Luke Scallon
Published in The Des Moines County News on October 27, 2016.

Perhaps you’ve thought about God, and want to know Him more, but each time you’re stopped in your tracks with one great barrier:  you’re not a good person.  Maybe worse than most.  Surely there’s a cap on God’s forgiveness, and you’ve completely blown it.  Would God really forgive you?

If you’re asking this question, you’re probably recognizing how amazing God’s holiness is!  In Exodus 15:11, Moses praises God, saying, “Who is like You – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”  Pondering God’s holiness does stir up surprise when considering that God could forgive anyone for any sins, no matter how great or small.  Reflect for a moment on a perfectly good and holy God.  No matter how loving He is, He could not simply laugh off sin or brush it aside.  He is serious about hating sin.

The good news is that God does forgive sinners!  The Bible says, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?  You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy” (Micah 7:18).  The holy and perfect God of the universe is loving enough to forgive sin!  BUT – forgiveness isn’t free.

That’s right – forgiveness isn’t free.  God’s perfect holiness demands justice.  All of us as sinners owe a debt that we can never pay in full.  We can only receive forgiveness because someone did pay our debts, and he paid them in full.  Jesus, who knew no sin, became “sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Amazing, right?  God works a perfect plan in order to provide justice, forgiveness, and righteousness for us.  And Jesus said, “It is finished.”  We can’t add to that payment, and we don’t owe anything else!

So would God forgive even you?  “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him” (Daniel 9:9).  In fact, “The Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion” (Isaiah 30:18).  You have certainly failed God’s righteous standard, but He is eager to forgive you!  He wants you to believe in Him and have the joy of knowing and following Him.  He wants to rescue you from judgment and give you the gift of eternal life and bless you beyond measure.  He knows that you will still sin, but He wants to help you to grow in choosing what’s right.

God delights in saving sinners!  “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:7).  Don’t judge yourself as unworthy of forgiveness when God has already paid the ultimate price to purchase your pardon!  God is the judge, and He considers you valuable and loved!