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 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.
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