Forgiveness of Sins

Henry Allan Ironside

Sailing with Paul

No unforgiven soul sails with Paul: which is to say that Scripture recognizes no such person as a believer in Christ Jesus who has not already received forgiveness of all his sins. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). And the beloved apostle John joins with his brother-messenger Paul and says, when addressing the entire family of God: “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake” (1 John 2:12). Now faith lays hold of this and cries, “I believeGod!”

Some time ago a young man called on me. I asked him if he were a Christian. “Yes,” was the reply. “At some special meetings held recently I trusted Christ and am now seeking to serve Him.” “Indeed,” I said, “this is very good news. Then you know what it is to have all your sins forgiven!” “Oh no, sir!” he cried, “I would not dare say that. I have been converted but a few weeks, and do not feel that I have forgiveness yet. But I am hoping to reach it soon.” “And  how  do  you  expect  to  know  when  you  have attained it?”
“Well, sir, I am not quite clear as to that, but the Bible says something about the Spirit’s witness to let us know, and I have not got the witness yet, though I am seeking it every day.” “If you have really trusted Christ as your Saviour, as the One who died for you, you already have the witness,” I answered.

He looked at me in perplexity, and then said, “I do not understand you. I do not want to doubt God, but I cannot feel the witness at all.” I pointed out that the word feel is only once found in the New Testament, and that is in Acts 17:27, where Paul says of the Gentiles that “they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find Him.” The word feeling is found but twice, once in Ephesians 4:19, where the ungodly Gentiles are said to be “past feeling.” The word does not belong to the Christian, you see, but to
the heathen who have no written revelation. Our word is “faith,” or, “believe.” We do not know because we feel; but we believe God’s Word, and thus we know. The young man became deeply interested and it was my privilege then to put before him a line of truth I would now endeavor to simply unfold to you. Through it he was soon rejoicing in the knowledge of forgiveness, and I trust the same result might follow if these lines are read by any doubting one. We read in Scripture of the witness of the Spirit to us, and the witness
in us. Until we receive the witness to us, we cannot have the witness in us. This is of supreme importance, and, I hope, will be carefully noted. Open your Bible to Hebrews 10. In the first fourteen verses  there  is  a  vivid  contrast  presented  between  the
temporary and oft-repeated sacrifices under the law, and the one all-sufficient offering of our Lord Jesus Christ, which needs never to be repeated, because full atonement for the sins of every believer has been perfectly accomplished. On the basis of this, it can finally be said that the worshippers, once purged, have no more conscience of sins (compare with Hebrews 10:2) Christ has now sat down on the right hand of God, because His work is finished. Nothing remains to be done. “By one offering He hath perfected for ever them
that are sanctified” (verse 14). That is, He saves forever and completely all who are set apart to God through His blood, by personal faith in Him who shed it. Now see what glorious results flow from this: “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us” (verse 15)—the work of Christ being all complete, the Holy Spirit witnesses to what? and where is the witness found?

First, He witnesses to new birth: “I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them” (verse 16). There is thus a new nature, with new desires and yearnings, implanted in every believer. Nor is this all. He further witnesses: “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (verse 17). Thus there is the Spirit’s testimony to full forgiveness. Secondly: This witness-record, or testimony, is found in the Holy Scriptures, written by the Spirit’s dictation. The witness of the Spirit is the testimony of the Holy Ghost in the Word of God. Have you believed it? If so, you  know, because God says it, that your sins are forgiven if you have trusted Christ. But what about the witness in us? We have the witness in us when we believe the witness to us. We have then received the Word into our hearts—and, remember, the Word is the witness.

Now read 1 John 5:1-13. Weigh every word, but note especially verse 10: “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.” Compare this with verse 11: “And this is the record [or witness], that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” This is the unvarying testimony of Scripture. The Spirit’s witness is not a happy feeling in my heart. It is the record of the Word of God as to the work of Christ and its results. When I believe this, the witness is received into my very being, and henceforth “the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16). In other words, God’s testimony, ministered to my soul in the Spirit’s power, and my personal faith in that Word, are in agreement. I know I am God’s child, and all
God’s children are forgiven. So I know that my sins are forgiven also. In a later chapter I hope to say something on another aspect of forgiveness—that which the child of God needs when he fails; but the forgiveness we have had before us is the eternal portion of all who have rested their souls on Christ.