This three-week series, Forgiven: Fully, Freely, Forever, examines forgiveness. Because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, we have forgiveness of sin and relationship with God. This forgiveness is fully given to all who come to Christ. Because it’s given freely in Christ, Christians can freely forgive others. Also, forgiveness in Christ is not temporary, but forever.
Nothing is that good. Nothing lasts that long. Eventually, resources run out. When we see things in life in a finite way, we can struggle to see God’s forgiveness in that final and forever state. It’s too good to be true. Evetually it will run out, we think, or we will have to earn it.
But the writer of Hebrews emphasizes the completeness and forever status of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:12–14).