Forgiven!

Lessons from Genesis – 18

“And {if you} shall return unto the LORD thy God, and shall obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day . . .  that then the LORD thy God will have compassion upon thee.” Deut 30:2-3 KJV

What do I consider to be one of the greatest promises of Scripture – repentance and forgiveness? John wrote, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” In Genesis, right after the slaughter of the Shechemites, God tells Jacob to return to Bethel and dwell there. Bethel was the spot where God had openly revealed Himself to Jacob some twenty-five years earlier as he fled from Esau. Now, after all the wandering and sin, highlighted by the recent sin as Shechem, God said to Jacob, “Return to Bethel.”

What does this mean? It means that there is plenteous mercy and forgiveness with the Lord. God is always calling His people to return to the place of rest in God. He is calling them to put away the idols of this world, to come in repentance and be restored by the grace of our caring God. Some churches have a part of the service where the pastor declares the absolution of God for the confessed sins of the people. The pastor is telling the people clearly what God has done for them – forgiven them. What greater words can we hear than that we have been forgiven? This is the call of God to Jacob, “Arise, and go to Bethel. There I will meet with you and accept you and let you know that I am your God and that you are My child.” Arise today, friends, and go to Bethel and feel the warm cleansing from the blood of our blessed Savior.

Dear Father, Thank You that we are invited to come to You for cleansing for our sins and not just to hear the anger of Your righteous judgment. Amen. 

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