Is.59:2(Amp) says, "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His Face from you, so that He will not hear you."  When reading the rest of this chapter, you realize that Jesus was to be the Intercessor Who would remove mankind's sins and restore right standing for us before God.  Through Jesus, we now have Eternal Life.  Jesus explains what Eternal Life is in John17:3(Amp), saying, "And this is Eternal Life (it means) to know, to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand You, the Only True and Real God, and likewise to know Him, Jesus as the Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent."

     Through Jesus, sin wasn't just forgiven, but removed and eradicated, to where there is no more remembrance of its existence.  2Cor.5:21(Amp) says, "For our sake He made Christ virtually to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him, we might become (endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of) the Righteousness of God; what we ought to be, approved and accepted and in right standing and in right relationship with Him by His Goodness."

     Now that we have been made righteous in and through Jesus, the Eternal Life He described as "to know God," is ours to enter into and enjoy.  Too few have entered into this honor and privilege today.  We continue to hold onto things we were taught by others who believe we're only "old sinners saved by Grace."  We were old sinners and by Grace we were saved, but we're no longer old sinners.  Rom.8:16-17(Amp) tells us that we are God's children, "heirs with God and joint heirs with Jesus."

     We need to realize and accept that the sin which separated us from God has been done away with, by the new creation in Jesus.  God is once again our Father and there is no separation between Him and us.  We must have faith in what Jesus did on the cross and His Resurrection.  Heb.4:16(Amp) says, "We now have boldness to come openly before God's Throne of Grace at any time, to receive, find help in our time of need."

     Heb.10:1-2,10(Amp) says, "For since the Law has merely a shadow (a mere outline), foreshadowing of the good things to come-instead of fully expressing those things, it can never by offering the same sacrifices continually year after year, make perfect those who approach its altars. For if it were otherwise, would these sacrifices not have stopped being offered? Since the worshipers had once for all been cleansed; they would no longer have any guilt or consciousness of sin."  Verse10 goes on, "In accordance with this will of God, we have been made holy, consecrated and sanctified through the Offering made once for all of the Body of Jesus Christ,the Anointed One."  It's difficult to accept Jesus' Words that, "Eternal Life is knowing God and being at rest and peace in His Presence," when the condemnation of our past sins remains present in our hearts. 

     We've returned to religious ceremonies, in order to approach God on our own, leaving out the Supernatural things of our salvation.  Heb.11:6(Amp) says, "But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him (God). For whosoever would come near to God must necessarily believe that God exists and that He is the Rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him out."

     We can't exercise faith in Jesus' Sacrifice, with the sin consciousness holding us back.  We can't approach God like we should and as He desires, without faith in Jesus' Sacrifice.  Eternal Life is knowing God, but some still find it hard to accept even after being saved.  The separation between them and the Father remains, by their sin consciousness.  We either believe that Jesus accomplished all that was needed to reunite us with the Father or we believe we must do it on our own.  Man-made laws and rituals cannot do what Jesus, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world, did for us.  If Jesus didn't accomplish this by His Sacrifice, then we are still dead in trespass and sin before God.

     This is why Paul instructs in Heb.11:6, "Without faith [in what Jesus did]. it is impossible to please God and be satisfactory before Him."  Jesus says in John10:9(Amp), "I AM THE DOOR; anyone who enters in through Me, will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out freely, and will find pasture."  Jesus is the Only Door into the Father's Presence.  He is our Eternal life, our place in the family of God, our Righteousness, our only hope of knowing God.  We must place our faith in the Blood Sacrifice of Jesus, in which we live and move and have our being."

      

     

    

The Reason for Forgiveness Lesson 3

     In Is.59:1-2,16-21(Amp), God tell us that, "Sin made a separation between His people and Himself."  In Vs.16-21 God tells us that, "Through Jesus, our Redeemer and Intercessor, God has provided us a way back to Himself."  

    Many want to argue about what they have or don't have, saying, "God doesn't do that today."  Jesus gave a Parable in Matt.21:33, about a vineyard owner and a vineyard.  The owner needed help harvesting the fruit of his vineyard, so he hired workers to do so.  Every believer has been called to work in God's vineyard, going into all the world to preach the Gospel.  Through Jesus, the sin problem has been dealt with and God can reach His people with His Presence and Blessing

     The Master of the vineyard gave the same promise to every worker.  The workers who were hired first, were promised a wage for their service.  Those who were hired later and even those who were hired at the end of the harvest, received the same reward or wage for their service.  Some complained about their working longer and receiving the same wage.  The Master paid the promised reward.  

     Some in today's Church are receiving and experiencing the Revelation of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, healing, Blessings and more, while others aren't.  Like the workers, they complain, thinking they should have all these things.  The Truth of this Parable is that God is the Master and has Promised us all the very same wage.  It's been ours all this time, but we feel as though others received more.  Jesus gives "The Parable of the Talents, in Matt.25:14-25, where He teaches about the Master giving the same sum of money to several men.  One man invested his sum, earning interest and making a profit.  Another took his wage and buried it, because he didn't know the master enough to trust him.

     Jesus tells us what Eternal Life is, in John17:3(Amp), saying it means "to know, recognize, perceive, become acquainted with and understand the Father and Himself."  There are many reasons why some believers fail to take what the Master has offered, even though we were all Promised the same reward when we were called to God's family.  When first saved, I didn't know much scripture, but I did know the Author.  I received criticism from those who were Christians before me, as I went about laying hands on people, casting out demons and walking in God's Presence.  They had been Christians and church goes longer, and felt like a reformed drunkard (me) had received more than they did.  They asked, "Why would God allow such a person to walk in these things, when we can't?"

     The Truth is that they could have walked in these things too, but didn't.  They were saved before me and felt cheated.  They had buried what they'd been given, instead of investing in the Kingdom.  Some take offense when I speak about those "who have chosen God," saying, "God chooses us, we don't choose Him."  This is true to the extent that we were chosen before the foundation of the world, but now that we are chosen, do we find people in the Body of Christ who choose to walk in a different place with the Mast, that others don't walk?

     The British Evangelist, Smith Wigglesworth, chose God above all else and God used him in a mighty way that we don't see often today.  Was it because he was "God's favorite" or because he forsook all else for the choice to know God in a way that many have chosen not to do?  Religion doesn't always teach us to know God, as it does to know about Him.  The very choice Smith Wigglesworth made is available to every child of God today.  It

is available to "whosoever will."

     We're not just saved so we can go to Heaven, but so we can know Him in Truth and He in turn can have fellowship with us again.  Religion has taught us so many reasons why "the Supernatural is not for us today."  Relationship reveals to us all the things that are still ours through Jesus, in order to set the captives free and be laborers in God's Vineyard.  The greatest privilege God has granted to mankind, is that we're able to know Him on a personal level.  We can come to Him, hear from Him, talk with Him and know His heart, will and Love.

     I'm not saying that believers who don't do these things are "not born-again."  They just haven't entered into the joy of Heaven, while still on this earth.  We were all called to walk in the Master's Vineyard and the reward is the same for all who do so.  We shouldn't complain about how some received more than others or how it's a hard thing.  

     It's not a difficult task to walk with the Father in close fellowship.  Many believers are just "hanging on until the end."  It's a privilege and honor in which God will always reward us for.  He will always reward us for being faithful to His Purpose.  Sometimes we struggle to keep our flesh under, but the closer we walk with the Father, the easier it becomes.  When we Rest in Him, it becomes easy.  You cannot make a mistake that God can't fix, if you stay in His Presence and fellowship with Him.  Messing up doesn't mean God can't fix it and use us.