Israel after making and worshipping a golden calf (Cont'd.)

We see that because of Moses' prayers, God did not wipe out the people. However we see that although he did this, the Lord did plague the people. Sometimes even though God forgives sin, the sins that have already been committed have set in motion a series of sufferings. Sometimes people get forgiven after living a very sinful life; God cleanses them and clears their record so that they are saved and can enter heaven, but here on earth they continue to suffer situations they themselves have created by their foolishness and sins. Sometimes that suffering is in the form of broken homes, diseases that have resulted from sins and other situations. That does not mean, however, that God has not forgiven them nor that they cannot go to Heaven and escape hell.

Israel, under the Old Testament arrangements:

For various sins, specified animal sacrifices were to be brought to the tabernacle or temple. The priests would kill them and burn them on the altar in a specified way, sprinkling their blood on the altar and on the sinner. Throughout the chapters of Leviticus, these offerings were specific and instructions given concerning them so that the sinner could be forgiven. God forbad the eating of blood and said:

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul" (Leviticus 17:11).

After the instructions God then said, "And it shall be forgiven him." See Leviticus 4:20-26, 31, 35; 5:10, 13, 16, 18, and others in the following chapters.

Without forgiveness, God would hold their sins against them and they would be punished.

All of us; everyone (Romans 3:23; 6:23).

How To Be Forgiven.

1. We must go to God through Jesus Christ. In Acts 4:12 we read, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Then in 1 Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all." Then in Hebrews 7:24, "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them." In John 6:37b, Jesus said, "Him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out."
2. Acknowledge your sins to God, sorrow over them and turn from them. This is called repentance. Jesus said, "Except you repent you shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3, 5). "Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
3. Invite Jesus Christ to come into your life. Jesus said in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him...." Read God's promise in Saint John 1:12, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." "He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:17). "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that does not believe shall be condemned" (Mark 16:16).

If you will do these things, you will be forgiven and saved from your sins and their penalty.

What Will Be the Results?