1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
On 14th June 1830, President Andrew Jackson faced an unusual situation. He had granted a full presidential pardon to a man named George Wilson, who had been sentenced to death for robbery with violence. This should have been a moment of joy and celebration, but it wasn’t because George Wilson did something completely unexpected.
He rejected the pardon. He refused to accept it, insisting that it could never be valid unless he chose to receive it. This created a legal crisis that went all the way to the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice John Marshall was forced to render this extraordinary verdict:
“It is hardly to be supposed that one under sentence of death would refuse to accept a pardon; but if it is refused, it is no pardon. George Wilson must be hanged.”
And so, George Wilson died – not because a pardon wasn’t available, not because the President was unwilling to grant mercy, but because he refused to accept what had been freely offered.
George Wilson rejected the pardon extended to him.
However, Wilson is not the only one to do so. We too are guilty, for time and again we have turned away from the forgiveness freely offered to us.
We are so haunted by our past mistakes, shame, and guilt that we feel our sins are too great for God to forgive. But like George Wilson, many of us are dying under the weight of condemnation – not because forgiveness isn’t available, but because we refuse to accept it.
We are so haunted by our past mistakes, shame, and guilt that we feel our sins are too great for God to forgive.
Today we are going to learn how to accept God’s forgiveness and find the freedom from guilt that He offers. Forgiveness is yours, if you accept it. Not earn it, not deserve it, not work for it – but accept it.
The Prison of Unforgivable Guilt
Let’s be honest about where many of us live. We’ve constructed prisons in our minds with bars made of past mistakes, walls built from regret, and doors locked by the belief that some sins are simply too great for grace to reach.
Perhaps you are thinking of that moment (the one only you know, hidden among the secrets you hold close). It could be a choice that changed your life for the worse, words you spoke that you can never take back, or a lie that grew into deception, leaving a guilt that never fades. These are the dark secrets that come with a voice whispering, “This is unforgivable. You’ve gone too far. Even God cannot fix this.”
But that voice is not God’s voice. That condemnation doesn’t come from heaven. It comes from the enemy of your soul who wants you to believe the lie that you’re beyond redemption.
The Radical Nature of God’s Forgiveness
Scripture tells us something revolutionary about God’s forgiveness. In Psalm 103:12, we read: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Think about that image. East and west never meet – they are infinitely distant from each other. That’s how far God removes your sin when you come to Him.
The prophet Micah uses the imagery of the sea to illustrate God’s forgiveness, declaring that He will “cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18-19), signifying complete and total forgiveness. You can read our article “God Has Cast All Our Sins into the Depths of the Sea (Meaning and Message of Micah 7:18-19)”, where we explore Micah 7:18-19 in depth to further enrich your study.
Consider the thief on the cross next to Jesus. Here was a man who had lived a life of crime, who was dying for his actions. Yet in his final hours, when he turned to Jesus and said, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom,” Jesus didn’t give him a list of things to do first. He didn’t say, “First you need to make amends.” He simply said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42, 43).
The woman caught in adultery expected stones. She received mercy. (John 8:1-11)
The prodigal son expected to be treated as a servant. He received a robe, a ring, and a celebration. (Luke 15:11-32)
The Barrier Isn’t God’s Unwillingness (It’s Our Acceptance)
One thing becomes clear as you study your Bible: God isn’t withholding forgiveness from you. You’re withholding acceptance from yourself. The barrier isn’t God’s unwillingness – it’s learning how to accept what He freely offers.
When Jesus cried out on the cross, “It is finished,” the Greek word used is “tetelestai” which is a term used in commerce meaning “paid in full” (John 19:28-30). Your debt has been settled. The price has been paid. The forgiveness is already purchased and waiting for you.
But forgiveness, like any gift, must be received. You can stand outside in the rain while holding an umbrella in your hand, but you’ll still get wet until you open it. God’s forgiveness is the umbrella, but you must open it over your life.
How to Accept Your Forgiveness: Three Essential Steps
Forgiveness, like any gift, must be received. Here’s how:
1. Confess Sincerely
First John 1:9 begins with “If we confess our sins.” This isn’t about informing God of something He doesn’t know. It’s about agreeing with God about the reality of our condition. It’s saying, “Yes, Lord, I have sinned. I have fallen short. I need Your grace.”
There’s power in honest confession. When we drag our sins into the light of God’s presence, we discover they lose their power to control us through shame.
2. Trust Completely
The verse continues: “he is faithful and just and will forgive us.” Notice it doesn’t say “might” or “could”—it says “will.” God’s forgiveness isn’t based on your performance; it’s based on His character. He is faithful to His promises and just in His dealings.
God’s forgiveness isn’t based on your performance; it’s based on His character. He is faithful to His promises and just in His dealings.
You don’t have to feel forgiven to be forgiven. You don’t have to understand how forgiveness works to receive it. You simply have to trust that when God says you’re forgiven, you are forgiven.
You don’t have to feel forgiven to be forgiven. You don’t have to understand how forgiveness works to receive it. You simply have to trust that when God says you’re forgiven, you are forgiven.
3. Accept Fully
This is often the hardest step. We must choose to accept what God has declared about us rather than what our guilt tells us. When shame whispers, “You’re still dirty,” we must speak back: “God says I am clean.” When condemnation says, “You’re still guilty,” we must declare: “God says I am justified.”
What Changes When You Accept Forgiveness?
When you truly accept God’s forgiveness, it transforms everything:
Your past becomes a testimony rather than a prison. Your mistakes become stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks. Your story becomes a beacon of hope for others still trapped in guilt rather than a source of perpetual shame.
You don’t have to spend the rest of your life trying to earn what has already been freely given. You don’t have to punish yourself for what Christ has already punished Himself for on your behalf.
You don’t have to spend the rest of your life trying to earn what has already been freely given. You don’t have to punish yourself for what Christ has already punished Himself for on your behalf.
The Choice Before You
Today, you have a choice. You can leave here still carrying the burden you walked in with, still believing the lie that your sin is too great for grace. Or you can leave here knowing that forgiveness is yours – not because you deserve it, but because Christ has made it available and you have chosen to accept it.
Remember, the prison door of guilt is not locked from the outside. It’s locked from the inside. And you hold the key. That key is learning to accept what Christ has already provided. Will you take these steps today?
Let me close with this promise from Isaiah 43:25: “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”
Your heavenly Father is not keeping a record of your wrongs. He’s not waiting for you to grovel longer or suffer more. He’s waiting with open arms for you to simply come home and accept the forgiveness that is already, completely, totally yours.
Forgiveness is yours, if you accept it. The only question that remains is: Will you?
Prayer:
Father, for those who struggle to believe their sins can be forgiven, open their hearts to receive the gift of grace. Help them to trust not in their ability to be good enough, but in Your promise to make them clean. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
- How to Accept God’s Forgiveness and Find Freedom from Guilt - September 27, 2025
- “I Can’t Believe He Touched Me!” (Mark 1:41 Devotional) - July 4, 2025
- The Holy Communion: Where Past, Present, and Future Meet - December 27, 2024
