The sinner is never forgiven because GOD is big-hearted enough to remit the penalty, or to waive the righteous judgments. Any presentation of divine forgiveness which represents GOD as directly exercising pardon toward a sinner is a fatal deviation from the meaning of the Cross of CHRIST, and is a disastrous misrepresentation of the truth contained in the Gospel of His saving grace. Those who dare to preach the Gospel should give to the Cross its true place of vital importance as given to it in the word of GOD. How can GOD utter a more alarming warning on this point than is disclosed in the revelation of the unrevoked anathema upon all who pervert the Gospel of grace?
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8, 9).
Turning from human speculation to the Scriptures of Truth, we discover one basic fact: The Lamb of GOD has already “taken away” the sin of the world (John 1:29). The fact that CHRIST, as a Substitute, has already borne the undiminished righteous judgments of GOD against sin is the sole ground upon which divine forgiveness is now exercised.
The forgiveness of GOD toward sinners, therefore, is not an immediate act of grace; it is rather a judicial pardon of a debtor in view of the fact that his debt has been fully paid by another. We could not know how much He paid; yet, though unable to measure redemption, we may rejoice in the fact that all, even to the measure of the righteous reckoning of GOD, is absolutely and eternally paid by CHRIST.
This righteous basis has been provided in the Cross. By Gospel preaching, sinners are to be told that they may now stand forever pardoned before GOD: not because GOD is gracious enough to excuse their sins; but, because there is plentiful redemption through the Blood that has been shed (Romans 3 :24; Ephesians 1:7). Being free to forgive at all, GOD is free to forgive perfectly. On no other ground can the marvelous statement, – “having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13), be understood.
When GOD thus forgives, absolutely and eternally, through the Cross of CHRIST He is acting as Judge. By this judicial decree, He sets aside forever all condemnation. This judicial forgiveness guarantees an unchangeable standing and position in sonship.
Every unsaved person is under the three-fold sentence of sin.
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he is a sinner by practice,
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a sinner by nature, and
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a sinner by divine decree.
GOD deals with this three-fold aspect of sin by a three-fold achievement in grace.
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There is forgiveness for man in view of the fact that he is a sinner by practice;
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There is imputed righteousness for man in view of the fact that he is a sinner by nature; and
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There is the divine decree of justification for man in view of the fact that he is a sinner who, by divine decree, is “under sin.”
Judicial forgiveness itself is not an act of mercy, nor is judicial forgiveness a mere act of divine pardon for some particular sins of present moment to the sinner: judicial forgiveness covers all sin, and by it the sinner is, as to possible condemnation, pardoned forever. This pardon covers all sins past, present, or future. The forgiveness of GOD toward the sinner is, then, made possible only through the Cross and is never an act of immediate grace (Ephesians 1:7), and, when it is free to be extended at all, it is boundless. It contemplates and includes all sin. It forever absolves and acquits the sinner.
Though divine forgiveness results in a position for the sinner wherein there is no condemnation, this fact should in no wise be confused with the deeper aspect of GOD’s saving grace wherein He justifies the sinner. Forgiveness cancels every debt before GOD, but justification declares the sinner to be forever judicially righteous in the eyes of GOD. One is subtraction, the other is addition; and both are righteously made possible through the Cross. Limitless grace is seen in the love of GOD which provided the Cross; but when that cross is provided, every saving act that is based upon it becomes an act of justice, rather than an act of immediate grace. “That he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).
Under grace, the salvation of a sinner is declared in about 115 passages to depend only on believing, and in about 35 passages to depend on faith, which is but a synonym of believing. The Scripture everywhere harmonizes with this overwhelming body of truth. Without due consideration of the precise bearing of this revelation on the doctrine of grace, zealous workers have proposed to add certain conditions to the plan of salvation other than believing.
(1) It is not, “believe and pray.” In view of His grace, it is in no wise necessary, or fitting, to implore GOD to save.
(2) It is not “believe and confess sin,” Confession of sin, which is the one condition upon which a saint may be restored to fellowship, is never imposed on the unsaved. Confession is foreign to the ground on which they stand.
(3) It is not “believe and confess CHRIST before men.”
This condition, though imposed in the kingdom teachings of CHRIST (Matthew 10:32), is not, and could not be, a condition of salvation under grace. Romans 10:9 is given its final order and force in verse 10. There confession is seen to be the expression of salvation which has been received by believing (Romans 10:14). It is primarily the voice of the new-born babe in CHRIST speaking to its Father,- “AbbaFather” (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15). Multitudes have been saved who were deprived of any opportunity of a public confession.
(4) It is not “believe and be baptized.” Mark 16:16 is the one instance in Scripture where these two conditions are linked together.
(5) It is not “believe and repent.”
About six times these two conditions are thus joined in the Scriptures which are addressed to the unsaved in this dispensation, and for obvious reasons. Over against this, it should be considered that believe, or faith, is used, apart from the word repentance, no less than 150 times; the Gospel by John which was written that men might be saved, does not use repentance in any form of the word; and the Book of Romans, which was written to unfold the whole doctrine of salvation, like the Gospel by John, does not once condition salvation on repentance, or anything other than believing. Repentance, which means “a change of mind,” is never excluded from the terms of salvation; it is included as an essential part of believing. There is no Scriptural warrant for the grace confusing practice of some who insist that repentance and believing are separate obligations to be imposed on the unsaved. It is impossible for a person to believe who does not repent. In believing, he will experience that change of mind which turns from all else unto CHRIST as the Object of trust.
Saving faith is more than a belief in historical facts concerning CHRIST; it is to rely on CHRIST, to depend on His saving grace, and to trust in His sufficient cross-work (Ephesians 1:12-13). In preaching the Gospel, emphasis should not fall on the mere human act of believing; it should fall, rather, on the precise message (death, burial, and resurrection of Christ) which is to be believed (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Evangelist Rodgie Quirante
The Workman’s Treasure Study Series