Gospel Treasure!

Surely there will be someone who will read this who’s sins are not yet forgiven. Is that you?

   My hope and prayer is that you will seek and lay hold of the forgiveness of Christ Jesus. His forgiveness is for all who will receive it. In great sincerity, I exhort you to come to know this great treasure, the forgiveness of sins. I cannot explain this treasure as I ought to. The richness of it is unsearchable (Ephesians 3:8). In the great day of judgment you will not be able to excuse yourself saying you didn’t know what the Gospel was.

   The forgiveness set before you is great and broad. Hear what the Prince of Peace Himself says “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter…”(Mark 3:28) and “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow, Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.”(Isaiah 1:18). Did you hear that?! Although your sins be more in number than the hairs on your head, stars in the sky and leaves in the forest they can be forgiven. Like the flood waters in the days of Noah covered the earth, so will the blood of Christ cover the greatest of your sins. “…but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”  (1John1:7). Although your sins may seem as though they’ve been engraved forever, they can be erased from God’s book through the blood of Jesus.

   This treasured forgiveness is full and complete. It is not simply letting off and letting alone. It is such a complete forgiveness that it is counted to us as righteousness, as if we’ve never sinned at all. Iniquities are blotted out and cast away as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). There is then no condemnation. The Father sees the forgiven individual joined to Christ and is pleased. If the best of us have even one sin to wipe away, eternal life will be missed. The “holiest” child of Adam cannot enter the kingdom on his own merit. If Noah, David, and Job had one day’s sin to wash away, they would’ve never been saved. Praise God that our forgiveness is dependant on nothing we can do! Christ did it all and man needs only to hold out his hand and receive.

   It is a free and unconditional forgiveness. There are no “ifs” about it. Neither must you wear a façade to show you are deserving of mercy. No one is! The only thing required is to know your sinful condition. Christ invites us to enjoy “milk and wine without price and without money”(Isaiah 55:1) and to “take freely of the water of life”(John 4:14). He invites anyone who feels distressed on in debt. He rejects no one. If you know you are a sinner, then come to the Savior just as you are and your soul will live! “"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”(Matthew 16:25)

   It is an offered forgiveness. A kind of forgiveness not even the greatest kings of the earth knew how to show! The King of Kings is not so. He calls on men and women to call on Him and be forgiven! “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28). It should be a great comfort to hear of any pardoning at all! But Jesus calls to us, to know He holds out His hand to us- the Savior seeking the sinner.

   It is a willing forgiveness. There are pardons granted after long petitions and pleadings. But Christ is good and ready to forgive. “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.”(Micah 7:18). This means we may come boldly to the Throne of Grace! He who sits in Heaven is far more willing to give it then we are to receive it.

   It is a tried forgiveness. No one has ever sincerely sought the forgiveness of God in vain. Sinners of every nation, of every name and sort have pleaded at the mercy seat of Christ. None have been refused admission. Zacheus the extortioner, Magdalene the harlot, Saul the persecutor, Peter denied the Lord, the Jews crucified the Prince of Life. All of these who have cast their soul on Christ’s promises have never been let down. The path set before you is an old and worn,  traveled on by many. Their feet have walked the path and their footsteps all go one way. The treasure of Christ’s mercies have never been found empty. The well of living waters has never been poured dry.

   It is a present forgiveness. Those that believe on Jesus are at once justified in all things. “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.”(Acts 13:38). The very day the younger son returned home, a ring was put on his hand and clothed with the best robe (Luke 15:11-24).The very day David said ‘I’ve sinned against the Lord!’, Nathan told him ‘The Lord has put away your sin.’(2 Samuel 12:13). The very day you run to Christ your sins are removed. Salvation is within reach. It is ready to be given to you. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:18). Not “shall not be” or “will not be” but “is not”! “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”(John 3:36). Not “he shall have” or “will have”, but “has”! The complete forgiveness and justification of a soul happens the moment he commits himself to Christ.

   Best of all, it is a everlasting forgiveness! Once justified you are justified forever! “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”(Micah 7:19) “...For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”(Jeremiah 31:34). “…In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction you have put all my sins behind your back.”(Isaiah 38:17). Some may think you can be justified one year then condemned another- children then strangers- heirs of the Kingdom then servants of Satan. I cannot find this in the Bible. It seems to be contrary to the Good News, leaving it without any real comfort. It is my conviction that the salvation Jesus offers is an everlasting salvation.

   Friend, I’ve set before you the nature of the forgiveness offered to you, I’ve told you a little, although my words are weaker than my will. The greatness of it is far beyond this small report. Let this be enough to show you it is worth seeking. I ask you to make this treasure of God’s forgiveness your own.

Originally written by J.C. Ryle

Abridged and revised by me (Lindsay B.)