Separate

Eph. 2:12 (NIV)
remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

What is the point of forgiveness? What motivates us to seek God's forgiveness? Do we seek forgiveness to the end that we escape hell? Do we seek forgiveness to the end that we gain hell? Do we seek forgiveness to relieve our guilty conscience? If you answered yes to any of the previous questions then you need to re-evaluate the motivation for your seeking God's forgiveness. The sole motivation for seeking forgiveness is a restored relationship. Thus we must see that restoration is the reason we are forgiven by God. I have often hurt others by my word and my actions. I soon seek their forgiveness, but not to relieve my conscience, or because I fear what I might lose, but I want our relationship to be restored. To receive the verbal forgiveness of a lost friend or loved one without a restored relationship would not benefit either they or myself. Remember that you were separate from Christ. Without God in the world. Seek His forgiveness and the restoration of your lost relationship.