But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” (Romans 4:5-8)

Forgiven

In a cemetery not far from New York City is a headstone engraved with a name and a single word: Forgiven. There is no date of birth or death. Nothing else is included. The message is simple and unembellished. Nothing else needed to be said for this individual because the sum total of life can truly be defined, whether one is forgiven or not. Whomever the deceased was, they believed in the grace and mercy of God to remove their sin. It did not matter how much wealth they gained in life. The measure of their happiness was not governed by what they enjoyed in this life. All the things that mattered to the world were lost on this person. They had one desire in life, and that was to be forgiven.

Seeking forgiveness comes from the awareness and belief that one is in conflict with God. Many who pass by the headstone and read the inscription lose its significance. They may nod in agreement with the faith of the departed soul, but the impact has little value to their life. For a person who does not recognize a need to be forgiven places no worth on the blood of Jesus and the reality of the wrath of God. They live for themselves. Refusing to acknowledge the need for forgiveness does not remove the need because all men sin and fall short of the glory of God. Every person from Adam who walked in this world bears the burden of sin and the need for forgiveness. Jesus is the only exception as He died after more than thirty years in the flesh, yet without sin.

Forgiven means sin is real and the consequences are eternal. If a man denies there is such a thing as sin, there will never be a desire for forgiveness. As the person who left their testimony on the headstone recognized, death puts a person before God to be judged about sin and whether grace and mercy are to be given. Jesus said most people deny sin and will die unforgiven. That is the greatest tragedy. Very few tombstones can bear the word: Forgiven. Why? Because there is no belief in sin, and without that belief, there is no forgiveness. Most headstones bear the word: Unforgiven.

Jesus died to open the way of salvation for people to find forgiveness. The Lord said in the Sermon on the Mount that not all who say “Lord, Lord,” will be forgiven. Only those who have done the will of the Father will be forgiven. There are great epitaphs inscribed on marble that tell the stories of those who have passed on to eternity. At death, there is only one word that will make a difference: Forgiven. If that word cannot be inscribed on the heart of the deceased, there is no hope. What is on your tombstone?