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Author: Bob Christopher

Four Promises that will Change Your Life

Posted on by Bob Christopher

This is an astonishing claim. But it’s true. I am talking about the four promises of the New Covenant.

These promises are better than any other promise that is out there.

They are laid out for us in Hebrews 8:10-12. I’ve numbered them for ease of reading.

  1. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.
  2. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
  3. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.
  4. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.

These are better promises because they satisfy our deepest needs. We need power and the internal motivation to live out the Christian life. We need  assurance that we belong to God and that He loves us. We need a personal  relationship with God, to genuinely know Him. We desperately need to know that our sins have been forgiven once and for all.

On all of these points, the New Covenant provides. Jesus’ finish work guarantees all of these promises to be true.

I’ve juiced each one down to one word. In this New Covenant we have

  • Power
  • Assurance
  • Relationship
  • Forgiveness.

The world, religion and even the flesh make outlandish promises, but they never deliver. But not Jesus. In Him, you have everything you need.

Take hold of these four promises and your life will never be the same.

Don’t Look Back

Posted on by Bob Christopher

I like the word “new.” I’ll bet you do too.

It is an exciting word, especially when it is attached to things like cars, houses, gadgets and even the New Year. We all like “new” things and we want “new” things.

But it is also a scary word. “New” sometimes means that we need to break free from the “way we’ve always done things.” It can also mean moving into unknown and unfamiliar territory.

Think about how you felt the first day on a new job, or at a new church. Uncomfortable is the word that describes how I felt. How about you?

It is hard for us to change, to let go of all that is familiar and comfortable. It is hard even when we know that the “new” is better.

This is why the Gospel is a frightening proposition for many. Spiritual birth ushers us into the new. Paul made this point clearly: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Are you in Christ? If so, for you the old has gone and the new has come.

  • A new life – Romans 6:4.
  • A new identity – John 1:12.
  • A new self – Ephesians 4:24.
  • A new heart – Ezekiel 36:26.
  • A new covenant – Hebrews 9:15.
  • A new command – John 13:34.
  • A new way – Romans 7:6.

You might not know what this new life in Christ will look or feel like. And at first, it may seem a little awkward or strange. But here is the good news — the “new” that Christ has for you is better than anything you could ever dream or imagine.

There is nothing to fear with this “new.” Jesus’ love for you has taken the fear out of moving forward. And besides, Jesus Christ is with you, empowering you to this new life to the full.

As a believer in Christ, the only way is forward in the newness of life. It is time to let go of the old, to stop looking back, and to embrace the new.

Christian Do You Know?

Posted on by Bob Christopher

I love Christmas music. My wife, Jeanna, loves it more. I think she would listen to it year round. The words and music of all the great Christmas classics connect us to a sense of hope and wonder. They have a way of touching us deeply.
When you listen to Christmas music, have you noticed the lack of new Christmas songs that convey the true Gospel message? Very few are being written today. But of those that have been released, one stands out — Mark Lowry’s beautiful Christmas song, Mary Did You Know. It is hard for me to listen to this song without shedding a tear.

Kissing the Face of God by Morgan Weistling
Kissing the Face of God by Morgan Weistling

There are so many wonderful lines in the song. The one that affects me most deeply is this: “Did you know your baby has come to make you new?” And then, there is the chorus: “When you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.”
Did Mary know?
The angel told her that her baby would be great, that he was the Son of the most high, that he would occupy David’s throne and that his reign would have no end. The angel told Joseph his name would be Immanuel which means “God with us.” And he told the shepherds that Jesus was the Savior, Christ the Lord.
Still, you have to wonder, did Mary know that Jesus was indeed God in the flesh? Did she know that when she kissed Jesus, she had kissed the face of God?
The question the song asks of Mary gives rise to a question for us – Christian, do you know?
Christian, do you know that Christ has made you new? This truth escaped me for many years. I looked at Christianity as the ultimate self-improvement program. Christ did not come to make us better. He came to make us new. Paul said it best. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
But how are we made new? By grace through faith, Jesus makes us alive “through the washing of rebirth and the renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). In his letter to the Colossians, Paul describes this truth as “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
Jesus Christ, God of the universe, lives in you. He is with you right now. He is bigger than any problem you may be facing and He has promised: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you ” (Hebrews 13:5).
Christian, do you know?

Who Do You Say that He Is?

Posted on by Bob Christopher

One of the most interesting places in Israel is Caesarea Philippi. Philip, the son of Herod the Great, built this city on the southern slope of Mt.Hermon near the headwaters of the Jordan River. I think this is a significant fact. Let me explain.
Jesus visited this city along with his disciples. At this stage of Jesus’ ministry people were extremely curious about his identity. His miracles and teachings had everyone talking. “Who is this man?” they wondered. So Jesus asked his disciples what people were saying about the “Son of Man.”
Then Jesus asked them, “Who do you say that I am?”
I think this is the most compelling question ever asked. It takes us right to the heart and soul of Christianity, Jesus Christ himself. He is the source of life and faith.
Peter stood and answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This new life of faith we have in Christ begins here.
Now, most of us think of this question in terms of apologetics, defending the faith. The question, however, is much broader in scope. The answer has continuing effects in our day-to-day lives.
“Who do you say that I am?” is not a question to be asked and answered merely once in a lifetime. We should circle back to it time and time again.
Our faith, to have value and substance, must be tied to an object. Without an object, faith is a meaningless word. For Christians, the object of our faith is Jesus Christ Himself. As our knowledge of Christ grows, our faith in Him expands within our souls.
This faith is a dynamic word that is lived out in trials and tribulations. Yet, sometimes in the trials of life, we carry on as if we had never come to terms with the truth of Jesus’ identity.  However, it is in those times, we need to come back to this most significant question: Who do I say that He is?
Jesus is God and he is living in you. What does that mean? As God, he is fully capable of working the situation you are in right now for your good.
Do you need hope? Jesus is the source.
Do you need wisdom? Jesus is your wisdom.
Do you want peace today? Jesus is the answer.
What about you? Who do you say that Jesus is right now?

42 Truths That Will Help You Give Thanks In All Things

Posted on by Bob Christopher

Sometimes life is tough. It can hit us hard and hurt us deeply. In those times, it’s hard to give thanks. But that’s what God calls us to. As Paul wrote, we are to “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
If you are struggling right now and feeling overwhelmed by life, here are 42 hope-filled truths that will overflow your heart with thankfulness.
Loved by God
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ESV)
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10 ESV)
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)
Chosen by God
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. (Ephesians 1:4 NIV)
Saved by Grace
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
Made Alive in Christ
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24 ESV)
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ– by grace you have been saved– (Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV)
Born Again
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3 ESV)
Indwelt by the Holy Spirit
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Romans 8:9 ESV)
To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27 ESV)
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us–for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”– so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:13-14 ESV)
Made into a Temple of the Holy Spirit
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV)
Made into a New Creation
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 ESV)
Named a Child of God
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13 ESV)
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:1-2 ESV)
Adopted as a Son
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:4-5 ESV)
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15 ESV)
Reconciled to God
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10 ESV)
Redeemed
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. (Ephesians 1:7 ESV)
Totally Forgiven
I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. (1 John 2:12 ESV)
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses (Colossians 2:13 ESV)
Totally Cleansed
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV)
And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. (Acts 15:8-9 ESV)
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7 ESV)
Made Holy and Blameless
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him…( Colossians 1:21-22 ESV)
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2 ESV)
Saved Completely
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:25 NIV)
And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13 ESV)
Dead to the Law
Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. (Romans 7:4 ESV)
An Heir of the New Covenant
So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:7 ESV)
“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:10-12 NIV)
Translated out of Darkness into Light
 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14 ESV)
For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. (Ephesians 5:8 ESV)
Baptized into Christ’s Body
For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV)
Raised and Seated with Christ
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1 NIV)
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6 NIV)
Hidden with Christ in God
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3 ESV)
Clothed with Christ
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:27 ESV)
Sealed in Christ
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV)
Made Righteous — Justified
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24 ESV)
Saved from the Wrath of God
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (Romans 5:9 ESV)
Made at Peace with God
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1 ESV)
Freed from Condemnation
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 ESV)
Sanctified (Made Holy)
And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10 ESV)
Made Perfect
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14 ESV)
Totally Accepted
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7 NIV)
In Fellowship with God
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9 ESV)
Access to God
This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. (Ephesians 3:11-12 ESV)
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16 ESV)
A Citizen of Heaven
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20 ESV)
Anchored by Hope
So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:17-20 ESV)
Free
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free… So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:32 NIV)
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1 ESV)
Victorious
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:31, 37 ESV)
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world– our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5 ESV)
Made into a Holy Priesthood
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6 ESV)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9 ESV)
Complete in Christ
For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. (Colossians 2:9-10 NLT)
Blessed with Every Spiritual Blessing
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. (Ephesians 1:3 NLT)
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3 ESV)
Know God
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3 NIV)
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7 NIV)
Equipped to Share His Life and Forgiveness
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant–not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6 NIV)
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19 NIV)
 
 

Draw Near — You Can You Know!

Posted on by Bob Christopher

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 28
Do you know the question kids ask the most?
If you are a parent, you know the answer. It’s “Why?”
It’s a great question to ask. You can learn much about life when you are curious about the “why.” I’m not sure we ask it enough when it comes to the Gospel.
For example, why did Christ die? We know that He did, but why? What did he have in his mind as the end result?
I like what Peter wrote in his first letter: “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Why did Christ die? He died to bring you to God.
God created man for relationship. When sin entered in, that relationship was broken. Our fear of God’s punishment kept us at a distance from Him. We were too afraid to get close. Jesus changed all that through His shed blood. It beckons us to draw near to God.
The writer of Hebrews put it this way: “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near to God…” (Hebrews 10:19-22).
There is nothing to fear or worry about. Your sins are gone. Your punishment has been taken away. There is nothing standing in the way.
Because your sins have been forgiven, you can “approach God with confidence and freedom” (Ephesians 3:12).
This is good news. Draw near and enjoy your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Forgiveness Challenge #28 – What does it mean to you to be reconciled to God? Is there anything holding you back from drawing near to God in full assurance of faith?
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

It's Time to Rest!

Posted on by Bob Christopher

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 27
Jesus Christ finished His work.
He did everything necessary to take away your sins once and for all. Jesus put it this way in His high priestly prayer: “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:4, 5).
God the Father answered Jesus’ prayer. He exalted Him to highest place – the right hand of the Father.
He is seated there now.
What does this mean for you?
First, there is nothing more to do concerning your sins. Jesus has done it all. The fact that Jesus is seated at the right hand of His Father is proof.
The writer of Hebrews didn’t want his readers to miss this point. For example, when comparing Jesus to the Levites, he explained that Jesus “has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself” (Hebrews 7:27 ). There is no need for Jesus to get up from his seated position.
This means you can rest. Here is Jesus’ promise to all who come to Him: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28, 29.)
All the work we do to earn God’s forgiveness and love wears us out. It leaves us weary and burdened. That’s not God’s desire for you. He wants you to rest. You can because Jesus has already done the work.
Your sins are forgiven. You are righteous in God’s sight. He loves you and accepts you. Believe it and take a rest in Him. It’s time.
Forgiveness Challenge #27 – Are you willing to enter God’s rest?
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Hebrews 4:9-10 (NIV)

Three Words That Will Change Your Life

Posted on by Bob Christopher

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 26
Forgiveness ranks as the number one topic of discussion on the Basic Gospel radio broadcast. Here are three things we have learned from all the questions that have been asked about this critical issue:

  1. The forgiveness of God is greatly misunderstood,
  2. People like to argue about forgiveness,
  3. People long to have forgiveness.

You can understand why forgiveness is such a hot topic. All of us sin. This reality raises numerous questions in our minds.

  • What do I do when I sin?
  • How can I know that God has forgiven my sin?
  • If He has forgiven me, why do I keep doing the same sin over and over?

Here is the good news. All of these questions are answered by the three words Jesus uttered from the cross, “It is finished!”
Jesus paid the debt in full. Nothing more needs to be done, or can be done concerning forgiveness of sins.
I wished I had known this truth early in life.
With each sin I committed in those days, I felt I needed to do something to get it forgiven. I prayed. I promised. I studied the Bible. I made deals with God. But nothing changed.
I wanted His forgiveness so badly, but in spite of all my efforts, I never felt forgiven.  
The glorious truth is that there was nothing I could do to gain God’s forgiveness. Jesus had already done the work. He forgave all of my sins. His shed blood took them away once and for all.
When His finished work finally hit my heart, the weight of guilt lifted from my shoulders. And something even better happened. The love of God broke through to my soul.
This is what I wanted more than anything. We all want to truly know that God loves us. Forgiveness is the truth that makes God’s love real to us.
Just three simple words comprise the most powerful, life-changing phrase in the entire Bible.
It is finished!
These three words can change your life.
Forgiveness Challenge #26 — Do you fully believe that Jesus Christ finished His work concerning your sins? If so, how does change your view of God?
But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12
 

What Happens When You Take A Wrong Turn?

Posted on by Bob Christopher

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 25
I love the GPS system in my car. It’s an amazing piece of technology. I have even named that friendly voice “Ethel”. Ethel calmly directs my path and gets me to my final destination time and time again.
Yet, sometimes I choose not to follow Ethel’s directions thinking I know the best way to get me where I’m going.
When I do choose to go my own way, I hear Ethel calmly saying: “Recalculating.” She knows the end destination, and knows how to get me there. Even when I take a wrong turn.
In just a few seconds, she sets me on the right path once again. The thing about Ethel is that she doesn’t condemn me or berate me for choosing to go my own way. I’ve never heard her say things like: “How could you not follow my directions? What were you thinking? I refuse to give you any more help.” No, she quickly and calmly comes to my aid, and brings me safely to my final destination.
Believe it or not, this story is a great illustration of the Christian life. All of us from time to time choose to go our own way in life. We think we know what’s best for us and what will ultimately make us happy. So off we go down the wrong path. And Jesus goes right with us.
He doesn’t condemn us, or turn away from us. By grace, he moves us in the right direction. Even my wrong turns along the way do not keep Him from getting me to my final destination.
Because of the finished work of the cross, there is no condemnation for you under the New Covenant. Sometimes you will fail to heed the leading of the Holy Spirit and give in to the desires of the flesh. When you do, the Holy Spirit will renew your mind. He will remind you of His love and grace, and set you once again on the right path.
Forgiveness Challenge #25– When you fail, as we all do, ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and remind you of the gift of forgiveness. Remember this great truth – Your sins will not keep God from completing the work He began in you!
“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Repentance or Forgiveness – Which Comes First?

Posted on by Bob Christopher

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 24
There is always this question of what to do when we sin. Repentance normally tops the list of actions we need to take. This act, in our minds, has a number of possible outcomes. The first is forgiveness for the sin that was committed. In this scenario, repentance is first, then forgiveness. We repent, then God forgives.
The second outcome is the restoration of fellowship that was broken because of sin. Again, repentance is the catalyst, the lead act that restores the fellowship.
This is not biblical thinking. God’s plan is “by grace through faith.” Grace initiates, faith follows. An aspect of this faith is repentance. It is the changing of the mind in response to the truth of God’s grace and the forgiveness in Jesus Christ. It is the stepping right into the middle of God’s plan.
When Peter stood before the people at Pentecost, he told them about Jesus – his death, burial and resurrection. This is the story of God’s grace in action. Then he summoned the people to repentance. Three thousand were added to the church that day. The reason is that God’s grace led to repentance in the heart toward Jesus.
Here is the point. When you sin, let God’s grace take the lead. The shed blood of Christ will change your heart and mind and will deepen your spiritual instinct to trust, rely and abide in the indwelling and resurrected Christ.
Which comes first? If you are in Christ, you already have forgiveness of sins. Let this truth rest your mind solidly in His love and grace.
Forgiveness Challenge #24 – Think back to the day your mind changed concerning Jesus. What was the catalyst for your repentance toward Christ?
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)