A man stood in his kitchen one day looking out the window into his back yard.  His Son steps up beside him and asks.  Can we talk?  Of course, Dad says, and they step out onto the back porch for privacy.  The boy explains that he’d done some bad things and that he needed to confess it. The boy then steps back waiting for the punishment. 

Now the man had often gotten loud with his sons.  Punishment had been given before.  So the boy expected the worst. 

The man’s head bowed.  Then he said to the boy calmly.  You took it too far.  Well we’ll have to apologize to those you’ve wronged.  We’ll have to deal with the consequences of your actions.  The boy was confused and quickly offered the questions those words brought to his mind.  We’ll apologize and deal with the consequences? Don’t you mean that I’ll do that? 

The father was silent for a moment.  Yes but I’ll be there with you.  You won’t go through this alone.  It was the boy’s turn to stand in silence.  Finally he got his voice.  Dad, I’ve embarrassed you.  I knew better.  You’ve taught me better.  Why would you do that?  I expected you to punish me.  I was ready to take it and ask for your forgiveness.

The man looked at his son intently for a moment.  The air seemed thick.  Then he said.  I know I’ve been harsh in the past.  But now that I’ve accepted Christ, I freely give grace.  I love you.  After accepting Christ I decided to forgive you in advance of your failing.  We’re human, we’re going to fail each other.  It’s in our nature.  You don’t need me to forgive you.  You just need to accept the forgiveness I’ve already given you. 

The boy had tears in his eyes.  His dad hugged him and said.  Come on.  Let’s figure out how to deal with the consequences.

I tell that story as I’m going to start a series on forgiveness.  Forgiveness is a big topic and deserves a lot of study.  Blogs may be late.  I won’t post them until I’m confident in the accuracy.  I ask for your grace, forgiveness and understanding in advance.

Here we go.

It’s important to recognize that forgiveness was the plan from the start.

Ephesians 1:4-5 CSB
[4] For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. [5] He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

When I see this verse, I’m amazed at what I’m looking at.  Ladies and gentlemen this is a glimpse of what God was doing pre Genesis 1:1.  He chose us.  Before the foundation of the world.  Before the first molecule existed.

It doesn’t stop there though.  He chose us in Him.  Holy and blameless.  Prior to the creation of the earth God knew that there would be Sin.  Why would he consider our need to be presented holy and blameless if there would be no reason for blame?  Sin.

Then there is this mind blowing statement.  In love before Him.  God sees the fall, the separation from Him as a holy God, whose very visage would kill us in our sin, and reveals the goal to be obtained.  Bringing us back to a sinless state to be in the presence of Him.

Next He tells us the how.  To be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ.

Now the why.  According to the good pleasure of His will.

God is a great many things and we love Him for every aspect.  One of the most profound aspects though is as a savior.

If sin were never a thing, if Genesis 3 never happened.  How could we ever love God fully?  The answer is simple, we couldn’t.  To love God in his aspect as a savior we must first need saving.  Sin had to occur.  It was an unfortunate consequence of giving us free will so that we could love Him completely.  Sin would happen and He had a plan to correct it before the first molecule.

So you see.  You were forgiven before you even sinned.

God knew, made a plan,  and forgave before the foundation of the world.  The consequences of our actions still exist.  We still deal with them.  But we don’t do it alone.

Psalms 23:4 CSB
[4] Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff — they comfort me.

But you said His visage would kill us in our sin?  That’s where Jesus comes in. 

John 3:16-18 CSB
[16] For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. [18] Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

God forgave his children before they needed forgiveness.  He did that through the plan of Jesus Christ dying on the cross to pay for Sin.  All you need to do to accept that gift is to believe in Jesus.

Will you accept him today?  Pray to Him and tell Him.

If you have accepted Him, will you share it?

Love in Christ

Colby