All is Forgiven
By: J.B. Hixson, Ph.D.
03/14/2019
“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)
A true story out of the heart of Mexico tells of a broken relationship between a man and his son, Paco. As the story goes, the two had been estranged for more than five years stemming from a bitter argument over money. Paco left home in a fit of rage determined never to speak to his father again. As the years went by the father longed to hear from his son but he received no cards…no calls…not contact whatsoever. Eventually, the father’s broken heart and undying love for his son prompted him to do something to find Paco. But what could he do? Their town in central Mexico was rather large and it had not taken long for Paco to disappear into the crowd.
Desperate but determined to find his son the father placed an ad in the city newspaper that read: “PACO. THIS IS YOUR FATHER. ALL IS FORGIVEN. MEET ME IN THE CATHEDRAL AT TOWN SQUARE TOMORROW AT NOON. I LOVE YOU!” The next day, trying not to get his hopes up, Paco’s father made his way to the cathedral. Upon his arrival he was amazed to find, in addition to his own son, fourteen other young men named Paco hoping to reconcile with their fathers!
This true story illustrates the longing within men and women everywhere for right relationships. No one likes to be estranged. No one wants to have enemies. It is human nature to desire a reciprocal relationship of peace and love. Indeed, mankind is innately relational. From the moment of his creation Adam sought a “suitable companion” in the Garden. Only in the context of healthy relationships can mankind find real fulfillment. It is true: no man is an island. An ancient Proverb rightly cautions, “A man who isolates himself…wages against all wise judgment (Prov. 18:1).” It is this longing for right relationships that leads to the need for reconciliation when estrangement occurs.
When it comes to our relationship with the Creator, a great and terrible estrangement has occurred. It is called sin. Because of sin, mankind has been alienated from God. The reciprocal relationship of love and peace that existed between Adam and Eve and their Creator in the Garden was broken when sin entered the equation. And because of one man’s sin, all mankind has become tainted (Rom. 5:12) so that now, we are all strangers (Eph. 2:12) and enemies of God (Rom. 5:10). We are lost in a sea of depravity, far off from the Father (Eph. 2:13). The Apostle Paul describes mankind’s desperate plight with these ominous words: Mankind has “no hope” and is “without God in the world (Eph. 2:12).”
Fortunately mankind has a loving Father who took the first step in restoring this broken relationship with His creation. God demonstrated the depths of His love for sinful mankind by sending His own Son to die in our place and pay the penalty for our sin (Rom. 5:8). God invites mankind, sinful and rebellious though we may be, to come and be restored in our relationship with Him. This offer of a restored relationship with the Creator is not contingent upon our willingness to live right or obey Him or clean up our act. Being reconciled to God is not about what we do or promise to do. It is not about some pledge of allegiance to God as the master of our lives.
It is about faith, plain and simple. Our heavenly Father sent us a message of reconciliation and hope when He sent His own Son to earth to die in our place at Calvary. “All is forgiven!” he shouted from the top of that hill. “Meet Me at the cross!” The message of hope that rang out across the globe nearly 2000 years ago still echoes today. And all who trust Jesus as their only hope for eternal life can be reconciled to God and make peace with their Creator. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
Everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation becomes part of the family of God. We have a common bond: We have all been forgiven! Have you been forgiven? If not trust Christ today! And the next time you find yourself at odds with another believer just remember: we are all in this together. This common bond of forgiveness ties us together and fosters unity in the body. We’ve all been forgiven. At the cross, we are all on equal footing. So let us “endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).
03/14/2019
“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)
A true story out of the heart of Mexico tells of a broken relationship between a man and his son, Paco. As the story goes, the two had been estranged for more than five years stemming from a bitter argument over money. Paco left home in a fit of rage determined never to speak to his father again. As the years went by the father longed to hear from his son but he received no cards…no calls…not contact whatsoever. Eventually, the father’s broken heart and undying love for his son prompted him to do something to find Paco. But what could he do? Their town in central Mexico was rather large and it had not taken long for Paco to disappear into the crowd.
Desperate but determined to find his son the father placed an ad in the city newspaper that read: “PACO. THIS IS YOUR FATHER. ALL IS FORGIVEN. MEET ME IN THE CATHEDRAL AT TOWN SQUARE TOMORROW AT NOON. I LOVE YOU!” The next day, trying not to get his hopes up, Paco’s father made his way to the cathedral. Upon his arrival he was amazed to find, in addition to his own son, fourteen other young men named Paco hoping to reconcile with their fathers!
This true story illustrates the longing within men and women everywhere for right relationships. No one likes to be estranged. No one wants to have enemies. It is human nature to desire a reciprocal relationship of peace and love. Indeed, mankind is innately relational. From the moment of his creation Adam sought a “suitable companion” in the Garden. Only in the context of healthy relationships can mankind find real fulfillment. It is true: no man is an island. An ancient Proverb rightly cautions, “A man who isolates himself…wages against all wise judgment (Prov. 18:1).” It is this longing for right relationships that leads to the need for reconciliation when estrangement occurs.
When it comes to our relationship with the Creator, a great and terrible estrangement has occurred. It is called sin. Because of sin, mankind has been alienated from God. The reciprocal relationship of love and peace that existed between Adam and Eve and their Creator in the Garden was broken when sin entered the equation. And because of one man’s sin, all mankind has become tainted (Rom. 5:12) so that now, we are all strangers (Eph. 2:12) and enemies of God (Rom. 5:10). We are lost in a sea of depravity, far off from the Father (Eph. 2:13). The Apostle Paul describes mankind’s desperate plight with these ominous words: Mankind has “no hope” and is “without God in the world (Eph. 2:12).”
Fortunately mankind has a loving Father who took the first step in restoring this broken relationship with His creation. God demonstrated the depths of His love for sinful mankind by sending His own Son to die in our place and pay the penalty for our sin (Rom. 5:8). God invites mankind, sinful and rebellious though we may be, to come and be restored in our relationship with Him. This offer of a restored relationship with the Creator is not contingent upon our willingness to live right or obey Him or clean up our act. Being reconciled to God is not about what we do or promise to do. It is not about some pledge of allegiance to God as the master of our lives.
It is about faith, plain and simple. Our heavenly Father sent us a message of reconciliation and hope when He sent His own Son to earth to die in our place at Calvary. “All is forgiven!” he shouted from the top of that hill. “Meet Me at the cross!” The message of hope that rang out across the globe nearly 2000 years ago still echoes today. And all who trust Jesus as their only hope for eternal life can be reconciled to God and make peace with their Creator. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
Everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation becomes part of the family of God. We have a common bond: We have all been forgiven! Have you been forgiven? If not trust Christ today! And the next time you find yourself at odds with another believer just remember: we are all in this together. This common bond of forgiveness ties us together and fosters unity in the body. We’ve all been forgiven. At the cross, we are all on equal footing. So let us “endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).
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