Remitting Sins

 

Remitting Sins

In the Old Testament and under the old covenant, the Priest would lay hands on the sacrificial animal and remit the sins of the people into the animal. The animal was then slain, and the blood was placed on the alter, the animal was sacrificed, and the sins of the people were forgiven for that day and time.

The laying on of hands on the animal's head was symbolic of placing the sin of someone human into the representation of a sacrifice that would absolve and forgive their sin. All this was a picture of a future event in time, when Jesus would take our sins on his own body on the tree and be the one-time sacrifice for sin.

Jesus paid it all when he died on the cross for you and for me. He paid for a total salvation, for you and for me, which includes our spirit, when we invite Jesus to live in us, salvation for our soul, which is our mind, will and emotions, and salvation for our body which is frail and subject to disease and sickness. 

 We are a three-part person; I am a spirit, I live in a body, and I have a soul, which is my mind, will and emotions. My spirit experiences salvation or being “born again,” but my soul – my thoughts, and my body need catching up at times. The Bible reminds us to renew our minds and thoughts by the Word of God, and to study to show ourselves to be approved onto God. We mature and grow in Christ as we study and seek him in our secret place.

The sacrifice of Jesus does not mean that we are free from sin, but only that the price was paid, and now it is up to us to accept Jesus for what he has already done for us.

Jesus rose from the dead and showed himself to many persons, proving that he was alive, and this included about 400 believers, just before he returned to heaven in a cloud.

The last words of Jesus were important, and they remain significant even today; Acts chapter 1 records; thus, and being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Mark 16 records more words to consider: And Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

Matthew 28 records; Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

On the first day of the week (the day of Jesus's resurrection, he appeared to the eleven; Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

John chapter 20; These words were the first words given to these newly born again disciples. Jesus breathed on them to receive eternal life and the Holy Spirit of Christ in their persons. Notice this initial appearance and their receiving his breath of Eternal life, caused them to be born again, but they were still fearful and would need to received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit not many days in the near future.

It is interesting to notice that after Jesus breathed on them to become born again, that he also gave them a commandment and authority: which was to act as a king and as a priest; Revelations 1:6 “And has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Now, I must caution you here, not to go off on a tangent, but notice that Jesus said, we were to forgive the sins of any who need forgiving. He said, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

I was reminded of Dr Kenneth Hagin telling a story about his dying grandmother, as he sat beside her bed. He was praying, and he asked the Lord, “You know my grandmother was a saintly woman, but Lord, you also know her heart, and her thoughts, and if there be any sin, or thought that is not under the blood of Jesus, I now ask you to forgive her according to your instructions in John chapter 20.

A few days ago, we received some terrible news about the death of a friend in a strange accident.   The next day, I began to see the gentleman's face with a look of great astonishment and a look of horror, almost at the time of impact, and I could see that he was crying out to God for mercy. 

 Now I must remind you it was the next day, so I knew the man was dead, and that his future state was in God's hands, but I was impressed, and you might say even urged to pray that God would forgive any sins that were not under the Blood of Christ, and to declare that any sins not under the blood would be remitted and for God to allow him access into heaven.

Well now, this was a first, and although we are never the judge, we speculate about things, and I felt in my spirit that I must obey and stand at the alter in this man's place and ask Jesus to forgive any last minute or unforgiven sins in the man's life. It did not take long, because God is always listening to a heart that is obedient.

Today as we pray over our city, our State and our Nation, let us ask God to forgive the sins of the multitude and remit their sins, enabling them to reach out and receive Jesus and His gift of Eternal life.