We need to thank God for the fact that Jesus came to earth, died at Calvary and rose again the third day. Without the blood of Christ no man could be saved from sin.
The debt of sin is too great for man to repay, but Christ paid the debt for all men. If man will obey God, he can have eternal life "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" (Heb. 5:8,9).
In this fact, the hope of all Christians rests. Yet on the Day of Judgment how many who have obeyed the Gospel to get forgiveness will be turned away because they could never forgive others?
Matthew records a parable of the Lord dealing with this subject in Matthew 18:21 - 35. Here the Lord tells of a servant who could not possibly pay the debt he owed. Yet the master forgave him of the debt. This same man went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount, and refused to forgive the man when he said he could not pay. The servant begged for mercy but this man had none for him. Instead of forgiveness he had the man cast into prison. Other servants went and told the master of the forgiven servant’s treatment of his fellow man. The master, being angry delivered the servant he had forgiven to the tormentors. Christians today need to understand this parable. The one who owed so much represents us. We are sinners, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Rom. 3:23).
The debt for our sins is one we can never repay by ourselves. We are without the means of repayment. There is no offering we can make; no sacrifice to burn that will forgive us of our sin. Yet, God our Lord and Master has made a way possible for us to have forgiveness of sins through Christ: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:11-14). If one is willing to accept the pardon God offers, abiding by the commandments of God through obedience to the Gospel, God will forgive. This pardon is extended to all of mankind, if man will obey.