Two Flavors Of Forgiveness

The first one is absolutely essential. It is the forgiveness that accompanies being rescued from the family of Satan and being placed into the family of God.

The family of Satan: John 8:42-44: Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

The family of God: Romans 8:16: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Being rescued from the family of Satan and placed into the family of God is described in many wonderful ways in the Bible. Regenerated, becoming a son of God, adoption, saved, born again, baptized into Christ, baptized with the Holy Ghost, converted, sealed, redeemed, made a new creature, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, etc.

The scripture that most graphically speaks about the first flavor of forgiveness is: Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Those who don*t have the first and most essential forgiveness never get the second. The second flavor of forgiveness gets one who IS ALREADY a child of God out of God*s woodshed and into His lap. God*s lap is the place where one can get to know Him best. It is the place where one can be thrilled by the warmth, gentleness and comfort of His love. It is the place where one can learn that God*s will is best. It is the place where one can learn to please the Lord. It is the place where he can be cleansed and made useful to the Lord. It is a place where God*s works can be seen more clearly.

John explains how forgiveness works for the children of God. While they are not sinning the blood of Christ keeps them cleansed.

1 John 1:7: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

He reminds them that none of them has been able to completely stop sinning and will not be able to in this life. The book of 1 John was written to believers who are still on earth, not those who have gone to glory.

1 John 1:8: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Here is the way for children of God to be restored from His woodshed to His lap:

1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Children of Satan are forgiven for their sins only when Christ makes them into new creatures. They need to be forgiven for who and what they are as well as what they do. Children of God have been made into new creatures, forgiven for who and what they were and now only need to be forgiven for the sins they commit.

2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

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