Have You Received What Has Been Offered?

    I hope you do not mind, but I am going to return to the topic of forgiveness one more time. 

As you know, the sermons the past two weeks have addressed this very important topic. 

However, immediately following the lesson last week, during the invitation song, I realized that I had inadvertently left out a point that I thought was rather important.  So, I’ll share it with you here.

     As I indicated last week, forgiveness is a two-part process. For forgiveness to be fully accomplished, both sides of the equation (the one needing forgiveness and the one granting it)

must fulfill their responsibilities.  If either side of the equation will not “come to the table,”

the process remains incomplete.

     There is no better example of this than God’s forgiveness offered to mankind.  (This is the

part I left out of the lesson.)  God has gone to great lengths to make forgiveness available for all

of mankind.  Does that mean that all are going to be forgiven?  Sadly, no.  Passages such as

Matthew 7:13-14 make that very clear.  As a matter of fact, the majority are going to fail to

receive the forgiveness that they so desperately need.  Why?  Well, we certainly know that it is no

shortcoming on the part of God.  His willingness to forgive is a constant.  The shortcoming is on

the other side of the equation - man’s side. 

     A person must seek God’s forgiveness by submitting to His will through humble obedience.  (See Matt. 7:21, 1 John 2:17, Heb. 5:9, etc.)  The willingness to forgive - on its own - does not

complete the process.  The desire for forgiveness - on its own - does not complete the process. 

Both sides of the equation must come together.  Nowhere is this more clear than with God’s offer

of forgiveness for mankind. 

     God has clearly done His part.  Are you doing yours?