Trusting God’s Love and Forgiveness
Could anyone need to be convinced of one’s sins and to believe in God’ love and forgiveness? In the Bible, Jesus said, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven” (Matthew 12:31). And the Bible says, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
To encourage people to believe in the love and forgiveness of God no matter what their sin is, the Bible provides examples of the Lord forgiving people with various sins. Following, are two of those examples that should convince us that gives any of our sins.
JESUS FORGAVE A WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY
In John 8:3-11: As Jesus was teaching at the Temple, “the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
THE LORD FORGAVE A MAN WHO MURDERED GOD’S PEOPLE
Acts 9:1-22: Jesus Christ appeared to Saul (who was later called Paul) in a light which blinded him when he was on a road to Damascus to kill more of the followers of the Lord. Paul fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Jesus appeared to one of his disciples named Ananias in a vision, and told him to go to a place where Saul of Tarsus was staying and praying. Saul had a vision of Ananias coming to lay his hands on him to restore his sight. Ananias was afraid of Saul because of the reported harm Saul had done to the Lord’s people.
However, Jesus told Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Ananias went to the house where Saul was, placed his hands on him, and said: “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Then “something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again.” Then he was baptized. Having not eaten or drank for three days,he took some food, and regained his strength.
After spending several days with the disciples in Damascus, Saul “began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.” Those who heard him asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?
Nevertheless, Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
GOD FORGIVES AND USES US TO CONVINCE OTHERS OF HIS LOVE
As God forgave and used Paul and others in the Bible for his glory, and the benefit of his people; he also forgives and uses us to witness to others of his love. As we have believed, we can tell others:
- All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 3:23; 6:23)
- If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” because of the sacrificial atoning blood of his Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:9).
- For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16)
