|
Though it is difficult for the human mind to comprehend no sin is beyond
God's ability and willingness to forgive. This confident belief is based on the inspired
Word of God, which we believe and trust implicitly. According to Ephesians 4:32, God for Christ's sake has graciously forgiven us. He has also promised, "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more" (Hebrews 10:17). There is no promise God cannot keep, no prayer God will not answer, and no problem too hard for Him to solve. The
gracious Father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son is a perfect example of forgiveness extended even after one has been
shunned and exploited (Read
Luke 15:11-32). There is only
one sin for which one is not promised forgiveness: blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit. "I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies
of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never he forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin" (Mark
3:28,29). Much has been speculated and written on the meaning of this blasphemy, but it seems certain
to be some deliberate persistence in evil and a conscious rejection of God's provision
of salvation after one knows the reality of redemption.
God forgives any sin for which a person desires to be forgiven. He will not forgive sin for which one has no desire to
be forgiven. God Loves us Just the
way we are. But He Loves us too much to Leave us that way. The words of an old gospel song
read, "Such love, such wondrous love ~ that God should love a sinner such as I, How wonderful is love like this." God's loving forgiveness grows out of His remarkable grace. "Where sin increased, grace increased all the more" (Romans 5:20). Faithful believers are chosen
by God's grace; "and if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were,
grace would no longer be grace" (Romans 11:5,6). The
basic meaning of grace is that God is for us. Grace is
summed up in the person of Jesus Christ, God's free gift for mankind's
salvation. There is no limit to God's love and grace; it
reaches beyond the scope of our comprehension.
|
Concerns: As recipients of God's grace and forgiveness, Christians have a responsibility to do more than experience God's love for themselves. When we accept Christ, we
are to participate in His love through biblical living
and sharing. Reformation without Transformation
leads to greater Degradation. Just as there is no limit to God's
forgiveness to us, there should be no limit to our forgiveness of those who wrong
us. In response to Peter's question to Jesus about forgiving a brother who might sin against him, Jesus said, "I tell you,
not seven times, but seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:22). Our forgiveness of others should be as limitless as God's forgiveness is toward us. Just
as God's grace and forgiveness are incomprehensible to finite mankind, so is
the expectation that we can repeatedly forgive others. But when God asks us to
do something, He gives the help of His Holy Spirit to do it. The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us!
|