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Give Thanks for Forgiveness

On the fourth Thursday of November, Americans gather for a special holiday called Thanksgiving. It is not a Christian holiday like Christmas or Easter, but many Christians use the day as an opportunity to focus their thoughts on God, who is the Giver of every good gift. Around the world, Christians of all traditions gather at various times to convene thanksgiving services. There, believers are encouraged to express their gratitude to the Lord, according to Scripture, for His bountiful blessings.

While the Thanksgiving holiday and thanksgiving services give us specific days and gatherings to give our thanks to God, we can all strive to express the same spirit of gratitude through our lives every day. As believers, we have a particular and profound reason to be thankful: through Jesus Christ, we have been redeemed. That’s something we can be grateful for every day!

Jesus’ blood was shed for the remission of our sin. That means we have been completely released from the guilt or penalty of our past sin. Of course, remission of sin comes with a cost. It involves a payment in full, as if a debt is no longer owed. Jesus’ blood was shed for the remission of our sin.

In the Old Testament, the people of God were forgiven when the priest made atonement for their sins through the sacrifice of bulls, goats, or some other animal. These blood sacrifices had to be repeated regularly to atone for newly committed sins. Now, we experience forgiveness through Jesus’ sacrifice. He has remitted our transgressions, once and for all.

Our enemy, the devil, will try time and time again to convince us that our transgressions still remain. His lies threaten us; they are a mystifying cloud of influence to discourage us. We must recognize this enemy of our souls and resist him. Then, we can begin to walk in the wonderful freedom of Christ who has come to live His life through us.

Thought of the Day: Through Christ, my transgressions have been remitted. I can walk in newness of life and give thanks every day for this great gift of forgiveness!