There Is HopeSample

Satan’s Lies; God’s Truth: Lie #8--You’re Not Really Forgiven

Everybody feels guilt. Basically that’s a good thing. God put consciences inside us to tell us when we do what’s wrong. Our guilty consciences make us aware of our need for Jesus’ forgiveness. Guilt is like the pain nerves in our skin. We don’t like it when those pain nerves are screaming from a cut or bruise, but they tell us we have a problem that needs attention.

The gospel message of Christ’s forgiveness takes away guilt. Satan can’t stand for us to be at peace, so he lies to us and tells us that we’re not really forgiven. He tells us that we’re too evil, that we don’t deserve mercy, that we’ve sinned too often, that we’ve exhausted God’s patience, that we must personally atone for all our misdeeds. But those are lies.

Here’s the truth: Psalm 103:11,12 says, “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Christ’s forgiveness is universal-that means it was pronounced over all (you included). Christ’s forgiveness is free-that means that you can stop your feeble thrashing around to earn it by yourself. Christ’s forgiveness is unconditional--that means that He gives it to you purely because He decided to love you.