Before you can truly walk in freedom, you must first experience
the Ultimate Fresh Start – being forgiven by God.
Forgiveness is God’s gift to you, canceling the debt of your sin – not because you’ve earned it, but because of His love and mercy. But God’s heart isn’t just to forgive you — it’s to restore you and bring healing and wholeness to every area of your life. And that restoration starts with something vital: Repentance.
“But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:3 (NIV)
Repentance is all about a total change of heart - turning from a desire to do YOUR will to a desire to do HIS will, from a “me first” life to a “Jesus first” life.
This turning point is often marked by sorrow. But there’s a big difference between feeling regret over the painful consequences of your choices and conviction about the choices themselves. The writers of Scripture call the first “worldly sorrow”, which leads only to more misery and regret. The second is “godly sorrow,” which leads to repentance - opening the door to forgiveness and real freedom.
"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV)
How to be Forgiven by God
- Confess the “me first” attitudes that have ruled your life - pride, bitterness, jealousy, unforgiveness, control... acknowledging that these things are sin, not just bad habits or mistakes, but rebellion against God.
“But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:3 (NIV)
"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV)
- Repent and turn from these sins. Ask God to forgive you for each one expressed in thought, word, or deed in your life, and thank Him for sending His Son, Jesus, to die for all your sins.
- Surrender your life to Jesus as Lord. Tell Him you are yielding to His supreme power and authority, and that you are ready for Him to make any changes He wants to make in your life.
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Romans 10:9-10. (NIV)
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)
Now... you can forgive others as you have been forgiven!
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)