Forgiveness!

For Friday, April 25, 2025:

Luke 24:47b NLT, Jesus speaking: “There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.”

Since Jesus offers forgiveness, we should repent and return to the Lord. Repent and return – those words should just roll off our tongues. Say it with me: “Repent and return!” When sins can be forgiven, that changes everything. Forgiveness of sin is a good starting place, but now let’s consider what’s possible following that.

For one thing, if you are without sin, you can live in the presence of the Lord. Sin is disobedience or disrespect for God. Therefore, sin and God never exist in the same place. But if your sins are not just forgiven, but blotted out as if they’d never occurred, you would be deemed suitable for heavenly residence, for a life after this life in the Kingdom! It’s either that or the lake of fire – pick one!

In my mind (and only in my mind), our afterlife unfolds like this. We approach the pearly gates, and they’re surprised to see us! “You lived on earth, where scripture says that ALL have sinned. What could you be thinking?”

I ask them to check the Book of Life one more time, and voilà, there’s my name! Now go across to the column marked ‘sin.’ Surprisingly, it’s completely blank! Nothing erased, no scratch-outs, just blank white space! Turns out that I qualify! Jesus personally paid the penalty for my iniquities. I’ve been redeemed! Meet me inside the pearly gates!

Yes, forgiveness changes everything – for the better!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship