You are forgiven – how to know God has forgiven you
Everyone Needs God’s Forgiveness
Can you know you are forgiven? Every person on the face of this earth has sinned and needs God’s forgiveness. (Romans 3:23) The good news is – no matter what you’ve done or how messed up your life is there is forgiveness for you. You may feel like you don’t deserve to be forgiven or you may think you have made too many mistakes to be forgiven, but God will and does forgive you.
God’s Forgiveness is a Gift
The forgiveness of God is not something you deserve or something that can be earned. God’s forgiveness is a gift that must be received. It is given freely to all who will receive it. It is given out of God’s love for us. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8.)
If you are a Christian, all of your sins — past, present, and future — have been forgiven. Christ paid the price for all of your sins — totally, once and for all. You cannot add anything to what Christ has already done for you. His work is finished, but you must receive His gift of forgiveness!
How to Receive God’s Forgiveness
Initially the only way to receive God’s forgiveness is to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9 tells how, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The moment you believe Jesus is Lord and that He was raised from the dead you become born again and your sins are forgiven.
If you’ve never confessed Jesus as Lord you can do it now and receive God’s gift of forgiveness and a new life. It is available for all who will call upon the name of Lord.
How to Know You Are Forgiven
You can know you are forgiven when you understand the basis of your forgiveness. The basis of your forgiveness is the the sacrifice of Jesus. God does not just overlook sin and say, “You’re forgiven.” He accepted the sacrifice of Jesus as payment in full for the sins of all the world and thus the demand for justice was satisfied.
God required that the penalty for sin be fully paid for. When Jesus died on the cross, all of your sins were transferred to Him, and He became the final and complete sacrifice for all sins. It is called the “great exchange” He took our sins and we received His righteousness. (2Corinthians 5:21) We deserved to die for our sins—but He died in our place! “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16).
God’s Forgiveness is Unlimited
Do you still wander if God really forgives you or do you still have feelings of guilt and shame?
You need to know there is no sin to big or bad to be forgiven. The blood of Jesus is enough to wipe away even the worst of sins. To say that you don’t deserve forgiveness or can’t be forgiven is to say your sins are more powerful than the blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus is greater than any of your sins.
So, if you are a Christian and still wonder if God has forgiven you – you need to KNOW His forgiveness is unlimited and everlasting. You need to continue to look to Jesus and let the blood of Jesus keep you washed. You are forgiven. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
You are Forgiven
Forgiveness now belongs to you. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.” Psalms 103:12 says, “He (God) has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”
If you’ve received Jesus as your Lord and Savior by faith — you are forgiven! His word says so. Thank Him for His forgiveness and begin to walk by faith trusting in Him.
