True Repentance Ultimate Forgiveness

• Review

• Can you name the 4 offerings that we have studied?

• The Offering was for what purpose?
• The Offering was for what purpose?
• The Offering was for what purpose?
• The Offering was for what purpose?

• Which one stands out in your mind the most? Why?

2The Reparation (Guilt) Offering

• Guilt offering was an opportunity to make something wrong right again.
• Reparations were made for several offences: (Name a few)
• The Reparation Offering was for sinning “inadvertently against the Lord’s sacred property.” (Leviticus 5:14-24; Numbers 5:6-10)
• The Reparation Offering was for 2 main purposes:
• the : The sin has defrauded God of His holy things. Leviticus 5:14-19
• a : The sin has defrauded a fellow-man by keeping something and swearing falsely about it. Leviticus 6:1-7

3The Proceedings of the Guilt Offering

• The worshipper brought the ram to the high altar. Leviticus 7:1-7
  • Blood was thrown against the altar.
  • The fat and entrails were burned completely.
  • The priest was allowed to eat the meat in a holy place.
  • The Restoration Offering had to be presented in the correct order.
  • Against God; Offering (forgiveness), then Offering.
  • Against a neighbor; Offering, then Offering (forgiveness).

  • Why do you think this order is different?

  • Restoration had to be made for the person offended.
  • This even included a dead person offended – if there was no surviving relative, the 20% went to the priest.
  • If it was land stolen, the land would assumingly be assessed and 20% added to the amount.
  • If an item was stolen, 20% was added to the amount.

4The Meaning in the Reparation Offering

• In a nutshell: Reparation is evidence of .
• God washes the guilt away – there is no question.
• But…showing remorse for sin is sometimes not enough!

• Question: Why was it not enough to just give something back that was taken?

• Question: Where does this “genuine” repentance manifest itself? Where does God ask us to “prove” our genuine repentance?

• Consider this:
  • “Anyone who violates the covenant by defrauding the LORD or another person must confess the sin and make full restitution in order to find full forgiveness and restoration.”

5Amazing Forgiveness

• Jesus died on the cross to make reparations for all that sin had defrauded from God.
• The reparation offering demonstrates that there is another aspect of sin that is not covered by the other sacrifices.
• Sin corrupted everything.

6Read: Colossians 1:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

• Jesus’ death compensated God for our sin.
• That is why it is no longer necessary to attempt to compensate God for our failures.
• Jesus paid the perfect sacrifice that never needs to be paid again.
• "…because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy…
• “…Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin."
• (Hebrews 10:14-18, NIV)
• Forgiveness is not a hope – it is a promise.

• Note: If someone’s offering of repentance is sincere; what is our response to be?

• If we do not forgive, God will not forgive us. (CF: the Lord’s Prayer)
• WE have been given the message of “reconciliation” – we are NOT to stifle that process.
• A penitent comes in humility but leaves restored by .
• Ours is not just the message of offering forgiveness, but others that forgiveness has been offered.

• Question: How do we mirror God’s forgiveness to others?

• “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.”
• “…Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
• (Psalm 32:1-5, NIV)

7Next Week: Special Speaker - “Proofs of God’s Powerful Hand”

• (supplement Romans 1 – MBC Sunday AM series)