You have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). Condemned by inherited sin, imputed sin, and personal sin1, you fear facing both physical and eternal death. Guilt has engulfed you and now you yearn to be in harmony with God. You want your conscience to be clear and to have that peace that surpasses all understanding to guide your heart and mind in Jesus Christ. (Philippians 4:6) You cannot by your own efforts obtain this peace. You cannot purchase it.
It’s such a relief that God offers us this peace as a gift. He invites us to an abundant life, to receive this gift that He freely offers. (Isaiah 55:1) Our God asks us to come and reason with Him and He promises to clean us from all unrighteousness. (Isaiah 1:18, Mathew 5:6, Ezekiel 36:26)
You have seen sin for what it is. That it took to the Son of God to the cross. You have realized how you are defiled by it. The Holy Spirit has convicted you of your sins and you have confessed them to God. You have also repented and turned away from them.
But how do you know that you are forgiven?
The answer is simple and plain. Believe that your sins are forgiven. Have faith that your sins are forgiven and accept your new state in Christ.
Do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say, “I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised.”
E.G. White
Do you believe in Jesus?
This question is asking more than if we believe that Jesus exists or existed. It however means that, do you believe Jesus Christ is who the Bible says He is, and do you trust Him as your personal savior? Jesus healed those who had faith in Him. He inspired them to believe in His power to forgive sins. When healing the man sick with palsy He said, “but that you may know that the son of man has power on earth to forgive sin, – then He said to the paralytic, ” arise, take up your bed and go to your house” (Mathew 9:6)
John in his gospel book writes that “…but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:31) As sinners, we cannot atone for our past sins. (Jeremiah 13:23) God promises to do this for us through Jesus Christ. You just need to believe and leave it to God. We are bought at a price. And that is the assurance of our salvation. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
With the rich promises of the Bible before you, can you give place to doubt? Can you believe that when the poor sinner longs to return, longs to forsake his sins, the Lord sternly withholds him from coming to His feet in repentance? Away with such thoughts! Nothing can hurt your own soul more than to entertain such a conception of our heavenly Father. He hates sin, but He loves the sinner, and He gave Himself in the person of Christ, that all who would be saved and have eternal blessedness in the kingdom of glory. What stronger or more tender language could have been employed than He has chosen in which to express His love toward us? He declares, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” Isaiah 49:15 . Look up, you that are doubting and trembling; for Jesus lives to make intercession for us.
Steps To Christ – E.G. White
Let us give thanks for the gift of God’s dear Son and pray that He may not have died for us in vain. We are invited to go with a whole heart and claim this promise of forgiveness. As we draw near to Him with confessions and repentance, He will draw near to us with mercy and forgiveness.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
