Charles Stanley (April 9, 2025) Daily Devotional: The God Who Forgives.
Regularly seeking forgiveness keeps the pathway of fellowship open.
Matthew 6:9-13 - ``Pray, then, in this way: `Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 `Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 `Give us this day our daily bread. 12 `And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 `And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [ For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.']
Jesus gave His followers a pattern for prayer that includes seeking forgiveness every day. Regular repentance is not a means of renewing our salvation. Instead, it’s a maintenance plan for our fellowship with God.
When we trust Jesus as our Savior, our sins are forgiven forever—the stains from our past, present, and future wrongs are wiped away. The tendency to sin, however, remains part of the human experience, though its influence decreases the more we’re conformed to Christ’s image.
With the exception of Jesus, no one is perfect. So, while on earth, we will all deal with sin and its consequences. The Lord’s admonition to seek daily forgiveness is a reminder to confess our sins and turn away from them because we are forgiven.
God’s grace is not a license to sin. Instead, it’s a reason to continuously pursue righteousness. Bad attitudes, thoughtless actions, and unkind speech do not fit who we are as new creatures in Christ.
Salvation makes a way for us to enter God’s presence, whereas confession and repentance (1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.) keep the pathway maintained. The “sinner’s prayer” needs to be said only once, but a saint will tap into God’s forgiveness every day throughout life.
Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 15-17
