God's forgiveness honors His justice. The Blood of the Son covers the transgressions of God's elect, and forgiveness is one of the chief benefits of His atonement. Christ suffered under the wrath of God even unto death, and the shedding of His Blood can be summed up in a statement, "He made atonement for sins". When the Old Testament priest killed the sin-offering, it was to "… make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him (Lev 4:26)." No truly convicted sinner can find rest within their conscience until they see God in Christ satisfying Justice on the Cross. We know that our iniquities must be punished, we deserve damnation, and our attempts to atone for our own transgressions by good works only increase and aggravate sin (Rom 7:7-13). Therefore, Jesus Christ took full responsibility for our transgressions, and as our Substitute, God punished Him on the Cross for us. L"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God…(I Pet 3:18)."
The Atonement Christ accomplished was limited to the elect of God. Anyone who knows God's justice, the depravity of their nature, and the finished work of Christ will not argue the fact that Christ limited His atonement to His elect. He satisfied justice for the elect and redeemed us out of the world (Rev 5:9); He laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:11, 26-29); and He earned eternal life for everyone the Father gave Him (John 17:2, 9). When you pay off a bill, if you receive another notice demanding even more money, then you're quick to call the company and inform them that they cannot ask you for another penny. With your receipt in hand, you advise the erring company that your debt was forgiven when it was paid. Likewise, God's justice cannot demand another teardrop as payment for sin. Christ has already made atonement for us.
God's forgiveness is complete. The sins that frighten our consciences are totally forgiven without any strings attached. When Peter asked about forgiveness, Christ spoke a parable concerning a servant who owed a sum he couldn't begin to pay. "Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt (Matt 18:27)." Luke records another incident where the Master says, "And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both… (Luke 7:42)." These two passages illustrate God's forgiveness as it is taught throughout the Scriptures. We had no ability to pay; but He had compassion, loosed us from our bonds, and freely forgave us the whole debt. He says, "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin (Heb 10:17-18)."
Do not cloud God's forgiveness by placing ANY conditions that must be met by the sinner. God's forgiveness is unjustly distorted whenever something is added to the freeness and sufficiency of His gift. Forgiveness is not dependent upon the strength of our faith or the level of our contriteness. The most mature saint is no more forgiven than the feeblest child of God is. Doubting Thomas was just as much an apostle as Peter, timid Timothy was just as much a preacher as Paul, and you and I are just as forgiven as the men and women in Hebrews 11. Someone who weeps and smites upon his or her breast in conviction is no closer to forgiveness than the believing sinner who quietly confesses the Cross. Assuredly, forgiveness is enjoyed by faith (and faith may produce tears of contrition), but faith doesn't earn forgiveness.
My brethren, when you do not feel His forgiveness, keep His word that testifies of your forgiveness, and He will manifest Himself unto you. "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him (John 14:23)." Keeping His Word is believing the Gospel in spite of how we feel. Sometimes we feel forgiven, but we must never base our relationship with God by our deceitful feelings. We must always look diligently into the Gospel of Jesus Christ and take God at His Word. Like you, I find my greatest joy in His presence, but He will purge us from trusting in joy, peace, or anything other than the written testimony of His Son.
Atonement and Forgiveness are not simply events that took place on the Cross. Atonement purchased the forgiveness that allows God to dwell within us and communes with us through our spiritual knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His gift of faith that we learn of Christ's sacrifice, forgiveness, grace, and love… until the affections of our heart are drawn out unto Him. God shows us the glory of His Son, enables us to feast upon the Beloved, and communes with us in His atoning blood. This mutual delight between the Godhead and the believer in the Mediator, Substitute, and Representative for God's elect… is communion. "… if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin (I John 1:7)."
A fresh God-given knowledge of forgiveness increases our desire to forgive. In the parable of Matthew 18, the servant who had been forgiven the unrepayable debt actually turned against a fellow servant and denied him compassion. The Master says, "Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses (Matt 18:33-35)." Yet, this servant in the parable does not represent believers who've truly experienced forgiveness. This servant represents false professors of religion who've never actually been made partakers of grace. Therefore, not knowing the glory of forgiveness, hypocrites always demand merit from others and have no power to be "… kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you (Eph 4:32)." There are few things as grievous as someone who claims to be a child of God, and yet greedily harbors grudges refusing to forgive. He is proud, self-righteous, and lost. However, God's saints have received a new mind that delights in His law, understands that it rightfully condemns us a sinners worthy of hell, and we have spiritual knowledge of the fullness and freeness of His grace. Therefore, we seek to forgive others. Forgiveness is not a burden to us; it is a basic desire of a renewed soul. We have an inward desire to imitate our God. The Scriptures speak of us as being begotten of God, new creatures, saints, and partakers of the divine nature. God Almighty conforms us into the image of the Son by bestowing upon us the blessings the Son has purchased. Day by day, we recognize that we recognize ourselves as unworthy of His fellowship. Yet, He meets us again and again, declaring in the Gospel, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." "Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And (Jesus) said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged (Luke 7:42-43)."