Forgiveness

 Are sins really so bad that they need to be forgiven?  Ask the judge sitting in the courtroom. Does fraud really need to be punished? Most people respond – "Yes"

Peter the apostle of Jesus Christ, spoke to the Roman soldier Cornelius about Jesus being the 'Lord of all people'. He said Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil. Towards the end of his message, Peter said that the Lord Jesus ordered the Apostles to preach   : "that Jesus is ordained of God to be the judge of all – the living and the dead." Acts 10:42

So in the day of final judgement, what is Jesus the Judge going to assess? This chapter –Acts 10- reveals that He sees all, knows all,  the good and the bad. Cornelius was commended for his good works, but still needed forgiveness. Like us all, he was born into Adam's family, with the inclination to do wrong, to choose self before God. In the sight of men he was good living, but in the sight of God he had not measured up to God's standard. That is why he needed to have his sins forgiven before judgement day. Peter  did not tell him to keep on doing good so as to out weigh the bad – no,  no. Peter said all his sins could be forgiven, cleared, pardoned through the Name  of the Lord Jesus Christ! And not just for Cornelius! Peter said:

" Everyone who believes in Him (Jesus Christ the Lord), will have their sins forgiven through His Name"   Acts 10:43

Why was Peter so sure about forgiveness with a holy God?

Peter had seen Jesus die. Then he saw and heard Jesus alive again. The risen Lord Jesus gave the Apostles this commission:

"I was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day. With My authority take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem. There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me."     (Luke 24:46)

So on judgement day the first question is ' have we believed in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour?' Second question is 'What about our sins?'

I encourage you to read the prophet Isaiah chapter 53, and there discover how it is possible for a just judge to forgive the sins of the guilty person.

Oh how blessed are those can say:

"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"   (Romans 5:1)