When we realize that we have sinned and know that sin will keep us away
from living in eternity in the presence of God, we are filled with
sorrow. First, we do not want to be cast into the "lake of fire," nor be
with the devil and his angels as Jesus has warned. He spoke of those
being "cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where
their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:44.
The next thing we think of is how Jesus loved us so much, He came
willingly to take the punishment for our sins. Sin had to be punished.
Man could not redeem us from our sins as all men had sinned. Jesus was
innocent and without sin. He was with God from the beginning but He was
born of woman, and took upon Himself flesh and blood. He lived here in
this world, was mistreated and finally put on the cross to die a
horrible death, although He was innocent. Why? Because He loved you and
me. "God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live
through him." I John 4:9. "He that committeth sin is of the devil, for
the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God
was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever
is born of God doth not committ sin, because he is born of God." I John
3:8,9. Through Jesus' death on the cross, sin can be forgiven and we can
come into the presence of God.
When we realize that we have sinned and are sorry for that sin, we come
to Jesus, and with "godly sorrow" ask Him to forgive us. Jesus hears our
prayer and forgives us of our sins. By believing that He took our
punishment for our sins, in dying on the cross, we are forgiven by God,
and all is clear between us and God. Our sins are under the blood of
Jesus. In olden times, in the Old Testament, they offered a lamb, but
after Jesus came He was the Lamb who was sacrificed on the cross once
and forever for sins. John the Baptist said, when he saw Jesus, "Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. He
will take away our sins, when we confess them to Him, and in prayer,
believe that He takes them away. I surely can't forget when the Lord did
just that for me. It was wonderful to know that all was clear between
God and me. I could sleep better and it was wonderful to know that if
death overtook me I would be ready to go.
When I realized that I needed to be sanctified, or the sin principle
needed to be cleansed out of my heart, I sought the Lord to give me the
Holy Spirit. You can't ask forgiveness for the sin that passed down upon
all men from the fall, or the sin of Adam and Eve. It has to be cleansed
out of your heart by the purging of the Holy Spirit. There are two works
in the heart. First we are saved from our volitional sins and then we
are sanctified or cleansed of that sin principle or carnal nature. Peter
speaks of some receiving the Holy Spirit and said, "purifying their
hearts by faith." God had given "them the Holy Ghost." Acts 15:8,9. Then
we can have power over all the power of the devil. The works of the
devil are destroyed out of our hearts. Praise God forever! It is a
wonderful experience.
Oh, how we love our Lord and Saviour for all that He has done for us!
How sad we would be if He had not come to this world to take our
punishment. How thankful we are for the Holy Spirit that was promised to
us after Jesus went away. He told His disciples that the Holy Spirit, or
the Comforter, could not come unless He went to the Father. (John 14).
We read how God gave the disciples the Holy Spirit, after Jesus arose
into the skies, after His resurrection from the grave. In Acts, second
chapter, they were waiting in the upper room and the Holy Spirit came
upon them and God performed a miracle. They spoke the wonderful news and
17 or 18 different nations heard about it in their own language. It was
on the day of Pentecost when people from all of these nations had come
to the temple to worship God. Many of them believed on Jesus as the
promised Saviour, were saved from their sins, and were filled with the
Holy Spirit. It's a glorious experience and is for everyone who has been
saved from sin.