Fourth, God does not repay us according to our sins.
This aspect of biblical forgiveness is similar to God not treating us as our sins deserve, and yet we can add to this that God does not take “revenge” of any kind. God is not only loving and forgiving, but He is also just. He cannot repay us according to our sins because He already poured out all His wrath for our sins on Jesus. On the cross, God loaded Jesus up with the sins of the whole world, and then poured out His wrath and put Him to death. God “repaid” Jesus, not us. Now, God repays us according to what Jesus did. Jesus lived righteously and loved perfectly, and God repays us for Jesus’ righteous living and perfect loving.
“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2 (NIV)
“Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.” Romans 5:18 (NIV)
The “one righteous act” that Jesus did, going to the cross in full obedience to His Father, justified all people who believe and gave them life through His death. Here we see how we are to treat others, never taking revenge, only loving them as if they had lived a perfect life toward us as if they had loved us perfectly.
If you are preaching the message of the cross regularly, it is essential to show people that God will never come after them in revenge, even for their horrendous crime of crucifying His Son. Likewise, we believers must learn never to take revenge on others, but to forgive as God forgives us.
“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds, you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:23-24 (NIV)
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:19-21 (NIV)
Wow, this is hard to do, right? The truth is, it is “impossible to do!” And yet this is the very thing God does for us, repaying Jesus for our sins and repaying us for Jesus’ righteous living. He will never repay us for our sins, and to forgive others means we will never take revenge on them.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)
“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10 (NIV)
Question 5. Please explain why God will never take revenge on you.
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Miles writes, "God poured out ALL of his wrath, anger and punishment on his perfect son Jesus. The debt is and always will be paid in full."
Peter writes, "Because the full wrath and righteous anger of God was propitiated and satisfied in the blood atonement of the cross of Christ."
In summary, we have studied the following aspects of biblical forgiveness:
First, God chooses not to remember our sins.
Second, God pays the price for our sins.
Third, God does not treat us according to our sins.
Fourth, God does not repay us according to our sins.
If you have embraced the cross as the reason why God treats us differently than our sins deserve, then you know that to live the cross out in your life is to forgive as you have been forgiven.
Question 6. After reading the truth of the gospel in this lesson, have you seen a need to treat anyone differently than you have been doing? Please explain:
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Miles writes, "I have been forgiven much, I used to harbor bitterness towards God, my dad, my mom and my step moms for the environment in which I was raised but God's love and forgiveness for me thru the finished work of the cross has helped me take responsibility for my own sin and evil decisions and the forgiveness I received allowed me to let it all go so now I only feel love and gratitude for all my relationships."
Note: Biblical forgiveness does not mean that we ignore sin or permit ongoing abuse of any kind. Crimes such as substance abuse, physical violence, or any other illegal activity should be reported to the civil authorities. Habitual sin issues should be handled according to the principles given in Matthew 18:15-20.