Forgiveness – Yes, No, or Maybe

This teaching was inspired by a study I did on the Truth about forgiveness, as a result of a question I received on that subject. Before I continue, I must put in this disclaimer. There are a few quotes and scriptures taken from a post on the Escape To Reality website, by Dr. Paul Ellis, where this subject of forgiveness was a part of a greater teaching called “8 Signs of Hyper-Grace Churches”. If you haven’t visited his website, I would highly recommend you do. It shored up and confirmed what I discovered in my study of this subject.

Religion and legalists just cannot let go of the wrong teaching surrounding the ridiculous, radical, inexhaustible grace of God. They make statements that “churches built on the message of free grace are part of a dangerous trend that needs to be opposed and confronted” (Paul Ellis).

As I’ve stated before in many posts, religion will always try to control what it cannot contain. They must guard against believers discovering they have been set free from that old rule-keeping, performance based, old covenant false teaching.

Galatians 5:1 reads “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law”. Did you see that strong warning? MAKE SURE. Of what? First, that you STAY FREE. Don’t let anybody “should” on you. What do I mean by that? It’s when people say things like “you need to”, or “you have to”, or “you should”, and then follow those declarations with some type of performance requirements or rules to keep.

The second thing said is to make sure you don’t get tied up AGAIN in slavery to the law. The legalists or law-keepers will say “The Law doesn’t save us, but it sanctifies us.” They’ll teach that the grace of God gets us into the kingdom but it’s our observance of the Law – with a capital L – which keeps us there, or at least keeps us from upsetting a temperamental God who is intolerant of our sin. (Paul Ellis).

That is so much garbage and is nothing more than shame management. It’s like saying “yes Jesus said IT IS FINISHED at the cross, but it isn’t complete, because we all sin and fall short of the glory of God”. That is not what Romans 3:23 says. When you truly study that verse you discover it is in the past tense. Come on. Pay attention when studying the word. As I’ve said before, the problem is people don’t study, they read, and God never tells us to read the Word. He tells us to Study to show ourselves approved. He tells us to Meditate on the Word.

How ignorant can people be. If the blood of Jesus is not strong enough to reach all the way from the beginning of time to end, then Jesus died in vain and we are all living in a myth. Give me a pentecostal break.

Paul goes on to hammer this point by making a statement to the Galatians and to us. Verse 4 goes on to say “For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace”.

You see. It’s not our sin that cuts us off from Christ. It’s our ignorant attempt to try and perform, keep rules, follow traditions, and obey men rather than God. All of this is because of false teachings by religionists.

Then Paul asks the Galatians this question in Galatians 5:7. “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth”? Paul then gives a statement about who is NOT hindering them by what he says in Galatians 5:8-10.

8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.

Wait a minute. I thought He was a judgmental angry God just waiting to kick you when you fail. Certainly He called us to freedom, but then He requires us to be obedient. I mean, just look at what He said in John 14:15 – “If you love me, obey my commandments”. See, right there He says you must obey My commands in order to prove your love for me.

That’s the way a mixed grace and law church or fully religious church views that scripture, but a fully grace filled believer understand that obedience is not birthed out of fear but love.

“Those who are resting in the unconditional love of their Father will trust him and do what he says without any conscious effort. They don’t need rules to tell them what to do for the Holy Spirit himself is their guide” (Paul Ellis). In other words, if you truly love God, you are keeping His commandments. What are His commandments? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and body. Also, love your neighbor as yourselves.

9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!

The Apostle Paul is expounding on verse 4 here in verse 9 and strengthening verses 7 and 8. It’s the same in the church today. Some televangelist or mega church pastor gets up and preaches a legalistic sermon that keeps people in bondage and fear. Then those same people (yeast) expound what they’ve heard and been taught without ever studying the truth for themselves.

10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.

Just look at this verse. Paul is trusting the Lord to keep these people and us, from believing these false teachings. Notice that Paul uses the word confusing. Why? Because he knows who the confuser is. It’s the deceiver. The enemy uses subtle lies and deception to twist the truth and bring doubt to the believer.

Okay, but what does this have to do with the title of this teaching which is “Forgiveness – Yes, No, or Maybe”. Well it’s an introduction to set the stage on how legalists, law keepers, religionists and false teachers use the lies of the enemy to deceive congregants and keep them in bondage.

Here’s how they will presents forgiveness. I will use a false teaching followed by the truth to show you the difference. My comments will be added where necessary. So let’s start with the question “Are We Completely Forgiven”. (These scriptures were taken from Paul Ellis’ teaching as noted in the first paragraph above.).

RELIGION SAYS NO.

Exodus 23:21 – Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion.

Exodus 32:31-35

31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a terrible sin these people have committed. They have made gods of gold for themselves.

32 But now, if you will only forgive their sin—but if not, erase my name from the record you have written!”

33 But the Lord replied to Moses, “No, I will erase the name of everyone who has sinned against me.

34 Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about. Look! My angel will lead the way before you. And when I come to call the people to account, I will certainly hold them responsible for their sins.”

35 Then the Lord sent a great plague upon the people because they had worshiped the calf Aaron had made.

GRACE SAY YES.

Acts 13:38 – Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.

Acts 26:18 – to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.

RELIGION SAYS NO.

Leviticus 19:20-22

20 “If a man has sex with a slave girl whose freedom has never been purchased but who is committed to become another man’s wife, he must pay full compensation to her master. But since she is not a free woman, neither the man nor the woman will be put to death.

21 The man, however, must bring a ram as a guilt offering and present it to the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

You ought to get a clue here. The word “guilt” is a dead give away that we are operating under law and not grace. God doesn’t bring guilt. He brings freedom.

22 The priest will then purify him before the Lord with the ram of the guilt offering, and the man’s sin will be forgiven.

So we see that performance, or works is needed here in order to be forgiven.

GRACE SAY YES.

Romans 4:7 – “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight.

RELIGION SAYS NO.

Numbers 15:22-28. Study this for yourselves. You’ll discover it speaks of performance or works once again to obtain forgiveness.

GRACE SAY YES.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19.

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

RELIGION SAYS NO.

Deuteronomy 29:18-20. Again, study these verses to see the works oriented, legalistic demands, and the portrayal of God as a judgmental task master.

GRACE SAY YES.

Ephesians 1:7 – He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

What a contrast to the Deuteronomy verses. Here we see God and Jesus as rich in kindness and grace.

Colossians 2:13 – You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.

Sin here is referred to in the past tense. But THEN comes a THEN. God MADE you alive with Christ. He forgave, not just some, but ALL our sins. Woo Hoo!!!

RELIGION SAYS NO.

Matthew 6:15,15.

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Here again we see a condition to forgiveness. Now look at the contrast when grace is applied.

GRACE SAYS YES.

Ephesians 4:32 – Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Do you see it. You cannot give away what you do not have. So Christ has forgiven you first and now we can forgive one another. It’s not the other way around. What makes the difference? Hold on and I will tell you at the end of these comparison.

Also see Hebrews 9:12,26 and 10:10-12.

RELIGION SAYS NO.

Mark 11:25,26. Study this one also. It’s a repeat of the Matthew 6 reference above from the Apostle Mark’s perspective.

GRACE SAYS YES.

1 John 2:12 – I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

I think you can see the difference between the NO’s of Religion and the YES of Grace, but what is that difference? Are you ready? This is deep. The difference is THE CROSS.

Like I said earlier in this teaching. Jesus said IT IS FINISHED at the cross. If you notice, all the NO scriptures above are before the cross and all the YES are after the cross. You see it’s Just Jesus and Him crucified. He paid for all our sin at the cross. We were absolutely justified and totally forgiven by the finished work of the cross.

Let me finish with Acts 13:38,39.

38 “Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.

39 Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do.

There should be no question as to what these verses say and there should be no further questions as to whether we have been totally forgiven. Let me say it again. “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” God’s grace is greater! It is the ridiculous, radical, inexhaustible Grace of God. How awesome is that?

Grace and Peace. Mark Kunerth