Forgiving Sin, Redeeming Sinners

I had this conversation with someone yesterday and got up this morning still thinking about it.  So I'll post the essence of it because it might encourage you today.

Jesus Christ forgives sin and redeems sinners.

You may need to hear that as this:  Jesus Christ doesn't just forgive sin, He also redeems sinners.

I wonder if sometimes we forget that when we sin against God, confess our sin, and receive His forgiveness, that there's also a reconciling of the relationship.  The Enemy would want us to think that we might be forgiven but God's not really on our side anymore, that He's brooding and pouting, that He's still mad even though he went through the machinations to say, "You're forgiven" (not unlike my kids do sometimes - say what they're supposed to say to their siblings even though it's not coming from their hearts).

I offer to you that when He forgives, He also reconciles and redeems.  He brings you into right relationship.  He's not angry.  He's not pouting.

If He still held relational distance between Himself and you, then Jesus' death was merely judicial and not relational.  Jesus only bought us the legal forgiveness, not the relational wholeness.

That's clearly not the case.  Jesus purchased for us forgiveness.  And reconciliation (2 Cor. 5.18-20).  And adoption (Eph. 1.4).  And redemption (Eph. 1.7).  And we could go on.

Right standing.  Right relationship.  Forgiving sin.  Redeeming sinners.

But that's just me thinking thoughts...