint from sin is not there. But now, your sins and transgressions are covered. Yes, you are now covered. Yes, you are now in Christ. Yes, you are now a new creation. Yes, you are now a Holy Spirit filled believer. Yes, you are now on the pathway to righteousness. Surely I am not the only one excited about this.

Romans 4:1-5 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as debt. But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

Catch the fact that God justifies the ungodly.  In your state before you met Christ or were born again God called you wicked or ungodly. God saw you as an enemy. God saw you under the law. God saw you under the curse. God saw you separated from eternal life and from His Holy Presence.  Now you have been set free from the curse of the law. You’ve been set free from the judgment and the wrath of God. You have been set free from that inherent sinful nature. Why is that? Romans 4:5 But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. See? He is accredited for his faith. By faith, what is faith, belief with legs on it, belief with trust.

Romans 4:7-8 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, Whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.”

This is forgiveness in essence and context. He is good and His Word endures forever. He is good and His Mercy endures forever. He is good and His Truth endures forever.

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Do you realize when you are in a place where you receive forgiveness from the Father that you are wiped clean? That you become a new creation and you become qualified to become a temple where God’s Spirit chooses to dwell. There was a time in our lives when we did not even want to look at ourselves in the mirror. I did not want to see myself in the mirror because I was under such guilt. I was not in the position to become anything’s temple. Let alone the Holy Spirit’s Temple.

Ephesians 1:7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

It’s by Grace that you can approach God. It is through unmerited favor that you can speak to the Holy One of Israel. Think what a privilege it is to speak to the Creator of the Whole Universe. That He is willing to even listen to you. That He delights in the prayers of His Children. And He delights in answering them. And He will withhold no good thing to those who fear Him. It is rich. It is deeply rich.

So, how does one receive forgiveness from the Father?  Number one is by believing. You  heard me talk about the importance of belief. Do you realize that when you are forgiven of sins you are adopted by Jesus? John 6:25-35 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.” They said therefore to him, “What must we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” They said therefore to him, “What then do you do for a sign, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you do? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” Jesus therefore said to them, “Most assuredly, I tell you, it wasn’t Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said therefore to him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

Unbelief will cause you to have a fruitless uncontrolled life without being lead. You must believe the promises of God. You must believe the source of the promises. You must know Him Who is True that you may believe Him. That is the lesson of the people that came to the gate and He said, “Depart, I never knew you. You workers of iniquity.”  You see, they were walking in the church but they did not know the Head of the church. Through belief, obedience, reliance and dependency, intimacy with God are absolutely non-negotiable things you must have. Celebrate your forgiveness. Celebrate it in prayer offering a spiritual sacrifice of thanksgiving, thanking God for the blood that made a way for you to have redemption. Thanking God for His willingness to forgive you for all your unrighteousness and join mercy on others when they hurt you because you, too, have been given mercy. Do you see the mindset here? It has to be in you. It is not something that you respond to by text book , it something you respond to because of your ID. Because of your DNA. At one time it was acceptable and “cool” to be bitter. In order for you to fit right in, it was acceptable to be the gossip that talked about someone else because you were so bitter and angry you thought it was “cool” that’s how you got your bread. But, now, your bread is the “bread of life”. Finding pride and joy in unforgiveness is no longer in your DNA. But your DNA must be your willingness to humble yourself and likewise forgive as you, too, have been forgiven.

Tomorrow we will continue. God Bless.

Pastor Scott Davidson recommends that we get audio Bibles. I understand why as I have the New Testament on CDs, now. Every morning I get up and listen to a couple or more chapters and my understanding is opened up more plus I seem to be able to remember more than I have just reading. The International Bible Society has a couple of really good audio Bibles at reasonable prices. I found the link by going to http://www.soulwinnerradio.com/PastorScottDavison . I found his teachings right there, too.

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