How can I be sure that God will forgive me?
This is such a vital question and deserves an answer from the Word of God. First of all, the Lord tells us He will forgive us. Let’s consider a few verses that tell us that.
- Psalm 86:5, “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” The Lord wants to forgive you.
- Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” The Lord Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of sinners.
- Jeremiah 31:34, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” The Lord promises to forgive you.
- Acts 13:38, “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” The Apostle Paul tells us there is forgiveness in Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 1:7, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Paul later teaches us that we are redeemed through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus…and on the basis of that sacrificial offering of Himself, we can be forgiven.
- Colossians 3:13, “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” We are taught to forgive one another because Christ has forgiven us.
Let us consider the words of Jeremiah 33:8, “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.” The word ‘pardon’ in this verse is the same as the word ‘forgive’. What a bold promise the Lord has made to those who have sinned against Him. Not only does the Lord offer to pardon (forgive) us, He also cleanses us and makes us “white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18).
We could look at many more verses that speak to us of God’s forgiveness. Throughout the scriptures, we see God’s promise to forgive those who put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The question before us now is…CAN WE BELIEVE THE LORD WHEN HE SAYS HE WILL FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS?
We can believe every word the Lord says, because He does not have the ability to lie.
- Titus 1:1-2, “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which GOD, THAT CANNOT LIE, promised before the world began.”
- Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
- Psalm 119:89, “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
- 2 Samuel 7:28, “And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true…”
- Hebrews 6:18, “That by two immutable things, in which it was IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.”
On the basis of God’s Word, and the realization that our loving God CANNOT LIE, we can be absolutely assured that God will forgive our sins when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. As Romans 10:9 tells us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (CC) (504.6)