Attributes of God - The Forgiving God (Luke 24) (Sermon 16)

One of the most exciting passages in the New Testament is Jesus' Post-resurrection encounter with the Two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus, a village about 7 miles from Jerusalem. On this journey, the Lord Jesus conducted what must have been the most exciting Bible Study ever given.

Cleopas & his companion were downcast because of the death of their beloved Master.

• They had Hoped that Jesus of Nazareth was the one who would Redeem Israel.
• But, it was now the Third Day after Jesus' Death.

• They had given up hope of the Messiah Rising from the Dead & Delivering Israel.

Jesus walked along with these Two Disciples & began to teach them about the Gospel:

"He said to them, 'How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the

Prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his

glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was

said in the Scriptures concerning himself" (Luke 24:25-27).

• Unfortunately, Luke doesn't give a full account of this Momentous Bible Study.

• But, we do know that this Bible Study left them with a Sense of Wonder & Amazement.
• Their hearts burned within them as Jesus opened up the Scripture to them (Luke 24:28-32).

When Jesus later appeared to the Eleven Disciples (the Twelve minus Judas),

he gives us an insight into the Main Points he expounded in his earlier Bible Study.

"He said to them, 'This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be

fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets & the Psalms.' Then

he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, 'This is

what is written: The Christ will Suffer & Rise from the Dead on the Third Day, and

Repentance & Forgiveness of Sins will be Preached in his Name to all Nations,

beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things'" (Luke 24:44-48).

Jesus taught his disciples the Gospel Message in a nutshell.

• He gave them a Summary of Everything Taught about Himself in Both Testaments
• He taught them the Attribute of God that is at the Forefront of the Gospel Message.

Man's Main Problem is, of course, Sin:

• It is Sin that Alienates Man from a Holy God.
• All Men are Enemies of God, because of Sin (Romans 5:10).

The message of Scripture to the Whole of Mankind is perfectly clear:

"There is No One Righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10).

"All have Sinned and Fall Short of the Glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

• All Men are under the Wrath & Condemnation of God because Everyone has Sinned.

In his message to his Disciples, Jesus gets to the Very Heart of the Gospel:

• We cannot have a Relationship with the Living God, unless our Sin is Dealt With.
• Man's Main Problem is Sin, therefore, Repentance & Forgiveness of Sins must be Preached in his Name to all Nations (Luke 24:45-47).

• All Men must hear that Forgiveness of Sins is Provided by God through the Suffering,

Death & Resurrection of the Messiah.

Remember how this message reflects the reason why Jesus came into this world:

The Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, before the Birth of Jesus, and said:

"She will give birth to a son, and you will give him the Name Jesus, because

he will Save his People from their Sins" (Matthew 1:25).

• In other words, he Came to Bring his people Forgiveness of Sins.

Remember how this is the Same Message that Peter Preached on the Day of Pentecost:

• Peter proved that Jesus was a man accredited by God by miracles, wonders & signs.
• He proved that Wicked Men nailed him to the Cross according to God's Purpose.
• He proved that Jesus Suffered & Died & then was Raised from the Dead (Acts 2:22-24)

When the people cried out, saying: "Brothers, what shall we do?" the Apostle Peter replied:

God did not Begin to Teach his people that he is a Forgiving God in the New Testament.

Just like Grace & Mercy: we see that this Attribute was Revealed to Moses on Mt Sinai,

after Israel worshipped the Golden Calf, & the Lord re-iterated the 10 Commandments.

• We have seen that the Attributes of Grace & Mercy are the Essence of God's Nature.

• The same is true of Forgiveness.

The Lord God passed by Moses and revealed his Goodness & his Glory.

• God proclaimed his Glory so that Moses would understand that he is the Holy God.
• He is the One whose Nature is Absolute Righteousness & Purity.

But, it was at this time that God also revealed himself as the Forgiving God.

• God revealed himself as the One who Willingly Provides Forgiveness for his Chosen People.

He Forgives a Sinful & Rebellious Nation.

The Lord God wanted everyone to hear this Good News to Sinners:

"Our God is The God who Forgives Iniquity, Transgression & Sin" (Ex 34:7).

• In this manner, God taught Moses that Forgiveness is the Essence of His Divine Being.

This is the Very Best News that Guilty Human Beings could ever Hear!

• God has not set his mind on punishing us.
• He wants to Forgive Us and accept us warmly & freely into his presence.
• He has set his heart upon us and chose us with the express purpose of Forgiving us.

Just as we saw with the Attribute of Grace - Moses understood the Implication of this Attribute which the Lord God revealed to him (Exodus 34:8-9):

"Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshipped. 'O Lord, if I have found Favour

(or Grace) in your eyes,' he said' 'then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a

stiff-necked people, Forgive our Wickedness & our Sin, and take us for your inheritance."

• It was on the Basis of God's Attributes that Moses pleaded with the Lord God to

Forgive the Wickedness & Sin of this Stiff-necked people.

Throughout the Scriptures God is represented as the God who Forgives Sins.

For example, the Psalmist David declared:

"You are Kind & Forgiving, O Lord, abounding in Love (Loving-kindness or Mercy) to

all who call to you. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for Mercy. In the day of

trouble I will call upon you, for you will answer me" (Psalm 86:5-7).

• The A.V. brings out the main point more forcefully, saying:

"For Thou, Lord, art good, Ready to Forgive & Plenteous in Mercy"

• We have a God who is Ready & Willing to Forgive the Sins of his people.
• The sense is that the Forgiving God is Ready to Forgive at all times.
• We have a God who Delights is showing his Mercy & Forgiveness to his people.

Paul tells us that God Delights in Showing Forgiveness, even to the Chief of Sinners:

"Even though I was a blasphemer & a persecutor & a violent man, I was Shown Mercy …

Christ Jesus came into the world to Save Sinners - of whom I am the worst

(A.V. of whom I am chief). But for this reason I was Shown Mercy so that in me, the

Worst of Sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for

those who would believe on him and receive eternal life (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

• Such was the wickedness & vileness & enormity of Paul's Sin that it serves as an example of the Greatness of God's Forgiveness & Mercy.
• Paul is putting himself forward as an Illustration of the Depth of Human Sin in order that he might exalt the Grace & Mercy of God.
• Paul's Logic is this: If the Gracious, Merciful & Forgiving God can Forgive the Chief of Sinners, there is no doubt whatsoever that he is willing & able to Forgive Lesser Sinners.

The Scriptures Teach us that there are Four Aspects of the Forgiveness of Sins:

1. Forgiveness involves the Removal of Sin

• If anyone is to dwell in the Presence of a Holy God, Sin must be Removed.

Nowhere do we see a more graphic picture of God's Forgiveness than on the Day of Atonement.

• The Day of Atonement was the Day when the Nation's Sins were dealt with for another year.

We read in Leviticus 16 that Aaron was to Take Two Goats from the Israelite Community.

• One Goat was to be Sacrificed as a Sin Offering;

• The other Goat was to be used as a Scapegoat.

The Goat to be used as a Sin Offering was Slaughtered first.

• The Blood was taken into the Holy of Holies & Sprinkled on the Mercy Seat.

The Hebrew word translated as 'Make Atonement' is also translated as 'Forgive' in the O.T.

For example, in Psalm 78:38, we read in the A.V.

"But he, being full of compassion, Forgave their Iniquity, and destroyed them not."

In the N.I.V. this is translated as: "He Atoned For their Iniquities."

• In this context the word translated as 'Forgive or Atone for' means 'To Cover.'
• The blood of that goat was not actually the basis for the Israelites Forgiveness,

but it pictured the important fact that God would 'Cover' their Sins.

Under the Mercy Seat, in the Ark of the Covenant, were the Symbols of Israel's Sin.

• These symbols were, the Manna about which they murmured & complained; the Tables of the Law which they broke; & Aaron's Rod that budded when they rebelled against their leaders.
• The Main Point is that All those Sins were Covered by the Blood of the goat.

In like manner, when God Forgives our Sins, he 'Covers' them with the Blood of Jesus.

• God hides our sins from view.

Micah 7:19 tells us that it is just as though God Casts our Sins into the Depths of the Sea.

• The whole sea covers them over so that they will never be seen again.

The Psalmist David expressed his relief at his sins being covered in this way:

"Blessed is he whose Transgressions are Forgiven, whose Sins are Covered" (Ps 32:1).

• The person whose Transgressions are Forgiven is 'Truly Blessed. He is Truly Happy'.
• The Psalmist says that 'his Sins are Covered'.
• They are 'Covered' just as the 'Ark of the Covenant was Covered' by the Mercy Seat.
• Such a knowledge of Sins Forgiven is the grounds for Great Comfort & Assurance.

On the Day of Atonement the High Priest Took Two Goats from the Israelite Community.

• One Goat was to be Sacrificed as a Sin Offering - indicating that Sin was Covered.

The Second Goat was to be used as a Scapegoat.

• The High Priest laid both hands on the Scapegoat & Confessed the Nation's Sins over it.

• The Scapegoat remained alive & the High Priest let it go into the wilderness (Lev 16:20-22).

The idea that the Scapegoat was never to be seen again.

• The Scapegoat signified that the Sins of the People had been Removed from God's Presence.

• As the Priest placed his hands on the goat's head, it signified that he was Lifting the People's Sins & the Placing the Sins on a Substitute - called a Scapegoat.

Scholars tell us that there are Two Main Words translated as 'Forgiveness' in the O.T.

• One literally means 'to Lift Up' & the other means 'to Let God'.
• Likewise, the most common New testament word for 'Forgiveness' means

to 'Let Go or to Send Away'.

• In other words, the very meaning of the word Forgiveness' tells us that God Lifts our Sins from us and Sends them Far Away.

Remember what the Psalmist David tells us about our Sins being Removed (Ps 103:12):

"As far as the East is from the West, so far has he Removed our Transgressions from us" Inspired by the Spirit of God, David chose an analogy of Infinite Distance.

• We know where North Ends & South Begins, but absolutely nobody can

determine where East Stops & West Begins.

• What a Great Assurance? We have God who Forgives us in such a manner that

our Sins are Completely & Absolutely Removed from us!

• God could not Remove our Sins any further.

The Living God speaks to us through Jeremiah concerning the Removal of Sin, saying:

"For I will Forgive their Wickedness and will Remember their sins no more" (Jer 31:34).

• What an Amazing Statement!
• God has taken our sins & Cast Them into the Sea of His Forgetfulness.
• That is an Eternal Forgetfulness.
• Our Sins are Forgiven & Removed from God's Presence,
• They are Removed absolutely, finally, & completely; never to be seen again!

There are Four Aspects of the Forgiveness of Sins:

1. Forgiveness involves the Removal of Sin
2. Forgiveness involves the Cancellation of a Penalty

• The Scriptures tell us that the Wages of Sin is Death (Rom 6:23)

• This is another way of saying: The Penalty for Sin is Death.
• Only death could satisfy the requirement of God's Justice.

The writer to the Hebrews tells us:

"Without the Shedding of Blood (without death) there is No Forgiveness of Sins" (Heb 9:22)

• The only way to Cancel our Penalty for Sin was the Shedding of Blood.

Nothing but the Shedding of Blood could deal with Man's Sin.

The Power of God's Word exercised in Creation could never bring us Forgiveness.

• God could say: "Let there be Light"; But, he could NOT say: "Let men be Forgiven."
• God could not Forgive us that way because the Scriptures say:

"God is Light & in Him there is No Darkness at all" (1 John 1:5).

• God is Eternally Just & Righteous & Holy, and he Cannot Contradict His Eternal Nature.

Only the Shedding of Blood could Pay the Penalty for Sin.

This principle was taught through the Sacrifice of the Goat on the Day of Atonement.

• One of the goats was Killed as a Sacrifice for the Sins of the People.
• This Old Testament Sacrifice Pictured the Punishment of a Substitute.

• It Pictured the Sacrificial Death of Christ.

• The goat's blood could not in itself pay for Israel's sins:

Hebrews 10:4 tells us that: "It is impossible for the blood of bulls & goats to take away sins."

Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be pierced for our transgressions

& crushed for our iniquities, so that the penalty of our sins would fall on Him (Isaiah 53:5-6).

The Apostle Peter described how it happened:

"He Himself Bore our Sins in His body on the cross" (1 Peter 2:24).

"It was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were Redeemed …

but with the Precious Blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Pet 1:18-19)

• Sin is so terrible, so foul, & so vile that nothing could deal with it except the Blood of Christ.

• The ONLY basis for our Eternal Forgiveness is the Shedding of the Blood of Christ.

As the Hymnwriter, Cecil Alexander, says:

"There was no other good enough To pay the price of sin;

He only could unlock the gate Of heaven, and let us in."

When Jesus Died on the Cross, he said:

"It is Finished" (John 19:30).

• This saying is actually only One Word in the Greek.
• It is a word that was used in business transactions meaning 'Paid in Full'.
• The Debt & Penalty which our Sins incurred was 'Paid in Full' on the Cross of Calvary.
• God's Son took our place & Paid our Penalty as our Substitute. There is nothing else to pay!

Remember the words of the Hymnwriter, Philipp Bliss:

"I will sing of my Redeemer, And his wondrous love to me;

On the cruel cross he suffered, From the curse to set me free.

Sing, O sing, of my Redeemer! With his Blood he Purchased me,

On the cross he Sealed my Pardon, Paid the Debt & made me free.

This teaching means that Believers need Never Again Fear Punishment from God.

The Apostle Paul says:

• The Penalty has been Fully Paid. Therefore, there is No Condemnation for those who are in Christ. There is No Punishment! No Penalty! No Eternal Judgement!

There are Four Aspects of the Forgiveness of Sins:

1. Forgiveness involves the Removal of Sin.
2. Forgiveness involves the Cancellation of a Penalty.
3. Forgiveness of Sins involves the Removal of Guilt.

• One of man's Greatest Needs is to be Delivered from the Guilt of Sin.
• Because of our Sin, we are all Condemned by the Law of a Holy God.
• All of our Sins produce more & more Guilt in the sight of a Holy God.
• Without Forgiveness, we are Guilty Sinners who remain under the Wrath of God.
• Without Forgiveness, we will stand before God on the Judgement Day as Guilty Sinners;

Therefore, if we are to receive Eternal Salvation, something must be done about our Guilt.

• It is imperative that the Guilt of Sin be Removed.
• It is imperative that we are Delivered from the Guilt of Sin.

The Prophet Isaiah gives us a beautiful picture of how the Guilt of Sin is Removed:

But, first of all, he describes the Wickedness & Rebellion of a Sinful Nation.

• The Prophet Isaiah calls upon the Whole of Creation to witness the Judgement of God

upon Guilty Sinners (1:2).

Isaiah describes the Sin & Guilt of the Whole Nation of Israel, saying:

• They are Loaded with Guilt because they have committed one sin after another.
• They have deliberately transgressed God's Law, without any thought for the consequences.
• Their whole lives are Given Over to Wickedness & Corruption & Gross Injustice.
• They are not content to be Corrupt themselves - They go out of their way to Corrupt Others!

Then Isaiah describes how the Lord Offered Forgiveness & the Removal of their Guilt

"'Come now, and let us reason together,' says the Lord,

'Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson, They shall be like wool'" (Isaiah 1:18).

Guilt is viewed as a red stain - Our Sins are Like Scarlet.

• It is a blot, a blemish, a taint, a flaw, a stigma, a red stain that contaminates our lives.
• However, Forgiveness Washes that ugly stain so that it becomes as White as Snow.

The Apostle John says (1 John 1:7-9):

• The Blood of Christ Washes us & Cleanses us. It leaves us Pure & Blameless.
• Forgiveness makes us Absolutely Pure instead of Absolutely Sinful & Absolutely Guilty.

The Psalmist David says:

"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him" (Psalm 32:1-2).

• David is saying that, when our sins are Forgiven, God no longer views us as Guilty Sinners.
• He describes how his Nagging Guilt has Gone. The Guilty Verdict no longer hangs over him.

Despite the Removal of Guilt, we have to admit that Believers often feel Guilty before God:

• We tend to forget the fact that God has Removed our Guilt, and continue to feel guilty.
• Satan works very hard at making us feel guilty.

In the Book of Revelation (12:10), John describes Satan as:

"The Accuser of the Brethren - the one who accuses us before God day & night"

• Satan makes it his business to Accuse us before God and to Accuse us in our own Minds.

• He tries to convince us that God will never Forgive the Awful Things we have done.

• He knows that when we Wallow in Guilt, we become Discouraged & Defeated.

However, we can Praise God that he Gives us Ultimate Victory over the Power of Satan:

The Apostle John says: "The Accuser of our Brethren is cast down -

They over came him by the Blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 12:10-11)

• The Voice from Heaven announces the Triumph of God's Kingdom & Salvation.

• Nothing can hinder the Eternal Salvation of God's people..
• The Adversary, who constantly Accuses the Brethren before God, will be Cast Down.
• He will be stripped of his power to Condemn Believers.
• The Lamb will Reign Supreme and Satan will be Cast Down into the Bottomless Pit.
• Our Guilt will be Finally Removed, Completely & Eternally, never to return.

This truth ought to be embedded in our hearts & minds:

• It will help us not allow Satan to keep us downcast.
• Satan seeks to Hold us in Bondage to Guilt.
• But, don't let him do it to you. Hold on to the truth that God, in Christ, has forgiven you.

There are Four Aspects of the Forgiveness of Sins:

1. Forgiveness involves the Removal of Sin.
2. Forgiveness involves the Cancellation of a Penalty.
3. Forgiveness involves the Removal of Guilt.
4. Forgiveness involves the Restoration of Fellowship with God.

The Prophet Isaiah describes Sin as a Barrier that Hinders our Fellowship with God.

"Your iniquities have separated you from your God" (Isaiah 59:2).

• Isaiah likens our Sins to a Thick Cloud that blocks the rays of the sun.
• However, just as a cloud can be dispelled by the sun or the wind,

so God dispels our cloud of sin when he Forgives us.

When Israel had turned away from the Living God to worship idols, Isaiah said:

"I have swept away your offences like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.

Return to me, for I have redeemed you (Isaiah 44:22).

This is True of Everyone who has experienced the Forgiveness of Sins.

• The Dark Cloud of Sin has been Removed, the thick mist of Sin has been Lifted;

the Debt has been Cancelled, the Penalty for Sin has been Satisfied, the Guilt of Sin is Gone.

• The Barrier that Separates us from God has been Removed.
• We are free to come boldly into the Presence of a Holy God & to Enjoy His Fellowship.

Having reminded us of the Sacrifice of Christ that brings Forgiveness,

the writer to the Hebrews says (Heb 10:19-21):

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place

by the Blood of Christ … Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in

Full Assurance of Faith."

• The Lord God assures us, that when He forgives our sins, "He remembers them no more" (Hebrews 8:12, quoting Jeremiah 31:34).
• God will never allow Sin to come between us again.
• The Apostle Paul tells us that, when God made us alive in Christ,

"He Forgave us All our Sins" (Colossians 2:13).

and that includes sins that are past, present, and future .

• This means that Sin cannot possibly act as a permanent barrier between the believer & God!

The Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians that:

"God … has called you into Fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor 1:9).

Once, we were Alienated from God; Once, we were Enemies of God.

• But, now, we have been Reconciled to God. We have come back into Fellowship with God.
• This has been accomplished through the Death of God's Son - through the Shedding of Blood. We have been Reconciled TO God because we have been Forgiven BY God.
• Even though we deserved the Penalty of Eternal Condemnation,

God Forgave us; He did not count sin against us.

• In other words, through the Death of Christ, Fellowship with God has been re-established.
• When we Believe & Repent, our Sins are Forgiven, and we can

Come Joyfully & Confidently into God's presence.

God's desire is that Men, Women & Children from every nation might

Repent and Receive the Forgiveness of Sins.

• This is why the Lord Jesus Commanded his Disciples to Preach

Repentance & Forgiveness of Sins to All Nations (Luke 24:47).

This is why God gave a Call to Repentance through the Prophet Isaiah, saying:

"See the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked

forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to our God, for he will

Freely Pardon" (Isaiah 55:6-7).

In the A.V. we read, "For he will Abundantly Pardon."

We have already seen that the Lord God gives Abundant Grace & Abundant Mercy.

• Praise God, He also gives Abundant Forgiveness.

• Praise God for All Three of these Eternal Attributes: Grace, Mercy & Forgiveness.
• All Three are the Essence of God's Eternal Nature.
• All Three he Gives Abundantly to those who will Repent & Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.