Too many Christians have a very flawed view/understanding of Almighty God. They think of God as a harsh and exacting tyrant, instead of the loving, compassionate and merciful entity who is the reality. Unfortunately, for too many of us, God is perpetually pissed off and just itching to zap some miserable sinning human somewhere! For these folks, we are as loathsome insects before the Jolly Green Giant who might step on anyone of us at the drop of a hat and make us all squishy and very dead! Little human tenders dangling over the fires of hell, and the string holding us above the flames is on fire! Well, you get the picture.
There are also a large number of folks who have convinced themselves (often with a great deal of assistance from the judgmental self-righteous) that they are irredeemable - that their sins are simply too great to be forgiven. These folks are convinced that there is a limit to God's patience, and that they have exceeded it. They believe that their sins are simply too great - too awful - for God to forgive. Many of these folks believe that they are headed for the Lake of Fire, and no one is going to convince them otherwise. In other words, without meaning to, they diminish God and his power to forgive sins.
Jesus revealed to Nicodemus, "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." - John 3:16-17, NLT Indeed, even in the Old Testament, God is portrayed as someone who wanted to redeem sinners. In the book of Ezekiel, we read: "Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: You are saying, ‘Our sins are heavy upon us; we are wasting away! How can we survive?’ As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?" - Ezekiel 33:10-11, NLT Likewise, in the book of Isaiah, we read: "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool." - Isaiah 1:18, NLT Notice, in both Testaments, God is portrayed as someone who wants sinners to be saved.
In Paul's first epistle to Timothy, we are informed that God wants everyone to be saved (I Timothy 2:4). In the second epistle attributed to Peter, we learn that God doesn't want anyone to be destroyed and would prefer that everyone decided to repent (II Peter 3:9). This is consistent with a God who is described as the personification of love (I John 4:8, 16). After all, the Apostle Paul stated that love is "patient and kind" and "keeps no record of being wronged." (I Corinthians 13:4-5) He went on to say that love "never gives up...is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance." (I Corinthians 13:7)
The Apostle Paul had persecuted Christ's Church and wrote to Timothy: "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life." - I Timothy 1:12-16, NLT In other words, if God could forgive Paul, "He" can surely forgive you!
In the Gospel of Matthew, we are informed that Peter once asked Christ about forgiveness. "How often should I forgive someone who sins against me? - Seven times?" - Matthew 18:21, NLT "'No, not seven times,' Jesus replied, 'but seventy times seven!'" - Matthew 18:22, NLT In other words, you must forgive them every time they sin against you! And, if that is the standard which God expects of us, then how much greater must be God's capacity for forgiveness? Humans are limited. God is without limits. Indeed, earlier in this same account, Christ said that ANY sin was capable of being forgiven by God except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31). Why that one? Because the person who commits this sin has effectively declared that God doesn't have the power/ability to do something (like forgive a particularly obnoxious/bad sin)!
Paul told the saints at Philippi that the One who had begun a good work in them was able to finish it (Philippians 1:6). Likewise, Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome that "If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:31, NLT) The answer of course: NO ONE! Indeed, Paul went on to say that he was "convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love." (Romans 8:38, NLT) The clear message: God is able to make right ANYTHING that you have perverted, harmed, or ruined - ANYTHING! Get over yourself! You ain't all that, and God is!
Amen.
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