There is but one thing that limits the divine pardon, and that is continuous rejection of it.
Whoever seeks to be pardoned _is_ pardoned.
III. The manner of the divine forgiveness.
He pardoned, but He also inflicted punishment, and in both He loves equally. The worst, that is the spiritual, consequences (which are the punishments) of sin, namely separation and alienation from God, He removes in the very act of forgiveness, but His pardon does not affect the natural consequences. 'Thou wast a God that forgavest them and tookest vengeance of their inventions,' says a psalmist in reference to this very incident. Thank God that He loves us too wisely and well not to let us by experience 'know that it is a bitter thing to forsake the Lord.'
It is a blessing that He does so, and a sign that we are pardoned, if we rightly use it.
IV. The vehicle of the divine forgiveness.
The Mediator. Moses here may be taken as a dim shadow of Christ.
'Moses was faithful in all his house' but Jesus is the true Mediator, whose intercession consists in presenting the constant efficacy of His sacrifice, and to whom God ever says, 'I have pardoned according to Thy word.'
Trust utterly to Him. You cannot weary out the forgiving love of God. 'Christ ever liveth to make intercession'; with God is 'plenteous redemption.' 'He shall redeem Israel out of _all_ his iniquities.'
'... I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift.'--NUM. xviii. 7.
All Christians are priests--to offer sacrifices, alms, especially prayers; to make God known to men.
I. Our priesthood is a gift of God's love.
We are apt to think of our duties as burdensome. They are an honour and a mark of God's grace.
1. They are His gift--
_(a)_ The power to do. All capacities and possessions from Him.
_(b)_ The wish to do. 'Worketh in you to will.'
_(c)_ The right to do, through Christ.
2. They are a blessing.
_(a)_ Note the good effects on ourselves--the increase of fellowship with Him, the strengthening of all holy desires.
_(b)_ The future benefits. Apply this to prayer and to effort on behalf of our fellow-men.
II. Our priesthood is to be done as a service--under a sense of obligation to a master, with diligence (an [Greek: ergon], not a [Greek: parergon]).
III. Our priesthood is to be done as a gift to God--to be done joyfully, giving ourselves back to Him: 'Yield yourselves unto God'--'your reasonable service.'
Then only do we really possess ourselves, and 'all things are ours, for we are Christ's, and Christ is God's.'