Online Bible Study - The Promise Is to You

THE QUESTION:
Is any sin too big to be forgiven by God?

WE BELIEVE:
God promises forgiveness of all sins to all who believe in Jesus.

A STORY:
Paul was a very religious Jew. He followed the religious teachings of nation better than anyone else. He was trained by the best religious teachers, and he spent all his energy trying to keep all the religious rules he had learned. He was very angry when he heard about the followers of Jesus. He was so sure that they were leading people away from the truth that he got permission to have them imprisoned and put to death. He had Stephen, a great preacher in the church, stoned to death. When Paul was on his way to persecute more Christians, Jesus appeared to him and said, "Paul, why are you persecuting me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Paul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he said. In this way, Jesus made Paul one of the Apostles. Paul spent the rest of his life travelling far and wide to tell people about Jesus. He was also the instrument by which most of the New Testament was written. Finally, Paul too died for Jesus. (based on Acts 7:54, 8:1, 9:1-19)

We might expect that God, who has many reasons to be angry with sinful humanity, might be slow in forgiving. Some people, knowing how hard it is for them to forgive others, shut the door on God because they think he could never forgive them. They believe they have too many big sins to be forgiven. These people don't take into account how much God loves them. They underestimate what God did in sending Jesus into the world. They forget that he shows them his grace. (Grace is a kindness which is given. It is always undeserved and unearned.) If you think that your sins are too great, remember what God says.

GOD SPEAKS:
"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." Psalm 32:1

To be blessed is to be right with God. Notice that the passage does not say that only those who never sin are blessed; everyone has sin but Jesus. The way we can stand before God is by forgiveness, which God gives us because of Jesus.

GOD SPEAKS:
"If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, therefore you are feared." Psalm 130:3-4

Because God forgives, does that mean we can sin all we want? No, it means we can finally learn to live life rightly. If God didn't forgive, then we would have no hope, then we would all be going to hell, then we might as well live to please our sinful nature as long as we can. But God does forgive. He puts us right with himself. Now, by the help of his Spirit, we can start to live the way the friends of God should live.

Knowing that even the worst of sins are taken away and the meanest of sinners can be forgiven, Christians are glad to tell everyone that Jesus is the Savior. We are not ashamed of the good news of Jesus, for it is the power of God which gives salvation to all who believe in Jesus.

THIS PART OF OUR LESSON ASKS:
Which is greater: the sins of the world or Jesus' blood shed from the cross?

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