‘Forgiven, Once And For All’ – July 09, 2025 (247/365)

Facilitated by Ptra. Lalen of Jesus King of Kings, Dubai

Personal notes mingled in there.

Growing in grace takes us into even more intimacy. Now, it’s not that we’re getting closer – As God is as close to us as we are to Him. It’s more of our own minds constantly being renewed, and our beings and lives consequently being transformed.

Growth leads back to Intimacy, and Intimacy leads back to Growth. One of many cycles involved and birthed out of our Salvation.

We are forgiven once and for all… And sin is no longer an issue with God.

25 “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.Isaiah 43:25

10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.Hebrews 10:10

13 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

Do we still have a sin-consciousness? Well, sure, we’re reminded of sin, from the inside out and from the outside in… but it doesn’t stay there because the Holy Spirit convicts us of righteousness. We’ve shifted from sin-consciousness to Son-consciousness, as one participant mentioned.

Guilt, condemnation, fear and so on – these things still abound in the world, and even in the body of Christ – But, indeed, we claim the the declaration – that it doesn’t stay there, but the commendation remains and endures.

7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”Genesis 3:7-10

The fig leaves are our religion, and their hiding themselves was our sin-consciousness.

Don’t forget that, sure, we have consequences for our actions, and by the world we live in – but we have boldness and joy, and we give thanks because the grace of the Lord surpasses it all, having no more consciousness of sin. We have a superior consciousness – we have the mind of Christ.

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 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 4:14-16

I suppose we should be real here – the sin and reminders come back, but we do NOT have the ‘consciousness’ – our NEW default setting is Christ consciousness.

1. You Are Forgiven According To The Riches Of His Grace!

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,Ephesians 1:7

It’s not an installment plan, no – thing is, His mercies are new every morning. Overabounding, FRESH every day. Indeed, ‘if His grace is an ocean we’re all sinking‘

Grace humbles us!

2. Why Do Many Still Struggle?

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.2 Peter 1:5-9

Folks either struggle with sin and/or with accepting they are forgiven. It’s because of ignorance, religious and legalistic ways. Granted also, it’s because of the works of the enemy blindsiding us, etc.

It’s also simply because they don’t know that through Christ, God has already forgiven them. We do need to trust in the Holy Spirit to remind our brothers and sisters, and until then, we pray, and we claim the promise of the Word – that their eyes would be open beyond being shortsighted, etc.

Sin is laced in the works of others because we need to be reminded even more of the finished work of Christ. The forgiveness of our sins is the foundation of the fruit of the Spirit, and the ‘qualities’ as mentioned in the Scripture: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.

Funny that I used to write about this exact verse, so many years ago, suggesting they were levels – from faith to virtue, from virtue to knowledge, and so on; Now, it’s the realization of Christ’s finished work, and our forgiveness and righteousness in Him that serves as, again, the foundation – and not just the foundation, but the catalyst of everything else.

3. The Blood Did What You Couldn’t

²² Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9:22

¹ For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. ² Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?Hebrews 10:1-2

The sacrifice has already been offered. It’s all covered by the blood of the Lamb – and once we have been purified, we no longer have any consciousness of sin.

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”Hebrews 10:12

Jesus sat down because the work is finished. You can’t improve what is already perfect. Don’t insult the cross by trying to “earn” what’s already yours.

Forgiveness entails that we have been perfected. Accepted in the beloved. All through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, shed for us so many years ago, dealt once and for all.

4. Forgiveness Produces Joy, Not License

⁷ “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; ⁸ blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”Romans 4:7-8

We pray that this is a revelation made to our hearts. We really should be reading our Bible – NOT for us to be forgiven but for us to be reminded of just how much we’ve been so forgiven.

15 Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home;

16 for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.Proverbs 24:15-16

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”Romans 10:9-13

Compared to Peter:

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.Acts 2:38

19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Acts 3:19-21

It’s not about our asking for forgiveness to be saved – it’s believing in Christ who died for our forgiveness. THAT’S repentance. The forgiveness of our sins comes with our being baptized by the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus Christ.

We boast in Christ. We who have received so much, can give so freely!

Does that mean everyone in the whole world is saved?

We have to receive forgiveness by faith (Acts 26:18). The Lord has already forgiven everyone’s sins (1 John 2:2). That’s grace. But we have to put faith in what God has already accomplished by grace to be saved (Eph. 2:8).

We have been saved through Christ by faith. We have been made whole through Christ by faith. We have been reconciled, we have been rescued, we have been set free – through Christ by faith.

…and because Christ is the Author of our Faith, even THAT has been accomplished by Him!

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Discussion thoughts:

Our fig leaves reflect kung paano tayo bilib na bilib sa sarili natin, OR dahil ayaw nating ma-bilib kay Jesus.

We can get rid of our fig leaves and rely on the garment of righteousness – Christ!

Anglican to ‘Evangelical’ – just a different flavor, in fact we sort of got from bad to worse there.

Inigo – God asking, ‘Where are you??’

~Jesus saying ‘Why have you forsaken me??’

Jopet quoted, Jesus didn’t step in to change God’s mind, He stepped in to change your mind about God.

Do you want to work for the Lord? Believe in the One He has sent! (John 6:29) Labor to enter His rest! (Hebrews 4:11)

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