Completely Forgiven

Posted on by Jennifer Arimborgo

 

“…Whoever has been forgiven little loves little” (Luke 7:47).

The other day, I received the following text message from my Peruvian credit card company (translated from Spanish): 

“JENNIFER, your card is active! We have forgiven your debt completely and you can use your available benefits.”

At first glance, that sounds like a pretty big deal, doesn’t it? My entire debt forgiven! 

It would be, except that my entire debt amounted to about seventy cents. Immediately I thought of Jesus’ words, “…Whoever has been forgiven little loves little” (Luke 7:47).

So, my love for my Peruvian credit card company has officially grown by seventy cents. Well, if nothing else, they provided me with some entertainment for my afternoon with these sweeping words about such a small gesture.

It got me thinking, though. We find the inverse of Jesus’ above statement in His preceding sentence, “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown” (Luke 7:47). 

Experiencing great forgiveness produces great love within us; an extravagant love spills out in an expression that cannot be contained. The deeper we get it into our hearts how forgiven we are, the more passionately we are going to love Jesus. Overflowing gratitude and devotion to Him will fuel our everyday impulses. However, I think many of us walk around life with an intellectual concept that we have been forgiven, but we haven’t yet gotten that knowledge down into the marrow of our bones. 

I am reminded of these words from 2 Peter 1:8-9, “…Possess these qualities in increasing measure… whoever does not have them is… forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.”

There is a clear connection here between a steady pattern of spiritual growth, and living with an unfading awareness of how clean the blood of Jesus constantly makes us. Understanding this is essential to growing in Him: As we habitually turn to Him again and again, we live our lives under the cleansing flow of His blood. 

I love how Max Lucado expresses this: “Live forgiven!”* When we carry out our lives immersed in awareness of His ongoing forgiveness, it frees us to grow without barriers. The revelation of His grace empowers our flourishing in Him. The mark of our heart knowledge of His forgiveness is a life that brims over in expressions of love to Him. The more we know His mercy, the more profoundly we love Him.

I believe Holy Spirit wants to take this deeper for you today. His words to you and me mean infinitely more than my credit card company’s when He says, “I have forgiven your debt completely!” Dear one, if you have asked Jesus to forgive you, your slate is wiped clean. He wants to impart grace to your spirit, to grasp just how forgiven you really are. You stand in grace, irrevocably. Father, bless my friend today with a deepening understanding of how complete and deep Your forgiveness of them is. 

I bless you with the freedom of knowing you are truly cleansed, in Jesus’ mighty name!

***************************

How does self-righteousness impact one’s ability to “live forgiven”? 

 

*Lucado, Max, https://maxlucado.com/listen/can-live-forgiven/

 

14 thoughts on “Completely Forgiven”

  2. Of course, here’s a less personal response:

    “Thank you for sharing such a profound reminder of the depth of forgiveness and grace available to us through the Holy Spirit. It’s a comforting thought to know that our slate is wiped clean through Jesus’ forgiveness, and that we stand in grace irrevocably. Your words serve as a powerful encouragement to reflect on the completeness of God’s forgiveness. May we all continue to grow in our understanding of His boundless love and mercy.”

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    2. The first part of that was not meant for this post but I couldn’t remove it My apologize. I cannot multi-task. Hahaha,

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  3. Great reminder to us all…

    One scripture that has always stopped me in my tracks, and has always helped me…I mean how can one not forgive after reading this one:
    Ephesians 4:38

    Continue being tenderly affectionate with one another, and freely forgiving one another just as God through Christ has freely forgiven you.

    That says it all…and this has always helped me..but guess what? The moment we take our eyes off Christ… it happens within minutes…

    We are right to back to…wanting to show them God’s power. To win the war against evil.
    To let them witches and warlocks have it. The ones that have been hurting God’s children and killing them.

    How we want God’s vengeance upon them.
    Why JONAH got mad when God called upon him to go to Nineveh. Jonah knew God was going to extend mercy to the city. The city full of people he didn’t like. To those heathens.
    So what does he do…he jumps on a boat going the opposite direction.

    I love this testimony. I’ve shared it with you once before…

    It speaks volumes on the condition of our own hearts ..those who belong to God…

    God had to remind Jonah, as He has to remind us ALLL when we act this way-

    THEY ARE NOT YOUR PEOPLE. THEY ARE MY PEOPLE. AND I SHALL EXTEND MERCY TO WHOM I PLEASE.

    God bless.

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  4. Pingback: Completely Forgiven – QuietMomentsWithGod

  5. I remember times I was unable to forgive myself for something. The burden was horrible. I can’t imagine living (existing) like that every day. It makes me want to tell everyone about the glorious freedom they could have in Christ, to live forgiven. 😊💕

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  6. Blessings Jennifer. Completely forgiven, we can remember the Lord’s blessing and carry His love close to our heart each and every day. At the same time, we can honor the grace we’ve been granted by doing the same for others.

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