In this message, Pastor Vance continues our series “Who Is God?” from the book of Exodus and helps us better understand the forgiveness of God! What is the difference between our forgiveness and God’s forgiveness? We explore that question and more in this message!
Sermon Notes
Who is God?
“…forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin”
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” – A.W. Tozer (The Knowledge of the Holy, p.1)
“The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.” – Exodus 34:6-8
MY SIN IS GREAT
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23
“But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” – Isaiah 59:2
GOD’S FORGIVENESS IS GREATER THAN MY SIN
FORGIVENESS: the removal of guilt & shame of sin – past, present, and future
“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity” – Psalm 32:1-2a
God’s forgiveness removes the guilt of our sin
“As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” – Psalm 103:12
God’s forgiveness covers the shame of our sin
“Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” – Micah 7:18-19
“…in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.” – Isaiah 38:17b
God’s forgiveness wipes clean the record of my sin
“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” – Isaiah 43:25
“…’Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’” – Luke 24:46-47
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9
III. GOD’S FORGIVENESS DOESN’T REMOVE THE TEMPORARY CONSEQUENCES OF MY SIN IN THIS LIFE
“Keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” – Exodus 34:7
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” – Galatians 6:7
