Unforgiven

Let’s look now at a third term, found in Romans 4:6‑7. ‘Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.’ The word imputeth means ‘to put on the account.’ It’s a bookkeeping term, and is used when something is charged to a person’s account. God says there are some people to whom He has imputed righteousness. Notice that the righteousness He is speaking of is imputed to them and did not come because they worked for it.

Notice then in verse 7 He describes these same people as having their iniquities [sins] forgiven. Obviously, for God to say He has forgiven their iniquities there had to be a time in their life when their iniquities were unforgiven.

Remember we are talking about how God sees those who have no relation with Him. Every person born in the world has sinned against God. We have violated His law and mistreated Him. We are guilty, lost, unrighteous, and therefore in the state of not being forgiven by God.

Forgiveness is not something you get on your own. It must come from the other person.

Suppose I went down into the congregation and slapped someone on the face very hard just because I felt like it. Then I declared myself forgiven and walked away. Would that be forgiveness? Can I give myself forgiveness when I have wronged someone else? No, of course not. If I am to have forgiveness, the person I slapped has to forgive me. The person who is sinned against has to give the forgiveness. It won’t do me any good to strut around and say, ‘I’m forgiven because I said I’m forgiven. I say it is all right now, so it is okay.’

Yet that is how most people on earth live their lives, isn’t it? They walk around declaring that they are okay, yet they have never been forgiven by God. The Bible declares that we have all wronged God. We have all sinned against Him. Wait until you meet up with God and see what happens then. When you stand before God, you will realise it is not you who can forgive yourself. God says there are many people who have not been forgiven.