“Receiving God’s Forgiveness”

For a long time I held on to the guilt of my sins that I had committed when I was younger. I just couldn’t see how God could totally forgive me. Holding on to guilt after we have asked for forgiveness from the Holy One is prideful and thus sin. It’s like saying, “Your work on the cross wasn’t enough Jesus!” The truth is what Christ did on the cross for us is enough!

Admitting our guilt of disobedience before God and turning from it is essential to having a right relationship with Him. But, receiving God’s forgiveness is just as important. Holding on to guilt is as sinful as continuing in the sin itself. 

Read Hebrews 10:19-20. Write out these verses in your own words:  

How can you apply this passage to your own prayer life? 

We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place because of what Jesus did through the shedding of His blood on the cross. He has provided a way for us, a new and living way, by means of His body. The division, the curtain that separated us from The Lord God Almighty, was ripped in two. There is no longer a division between mankind and God. Jesus has made a new and living way. All we have to do is accept Him by believing that He is who He says He is.

Read Hebrews 10:21 & 22. (NIV) Fill in the blanks: 

“… and since we have a _____________ ________________ over the house of God, let us ___________ _________ to God with a ______________ ____________ in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to ________________ us from a __________ conscience and having our bodies ___________________ with __________ water.”

Christ as the Great Priest 

The spiritual work of Christ as the great priest is His ability to restore us to a right relationship with God. Let’s explore the aspects of His work. Read each paragraph and the corresponding scripture. (This is a reading assignment so don’t skip the verses and don’t be afraid of these words ~ they won’t bite!):

1. 
   
   1. 
      

1. His propitiation

: Jesus turned God’s wrath away from guilty sinners. In other words, He satisfied God’s wrath. (Hebrews 2:17a)

1. * Jesus satisfied God’s wrath against our sin.

1. His expatiation

: Jesus provided the sacrifice required to cancel our sins’ debt and cleanse us from the guilt resulting from them. (Hebrews 2:17b)

1. *Jesus provided Himself as the sacrifice required for our sin.

1. His suffering

: Jesus endured suffering when He was tempted just like you and me and endured the pain of the cross.  Because of this He is able to help us in our temptation and pain. (Hebrews 2:18)

* Jesus is able to help us in our temptation and pain.

1. His ability to save

: Jesus is the eternal living priest and His role is permanent. Christ is eternally living to intercede on our behalf. (Hebrews 7:23-25)

1. 
   
   1. * Jesus intercedes between God and us.

1. His presence before God in heaven

: Christ doesn’t reign as High Priest in a man-made sanctuary. He reigns in the presence of the Lord God Himself, in the true sanctuary in the Holy of Holies. (Hebrews 9:23-28)

* Jesus is our True High Priest in the Holy of Holies.

1. 
   
   1. 
      

1. His kingly presence on the throne

: Christ reigns at the right hand of God. He is King Jesus! (Hebrews 8:1 & 2)

* Jesus is our King sitting at the right hand of God.

1. 
   
   1. 
      

1. He is coming again

: Christ came to earth the first time to offer Himself as a living sacrifice to bear our sins. The second coming is to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him and bring punishment against those who deny Him. In other words, He will safely deliver those who believe in Him from this world and evil. In fact He will remove the evil from this world as He establishes His kingdom here. (Hebrews 9:27-29)

* Jesus is coming soon to rule and reign.

Because we have a great high priest, we can and must draw near to God with a sincere heart and with full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. These seem like nice words, but what do they really mean? Let’s dig deeper and discover how we are to receive His forgiveness. This is how we are to draw near to God:

Draw near to God with a sincere heart ~ with a clean heart.

With a Sincere Heart

Having a sincere heart is a genuine desire for God. Our affections and passions are directed toward loving Him and being obedient to Him. Our motives reflect our true love for Him, not what we can get out of Him.

Read Hebrews 3:12. What kind of heart turns away from the Living God?

It is only with a sincere heart that a person can approach the Living God. When we confess our sins and receive His forgiveness, the hardness of our sinful unbelieving hearts is perfectly softened by Him. His forgiveness does major heart surgery on us.

With a Clean Heart 

Our hearts are sprinkled with the blood of Christ. That may sound morbid to some, but if you look at the sacrifices made in the Old Testament, you will see what the sprinkling of sacrificial blood does. 

Read Exodus 24:8. What did Moses say about the blood He sprinkled on the people?

Read Hebrews 12:22-24. Whose blood is sprinkled?

What does it represent? 

What do you suppose the new covenant is?

What do we receive when we are forgiven?

By the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we have forgiveness of sins. It is offered to everyone. We must receive Christ’s forgiveness in order to be cleansed and to approach the Holy One. This is a choice an act of free will. If we hold onto the guilt of our sins, we are in essence saying, “Jesus, Your sacrifice isn’t enough!” Our hearts must be cleansed by the blood of Christ. When we have sincere and clean hearts, the guilt is removed, and we can approach God’s throne with confidence.

Prayer Time

Have you allowed Christ to clean your guilty conscience or are you holding on to it? Allow Him to wash you spiritually with the blood of the Perfect Lamb. Go to your Prayer Journal and write out your prayer accepting and praising God for the blood Christ shed for the forgiveness of your sins.

Discussion Questions

1. Confession (admitting our guilt) before God is essential to having a right relationship with Him. But, receiving God’s forgiveness is just as important. Explain what you believe being forgiven means.

1. 
   

1. The spiritual work of Christ as the great high priest is His ability to restore us to a right relationship with God. How is the sacrifice that Christ made for you and me enough for us to approach God?

1. 
   

1. Do you understand being sprinkled with the blood of Christ? Describe how it affects your life?