The Assurance Of Forgiveness

He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son,and our sins are forgiven. -Ephesians 1:7.
Seeing their faith,Jesus said to the paralyzed man,"My son,your sins are forgiven." -Mark 2:5.

The Assurance Of Forgiveness
During the Crimean War (1853-1856) the Russians had set up a military hospital to the north of Sebastopol,where the sick and wounded could be treated.One day a severely injured man was admitted whose facial expression showed his terrible suffering.Several times a deaconess tried to get him to talk,but he remained still and silent on his bed.
After a few days he broke his silence.Timidly he asked the sister to answer a question that was tormenting him."What is it?" the deaconess asked.-"Can anyone be absolutely sure that God has forgiven him all his sins?"
The sister was shocked.She had never thought about that and did not know how to answer that dying man,who was watching her with anguish on his face.She sensed that she must not evade the question and that she could only help him with the Word of God.So she went to her rooom,picked up her Bible and looked for the answer.She had no difficulty in finding it,it seemed to be written on every page!
"I am writing to you who are God's children,because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus." -1 John 2:12."But if we confess our sins to him,he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong." -1 John 1:9."God saved you by his special favour when you believed.And you can't take credit for this;it is a gift from God." -Ephesians 2:8."God through Christ has forgiven you." -Ephesians 4:32.
"It really is strange",thought the deaconess,"that I have never paid any attention to that.I have confessed my sins to God and hoped that He would forgive me and save me;but I would have considered it pride to say that I was already redeemed."
Then she remembered a number of examples from the Bible.She thought of the words of Jesus to the paralytic and also to the sinner woman,to whom He said,"Your sins are forgiven. . . .Your faith has saved you;go in peace." -Luke 7:48,50.The criminal crucified alongside Jesus was given the assurance,"I assure you,today you will be with me in paradise." -Luke 23:43.
"All these people" the deaconess said to herself,"had the assurance of forgiveness."As she turned the leaves of her Bible,she wondered how she could have understood so little about forgiveness,and the joyful certainty that she,too,had obtained forgiveness flooded her heart.
Rejoicing in this discovery and strengthened in her faith,she returned to the bed of the dying man to tell him of the examples from the gospels and the statements in the Word of God.
As she spoke,his face brightened up.That was the answer to his prayers and his anxious question.He believed God's promises and,full of trust,surrendered himself to the One who had died for him.
Two people had come to the light,the wounded man to enter eternal rest,and the deaconess to be able to tell others of the forgiveness and blessings she had received from God for the rest of her active life.

Are you often sceptic on whether or not your sins are forgiven? or are you among those who think their sins are too great thus dout if God would really receive and forgive them.To do away with any dout,this is what God said,"No matter how deep the stain of your sins,I can remove it.I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow.Even if you are stained as red as crimson,I can make you as white as wool." -Isaiah 1:18.
If you have been living with douts running through your mind,God's Word has given you all the assurances you need.Believe it by faith,and start living for Jesus now and for the rest of your active days here on earth full of hpoe and joy knowing you are saved.