Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 170, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1915 — The Forgiveness of Sin [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Forgiveness of Sin

By REV. L. W. GOSNELL

AaaUat to the Dean, Moody BUo at Chicago

TEXT—Blessed Is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord Imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.—Psalm 32:1, 2.

Psalm 32 is supposed to have been written after the visit of Nathan to

David. The guilty king has found pardon for his sin and here voices his gladness. In our text, three words are used to describe our offenses against God: “transgression” means rebellion against authority; “sin” is missing the mark, both of God’s standard and our anticipations; "iniquity” is dlstor-

tion, crookedness. Likewise, three words are used to describe God’s gracious dealing with sin: it is “forgiven," lifted up as a burden; “covered,” and so hidden from sight; it Is not "imputed,” but canceled like a debt. Men speak lightly of forgiveness until a deep sense of sin settles upon them, then they wonder whether their guilt may be put away; they no longer question the Bible teaching on the punishment of sin, but find it difficult to believe in its forgiveness. For such troubled souls we have good news.

To bfegin with, the Bible revelation of God is full of comfort for them. He is “the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” God was revealed in Jesus Christ, and we knew our Lord’s attitude to the penitent during the days of his flesh. The woman who bathed his feet with tears, the shrinking adulteress, publicans and sinners, all attest that there is forgiveness with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Peace Through the Cross. But it is at Calvary, especially, that assurance for the penitent is found. Such a soul will not be satisfied lightly. He demands that, for the awfulness of his sin. some awful reparation be made. But the cross fully meets this demand. God’s Son, our substitute, holy and undeflled, hung there, and all God’s waves and billows swept over him. Calvary tells of love, indeed, but it also tells of wrath, for the wrath of God against Bin exhausted itself in the dark hour of the crucifixion. This is the meaning of the Savior’s cry, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” That such provision has been made is further attested by the experience of men. Luther tells us that the pains of hell got hold upon him, but when he looked to the wounds of Christ he found peace. John Wesley, after seeking rest for his soul for years, trusted in Christ and felt his heart strangely warmed and assured. Spurgeon was so happy when he experienced forgiveness that he wanted to tell the crows of the field about it. These men were not deluded; the experience of Luther led to the Reformation, that of Wesley to the Evangelical revival and that of Spurgeon to years of a fruitful ministry.

Sin Against the Holy Ghost. But though so clearly attested, we occasionally meet one who declares this blessing is not for him, for he has committed the sin of which Christ said it “hath never forgiveness”—the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. But what is this sin? As the result of careful study one writer gives this definition: “The blasphemous manifestation in word or deed of an internal state of soul to which a man has arrived by a continual resistance and increasing opposition to the clearest and most undoubted* revelation of God’s spirit; which state, when once attained, is one of contemptuous and malicious hatred of all that pertains to the Son of God and which, by its very nature, is bound to manifest itself as such.” We never met a souk troubled over this sin, who gave evidence of having descended to such depths of willful opposition to Christ. Indeed, one who has committed this sin will not be distressed over it, and the fact of distress is Itself an encouragement. Over against all our fears stands the word of Christ, “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.” ’ . :» How we should love him who forgives so much! the psalmist say*. “There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared,” fear here meaning reverent love. A story is told of General Havelock which illustrate* thiß text One of his soldiers violated regulations and continued to do so in spite of discipline. Someone asked the general If he had “tried forgiving" the offender, and the suggestion waa acted upon. The soldier was sent for, and came defiant, expecting another reprimand. He was surprised when his officer said, kindly: “Johnstone, I have determined in the queen’s name to forgive you all these offenses." Jlfc went away a subdued and man and gave no further trouble. ' J,,