Spiritual Growth / Repentance and Forgiveness

  • Repenting of Our Righteousness

    Isaiah 64:6

    Today’s passage reminds us that God does not grade on a curve. We may consider ourselves better than others on a human level when we evaluate ourselves by imperfect human standards of justice, but the Lord evaluates us by ...Read More

  • Rescue the Wanderer

    James 5:19–20

    All of us have an important part to play in the salvation of others. While we ourselves could never save another soul, God uses us as tools to help place His Word in the hearts of His elect. As Calvin ...Read More

  • Resisting the Sinful Nature

    Galatians 6:1–18

    As we finish our study of Galatians, consider anew Paul’s defense of the Gospel. All in whom the Spirit has worked must continue to fulfill the law of Christ. We are not redeemed to live independently. God gave the ...Read More

  • Restoration Fulfilled?

    2 Chronicles 36:22-23

    Even though the citizens of Judah returned to the Promised Land beginning around 538 BC, the restoration did not take place as God had foretold — on account of impenitence. Hundreds of years after the return, He sent His one and ...Read More

  • Sin That Leads to Death

    1 John 5:16–17

    While we may struggle to understand what the sin leading to death is, this verse encourages us to pray for one another. And even though John does not suggest praying for the person who has committed the sin leading to ...Read More

  • Suffering in the Spirit

    Romans 8:18–30

    How long has it been since you experienced any of the groaning Paul refers to in Romans 7 and 8? Is it possible that you have allowed your conscience to become hardened to your own waywardness? Ask the Lord to ...Read More

  • Tender Mercies

    Psalm 51:1–3

    If you have asked the Lord to have mercy on you in Christ and forgive you of your sin, then He has washed you clean (1 John 1:8–9). Moreover, we must imitate God (Eph. 5:1) and be ...Read More

  • Testifying of God’s Mercy

    Psalm 51

    Read John 4:1–42. What did the woman do when she heard that Jesus was the Messiah? What was the result of her testimony? Do you feel compelled to tell others of the mercy of Christ? Think through your ...Read More

  • The Church and Forgiveness

    John 20:19–23

    John Calvin comments that Christ “does not convey to [the Apostles and their successors] what is peculiar to himself. It belongs to him to forgive sins… . [Instead, He] enjoins them, in his name, to proclaim the forgiveness of sins, that ...Read More

  • The Church is Holy

    1 Corinthians 1:2

    Through the blood of Christ, God sees His church as holy, although He is by no means ignorant of the sin that persists in our lives. Yet this declaration of holiness gives us confidence that we can make real progress ...Read More

  • The Costs and Demands of Love

    Philemon 17-18

    Are you hesitating to do something that godly love compels you to do? If so, then may Philemon encourage you to stop putting it off and move forward today. Insofar as we are able, we must seek to be reconciled ...Read More

  • The Deception of Empty Words

    Ephesians 5:6

    There are men and women struggling with sexual sin in all of our congregations. They want to please God and are seeking to mortify the flesh, and we should do all that we can to help them. This means creating ...Read More

  • The Disciples’ Prayer

    Matthew 6:9–15

    Lack of forgiveness, we learn in today’s passage, may prove a lack of faith. No matter how hard it may be to forgive others, we simply cannot call ourselves followers of Christ if we do not forgive those who ...Read More

  • The Duty of Forgiveness

    Colossians 3:12–14

    The forgiveness we enjoy from God in Christ Jesus has consequences for our lives. First, we are absolved from guilt and never need to fear His wrath again. Furthermore, God’s forgiveness means that we, too, must forgive those who ...Read More

  • The Fifth Petition

    Psalm 143:1–2

    When we ask the Father to forgive us in Jesus’ name, we are asking Him to do something that He has promised to do. Therefore, we can be confident that He forgives us when we seek His face. This is ...Read More