Forgiven of All Our Transgressions

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!

–Psalm 32:1

God’s amazing grace has made us spiritually alive. Not only that, but we are also forgiven. Look at Colossians 2:13: “He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.” The word “forgiven” is in the past tense–it’s something that has already occurred. If you are a Christian, God has forgiven you. Psalm 32:1 says, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!”

And notice in Colossians 2:13 how many of our sins have been forgiven. Did Paul write that God has forgiven us “some of our transgressions” or “most of our transgressions”? If Paul had used the word “some” or “most,” I would lie awake at night terrified, wondering which of my sins have not been forgiven. But Colossians 2:13 says He has forgiven us “all our transgressions” (emphasis mine).

We have trouble conceiving of God’s ability to forgive us for everything we’ve done. The reason is that we tend to think God is like we are. How do we forgive people? Selectively, conveniently. We forgive little offenses and think we’re magnanimous. But when it comes to the really big sins people commit against us–cheating, betrayal, infidelity–are we going to let go of those? Not on your life. We may file them away for a while, but at just the right time, we pull those offenses out of the file drawer and hang them over people’s heads. That’s how we forgive.

I like the story about a man who said to his friend, “My wife and I had a terrible fight last night. She got historical on me.” His friend said, “You mean hysterical?”

The man said, “No, I mean historical. She dragged up every bad thing I’ve ever done!”

Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about God getting historical on us. The Bible says He has forgiven us of all our sins.

Let me drive home this point for you: I want you to bring to mind the one sin in your past that you pray your mate, your child, or your parent never finds out about. If that sin were projected on a big screen for everyone to see, you would hide in humiliation. Do you have something in mind?

Christ has forgiven that sin. By God’s grace, He has forgiven us of all our transgressions.

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Today’s devotion is adapted from “Amazing Grace” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2012.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.