THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS
	THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS When I walk through crowds of people, I see some bent on pleasure, and some on business - some look rich, and some look poor. But there breathes not a man or woman in the crowd but must have their sins forgiven, or they will be condemned forever in the last day. To know your need of the forgiveness of your sins is the first step to Heaven. Sin is a burden and needs to be lifted off us. Sin is a defilement, and must be cleansed away. Sin is a mighty debt, and it must be paid. Where is forgiveness of sins to be found? There is a way both sure and plain, and that way is to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. It is to cast your soul, with all its sins, unreservedly on Christ, - to cease completely from any dependence on your own works or doings, either in whole or in part, - and to rest on no other work but Christ’s work, no other righteousness but Christ’s righteousness, no other merit but Christ’s merit, as your ground of hope. Take this course and you are a pardoned soul. “To Christ,” says Peter, “give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sin.” (Acts l0 v. 43) “Through this Man,” says Paul at Antioch, “is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin, and by Him all that believe are justified from all things.” (Acts 13 v. 38) “In Him,” writes Paul to the Colossians, “we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sin.” (Col. 1 v. 14) JESUS THE ONLY SAVIOUR The Lord Jesus Christ, in great love and compassion, has made a full and complete satisfaction for sin, by suffering death in our place upon the cross. There He offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, and allowed the wrath of God, which we deserved, to fall on His own head. For our sins, as our Substitute, He gave Himself, suffered and died, - the just for the unjust, the innocent for the guilty, - that He might deliver us from the curse of a broken law, and provide a complete pardon for all who are willing to receive it. And by so doing, as Isaiah says, He has borne our sins, as John the Baptist says, He has taken away sin; as Paul says, He has purged our sins, and put away sin; and as Daniel says, He has made an end of sin, and finished trangression. Faith, or simple trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, is the only thing required in order that you and I may have our sins forgiven. That we come by faith to Jesus as sinners with our sins, - trust in Him, - rest on Him, - lean on Him, - confide in Him, - commit our souls to Him, - and forsaking all other hope, cleave only to Him, - this is all and everything that God asks for. Let a man only do this, and he shall be saved. His iniquities shall be found completely pardoned, and his transgressions entirely taken away. Jesus invites you with these words, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11 v. 28) It ought to be a great comfort to you and me to hear of any pardon at all, but to hear Jesus Himself inviting us, to see Jesus Himself holding out His hand to us, the Saviour seeking the sinner before the sinner seeks the Saviour, this is encouragement, this is strong consolation indeed! The Lord Jesus is “good and ready to forgive.” (Psalm 86 v. 5). He “delighteth in mercy.” (Micah 7: 18) Judgment is “His strange work.” He is not willing that any perish. (Isa. 28 v. 21, 2 Peter 3 v. 9) He would fain have all men saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. ( I Tim. 2: 4) He wept over unbelieving Jerusalem. “As I live,” He says, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways, why will ye die?” (Ezek. 33: 11) You believe perhaps that your sins can be forgiven by the Lord Jesus Christ. But are you now forgiven? Have you yourself laid hold on the Lord Jesus Christ by simple faith and trust, and found peace through His precious blood? Your soul is in awful danger. If you die without the pardon of your sins, without pardon you will rise again at the last day. By Dr. J.C. Ryle.