Complete Forgiven Once and​​ For All! -​​ Part 1

Rick Moffett

Note –​​ All quoted scripture is from the New American Standard version of the​​ Bible unless otherwise noted.​​ 

We are All​​ Born Sinners!

Have you ever heard anyone say something like this? “Mankind is basically good at heart.”​​ They may​​ say,​​ “One’s evil deeds are only a result of their circumstances.”​​ You might look at your newborn baby and think, “How sweet and innocent.”​​ But consider your own children. Was there a time when you taught them to be selfish, lie,​​ and disobey? Unfortunately, they do those things on their own because that is their nature at birth. The​​ Bible teaches that man’s heart is deceitful and desperately wicked​​ (Jer. 17:9).

Note –​​ When we receive Christ by faith, we​​ receive​​ a new heart and a new spirit.

Because of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, sin passed to all men; or,​​ said another way, all men were made sinners​​ (Rom. 5:12,19). To make it clear, we are not sinners because of acts of sin we commit;​​ we are sinners because we are born sinners as a result of Adam’s sin in the garden. Even the sweetest little baby ever born (except for Jesus) is a sinner the moment​​ they are​​ conceived in the womb!​​ (Ps. 51:5)

What are the​​ Results of Man’s Sin?

We show up on planet​​ Earth spiritually dead to God. Death in the​​ Bible often refers to separation rather than annihilation; hence, we are born separated from the life of God. Furthermore, we are all born in bondage to sin, condemned to eternal death (separation from God’s life) with a sin debt we are helpless to pay!​​ (Rom. 5:18; 6:17,23;​​ 2 Thess. 1:9)​​ Our situation could be described as hopeless.

remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, ... having no hope and without God in the world.​​ Eph.2:12​​ 

Why Does God Require Payment for Sin?

God always does what​​ He does because of who​​ He is. He cannot deny himself​​ (2 Tim. 2:13). Thus, God’s actions flow from​​ His character,​​ and​​ His character never changes. God is holy, just, and righteous; therefore,​​ His dealings with man are always just and righteous. He is faithful to​​ His word without partiality. God has declared that the​​ payment for sin is death​​ (Rom. 6:23). For God to remain​​ faithful​​ to​​ His word, the sin debt must be satisfied.

Note​​ –​​ Read Romans chapter 3 for a good explanation of this truth.

What Provides Forgiveness of Man’s Sin Debt?

Common beliefs people have about how they get forgiveness of sin​​ –

• Their performance – doing more “good”​​ deeds than bad.

• Ask God to forgive them each time they commit a sinful act.

• Confess​​ their sinful acts to God​​ or a member of the clergy.

From man's perspective, these beliefs sure sound reasonable.​​ But God’s ways are not man’s ways. God is very clear about what is required to provide for forgiveness of sin. The​​ Bible states that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin​​ (Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:22). That idea is​​ utterly foreign in​​ Western cultures, but in the land where the writings of the​​ Bible occurred, everyone understood the significance of blood. God​​ made it clear that life is in the blood​​ (Lev. 17:11). God has always related to his people on the basis of blood,​​ more specifically,​​ blood covenants.

Let’s take a quick look at some of these covenants​​ -

• God initiated a​​ blood covenant with Abram​​ that included several blessings. Among them, God promised Abram that through him (his lineage),​​ He would bless all the families of the earth.​​ This​​ promise​​ was eventually fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.​​ 

Note​​ - Read about this in Genesis chapters 12-17 and Galatians chapter 3.​​ 

2.​​ God also initiated a​​ blood covenant with Moses​​ and the Israelites at the giving of the Law​​ on​​ Mt. Sinai​​ (Ex. 24:8). This covenant is often referred to as the​​ Old Covenant​​ or Mosaic Covenant.​​ This​​ covenant contained a provision for​​ a temporary​​ covering of Israel’s sin by blood sacrifices of bulls and goats​​ that were​​ repeated year after year. These sacrifices​​ served as a constant reminder of Israel’s sin debt​​ (Heb. 10:1-4).​​ These animal sacrifices​​ foreshadowed​​ the coming​​ Messiah, the lamb of God, who would offer himself and shed his blood once and for all​​ to pay​​ the sin​​ debt​​ of​​ all​​ humanity​​ (Heb. 7:27).

3.​​ The New Covenant​​ was​​ also​​ initiated with​​ blood,​​ the​​ blood of Jesus​​ (Luke 22:20). Under this covenant, the blood of Jesus did not just cover​​ man’s​​ sin. His blood took away​​ our sin, once and for all​​ (John 1:29). All who put their faith in the finished work of​​ Jesus​​ (His death, burial, and resurrection)​​ have entered into​​ this covenant – forever!

The Blood of Jesus

Let me emphasize that​​ only the blood of Jesus​​ provides for forgiveness of sin. However, Jesus did not just make an incision in​​ His body and squeeze out a few drops of blood. He willingly went to​​ the​​ cross, suffered, bled,​​ and died. His death was necessary for the payment of man’s sin. As discussed, “the wages of sin is death”​​ (Rom. 6:23).​​ 

Many​​ believe the blood of Jesus had some magical power.​​ You will not find that​​ in the​​ Bible. Thus, there is no reason to​​ think​​ the blood of Jesus was not human blood, just like yours and mine. The blood of Jesus represented​​ His life (life is in the blood​​ -​​ Lev. 17:11). Jesus willingly gave​​ His life to pay the sin debt​​ for​​ all​​ humanity. This was​​ undoubtedly​​ the greatest demonstration of God’s love for all​​ humanity.

The Sin Issue Between God and Man​​ has been​​ Satisfied

Jesus willingly offered himself a sacrifice to pay man’s sin debt​​ (John 10:11-18)​​ so that man could​​ not only be forgiven but also receive the life of Jesus.​​ Thus, the sin issue between God and man has been settled​​ once for all.​​ Since there is only one “currency” sufficient to satisfy​​ man’s​​ sin debt (the shed blood of Jesus, i.e., his death),​​ the payment for sin​​ was a one-time event!​​ It is vitally important that you understand this truth. The​​ Bible goes to great lengths to stress this point. The phrase​​ “once for all”​​ ​​ is used no less than six times in the New Testament when speaking about Jesus offering​​ Himself as a sacrifice for man’s sin​​ (Rom 6:10;​​ Heb 7:27, 9:12, 10:10;​​ 1 Pet 3:18; Jude 1:3).

Consider the following​​ –​​ 

10​​ By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.​​ 11​​ Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;​​ 12​​ but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,​​ Hebrews 10.10-12​​ 

The Old Testament sacrifices were only a temporary covering for sin;​​ hence,​​ the priests repeatedly​​ offered sacrifices​​ for​​ the​​ sins of Israel. Consequently, they​​ always stood​​ in the temple as they​​ performed​​ this​​ ministry.​​ Why?​​ –​​ They stood because their work was never finished. When Jesus, our High Priest, offered the perfect sacrifice of​​ Himself,​​ He did so once for all! Then,​​ having finished​​ His work,​​ He sat down.​​ Why?​​ Because God was now completely satisfied. No other sacrifice was necessary. The redemptive work of Jesus was finished​​ (John 19:28-30).​​ As a result, humanity's sin debt​​ was forgiven,​​ once for all! Amen.

17​​ "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."​​ 18​​ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.​​ Hebrews 10.17-18​​ 

The moment you receive Jesus by faith, you also receive forgiveness for every sin​​ you have​​ committed and will ever commit. Do not listen to the enemy tell you otherwise!

And finally​​ –​​ 

Folks, God is satisfied with the payment Jesus provided for man’s sin. Should we not also be satisfied?

5​​ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—​​ 6​​ and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.​​ Revelation 1.4-6​​ 

“Until you rest in the finality of the cross, you will never experience the reality of the resurrection.”​​  Bob George

Many questions​​ arise about the subject of forgiveness of sin.​​ For​​ practical applications you may not have considered,​​ please read​​ Completely Forgiven Once and For All! - Part 2.