The word 'Forgiveness' is more used in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament we have the introduction of the prominent word LIFE. The summary of the Old Testament scriptural verses is given in Psalm 130:4"With God there is forgiveness". Lord Jesus forgave everyone from the cross for crucifying him although those standing there did not even ask for it, but then this forgiveness is not enough to help enter into the kingdom of God. We certainly need to have a new life to get there [unless we are reborn] John.3: 3. the solution does not lie in mere forgiveness but Life. In the beatitudes it is not said that those who receive forgiveness will see God, or enter into the kingdom of God, but in the Lords prayer we read that those who forgive will be forgiven by God. Principle of forgiveness is seen in the story of the King who has pity on the debt-ridden servant and his household and forgives all the debt, and expects the servant to have the same attitude. But when the servant is unwilling to forgive the debt of one of his debtors who owed him only a little money, the king's anger is kindled against this unforgiving servant. Therefore forgiveness from God and the renewal of our life needs to go hand in hand. Forgiveness of God is through the blood of his son Lord Jesus, but there is more on offer than forgiveness. It is the new life. Forgiveness is not the basic requirement to see God but a new life is. This life is seen only in the new creation of God. Some ingredients of this life are Love, Joy, Peace, Long suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance. Forgiving others should be the basic Godlike character of every true Christian.Mt5: 7."Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy". The new life is manifested in us when we forgive others, even our enemies. Forgiveness in the Old Testament is commonly represented by the term Mercy. Let us understand the mystery of 'Life' as follows. Say a Doctor who understands every function and anatomy of the physical body in detail and understands every disease, and can interpret the DNA sequence, but does not know how and when life is infused into this body that transforms it into a living being. We who know God know it well that God is the source of every physical life. Now if we compare it with spiritual life, we see that in the same way a man [spiritual doctor] can understand and explain every aspect of a spiritual life. And every matter relating to the Christian life. But still something could be missing from his spiritual life. He can only become spiritually alive by the input of the Spirit of God. This part is only accomplished by the grace of God to all those who come to him with repentance. Seeking only forgiveness from God is like asking medicines for a dead man. Christ has died on the cross not for forgiveness alone. That was available even before his death. He even forgave the sins of some people before his crucifixion. All the Old 3 Testament saints were forgiven on the basis of repentance and the shedding of the blood. His promise in Isa.1: 18. Is "Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. The Bible is full of examples that show that God is a forgiving God. He is merciful, slow to anger and patient. We have seen him forgiving even the gentiles of Ninveh. We read He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us Psalm: 103:10,12. All over the scriptures we see a forgiving God. Psalm 51 is a prayer of a repentant sinner for forgiveness. We read in Psalm 78:36-39. That they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. And their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant. But still he being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not, for he remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth away and cometh not again. The blessing of forgiveness is that we are not destroyed or cursed in this physical world. But spiritually we need more than forgiveness. Romans: 6:6 We read "Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin". Lord Jesus through his death on the cross offers for us something more than mere forgiveness. He exchanges our life with his own life on the cross. I [flesh] also die there with him. And I am made a new creation. It is not mere forgiveness. But it is another life, a new life, I am reborn. He destroys me [flesh or the sum total of my self-life] on the cross and being the life giving Spirit he makes me alive as a new creation with the indwelling of his Holy Spirit within me1Cor15: 45. It is no longer I live but Christ lives in me. Gal.2: 21. Baptism is symbolic of this very fact. We have been raised with him to walk in the newness of life.Rom.6: 4. Christ could have taken the form of man, and taught great teachings, and at the end of it he could have ascended to heaven. To accomplish this he need not die on the cross. But the reason for his death on the cross was to pay the wages of sin himself, and in exchange he has received the power to offer life not mere forgiveness to all those who would put their trust in his name. The word 'Life' has appeared more than 60 times in the gospel of John but not even once the word 'forgiveness' is mentioned. 1Jn.2: 3. Gives the proof of our new life it says "Whoever obeys the words of the Lord proves the new life within him". Also in 1Jn.2: 27. "The anointing [Holy Spirit] which you have received of him abideth in you. And teacheth you". Lord Jesus said unless a seed of wheat falls down and dies it does not produce fruit. This was true in his life, he died on the cross and we are the fruits gathered by him. The same principle applies to every Christian, unless we die [on our cross] daily we are not able to produce fruit, in our own life and around us. We need to have a continuous process of dying to self.1Jn: 3:16. Fruit is the sign of life and that is why Christ insisted on the fruit for his followers.Mt.7: 20.4 Man's need In the Garden of Eden the sinful act did not need mere forgiveness for Adam and Eve. Infact the moment they disobeyed God and did their own will they had died spiritually. And mere forgiveness by God is not what could help; instead they needed their life back. The truth is God forgave them in that they did not die physically and were not cursed by God. And God in his mercy even clothed them and sent them out of the garden to protect them from the sword of the Cherubims. Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus "that which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of Spirit is spirit, John.3: 6. His emphasis was not on forgiveness but on receiving a new spirit life from God. The reverse of whatever happened at Eden. Lord Jesus did not come to send punishment but to save. He even forgave people who crucified him. This is the reason for the physical life we all enjoy without getting destroyed by God. But an eternal life is possible only if Christ as the life giving Spirit gives us a new life, which is brought about through repentance and trust in the efficacy of the shed blood of Christ. But as many as received him, to them gave he power [to live the new life] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. Born of God means the introduction of the life giving spirit is something that is done by God alone. Jn: 1:12,13 We read 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Should not perish has to be understood correctly. This means man is under judgement, the death penalty has been declared. We have died spiritually, and we are hopelessly poised for physical death also. And there is a sure possibility of perishing without repenting. As long as we have physical life we stand a chance of being saved. And get back to the spiritual life that God offers. Perishing is a final loss of opportunity. When the Lord Jesus said to Martha the words "I am the resurrection and the life" he meant a resurrection not just on the last day or day of judgement. He said he who believes in me although he is dead yet shall he live [resurrection on the last day] and he who lives and believes in me shall never die. [A true believer who has received life from Christ] Jn.11: 25-26. Eternal life starts on the earth itself. But we read in 1Cor.11: 23-29, we have become partakers of his body and partakers of his blood and proclaim to the world that we have the same life that is in Christ Jesus. We have become part of Christ. He the head and we the members of his body are connected with his same life. In John 6:51,57 Jesus said I am the living bread, which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which is for the life of the world. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. In Jn.4: 34 Jesus had said, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. The sign of us being alive is that Christ is seen in us. 'Born-again' is not a statement of faith but experience of a new life. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor un-circumcision. But faith, which worketh by love [not externalism but a new life of christlikeness]. Gal.5: 65 The Last Adam We read in 1Cor 15:21,22,45 that since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Jesus is referred as the last Adam instead of second Adam because he was complete as the son of Adam [although still fully the Son of God despite in the human form and body]. He is the last Adam in the sense that he is symbolically terminating the reign of the first Adam. And he is able to bring man back into the image and likeness of God the Father and restore them as Gods children. It is clear that there are just two types of Christians in the world. 1] Those who have the teachings of the Bible, the doctrines, the knowledge, and the whole Christian infrastructure but no life. 2] Those who have the Life of the Lord Jesus Christ but may not have all the spiritual knowledge. A person can identify himself with any one of the groups. We read in the gospel that the very purpose of the writing of the New Testament is "That you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have Life through his name". Jn.20: 31. And finally we should also realize that, If there is no forgiveness then there is no question of Life anyway, because forgiveness is the route undertaken to reach the goal that is Life.
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