Christians Have Difficulty Believing This

1 John 1:9- If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. NASB 
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• THAT GOD FORGIVES US! 

Yes, I know I wrote that in all capitals and we all know what that means, but in case you are not sure what it means I will inform you. I am yelling that at the top of my lungs.
 
I can't even count all the times I have been in a counseling session with a "Christian" not an unbeliever but one who is supposed to know the Bible. One who is supposed to know that our God is a God of "Forgiveness".
 
I have found myself trying to convince them that God has forgiven them.
 
So I would ask them to listen to some questions and answer me the best they could from what they know about God.
 
First, why do you believe God sent Jesus to earth?
 
They would in so many words express to me they believed God sent Jesus to save us. I would heartily agree with them and share with them two scriptures to prove to them they were correct.
 
Matt.1:21 - "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
 
Luke 19:10 - "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (You may want to read John 12:47, I Timothy 1:15, and Hebrews 7:25.)
 
Second, why do you believe God would do that?
 
Again they would convey to me because He loves us and again I would share with them a few scriptures to support their belief.
 
Matt. 18:14 - "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish."
 
John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
 
2 Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is… patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."
 
Please know that God wants you to be forgiven. He has given us a path to travel on in order that we can be forgiven.
 
If you are not a Christian then you should believe that Jesus is the Son of God, make a confession of your belief that He is the Son of God to someone, repent which means to change your mind about Jesus and this will bring about a change in your behavior.
 
You should be baptized (immersed) according to Acts 2:38 for the forgiveness of your sins and to receive the Holy Spirit. 

• God Forgives Christians 

This Pump Up is for Christians. I want you to know that God has given us a very simple path to travel on to receive forgiveness.
 
I John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
 
First, we are to CONFESS our sins to God or to yourself.

It doesn't say you have to confess to a priest, pastor or preacher.

Confess them to the one you have sinned against and in most cases that is God. (If you have sinned against someone personally by all means go to them and confess to them Luke 17:4).
 
Second, we are to BELIEVE that God is "Faithful and Righteous".

God says, if we confess He will forgive us and cleanse us.
 
Now my question for you to think about is this:
 
Do you believe God's Word? Do you believe that God who is faithful, righteous and CAN NOT Lie has said if we confess He will forgive and cleanse us?
 
God has said it. Confess it and He will forgive it.

Do you believe God? 

• What Is The Problem? 

I believe the problem is the majority of the people that I counseled that had this problem were people who found it difficult to forgive others. They were seeing God through their own foggy lenses.

Well, I wouldn't forgive someone that easily was a thought that crossed their minds.

Therefore, God can't forgive me that easily. There in is the problem. We are not like God in a lot of ways and this is one of them.
 
Do yourself a favor and learn how to forgive yourself and others. You will enjoy your Christian life a whole lot better.
 
Think About These:
 
Our Lord is in the cleansing business not the whitewashing business.
 
We are like beasts when we kill.
We are like men when we judge.
We are like God when we forgive.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word