What must I do, so others love me? How should I change myself, so I can belong? In His divine wisdom, the Creator designed humankind with great needs for love and belonging, as well as the capacity to reciprocate them. Unfortunately, people are perfectly imperfect and oftentimes fall short of God’s plan, creating the need for forgiveness. In fact, many wonder how can God love and forgive a sinner like me?
Why This Post and Why Now?
Although I have several other posts started and in various stages of the writing process, this is my first published post in about a month or so. Why? God guides what I write and when I publish. This said, I believe He has had me wait until now because His timing is always perfect. As I sit at my keyboard prepared to write, He floods my mind with the many conversations I have had since my last published post.
On the surface, these conversations over the past month may seem unrelated because they occurred with individuals ranging in age from young adult to grandparent. After all, what could people from vastly different generations possibly have in common? Well, upon closer examination, a single, common thread was holding it all together! What was it? Turned out, each person believed their past sins were jeopardizing their chance at eternal life. Perhaps, this thought has crossed your mind or that of someone you know at one time or another, too.
God’s Love
Unlike humankind, God’s love is unconditional and eternal. Possessing an imperfect nature, humanity struggles to grasp the magnitude and perplexity of God’s love for His creation, especially His children. After all, people possess the propensity to do what they know. Anything other than what is deemed familiar can seem scary or off-putting.
Whether anyone chooses to admit it or not, people often love with “strings attached”. For example, have you ever had thoughts like these? This person treats me nice, so I can love them. Boy, they make it hard to love them because they are so unkind! If you have, please know you are not alone.
Loving someone who has mistreated you or a loved one can seem impossible, or extremely challenging at the very least. Can’t it? Therefore, when someone doubts God’s ability to love them despite their failings and sin, it becomes somewhat understandable on a human level. Doesn’t it? Fortunately, God is not human but divine, and His love knows no bounds. That’s right! Our Creator possesses the incomprehensible capacity to love each of us with all our flaws, sins, and all!
Jesus’s Living Example of God’s Forgiveness
No sin is bigger than God’s ability and willingness to forgive. I repeat. No sin is bigger than God’s ability and willingness to forgive. When in doubt, one must look no further than Jesus’s living example throughout Scripture as to the depths of God’s forgiveness.
When Peter Denies Jesus
As Jesus’s crucifixion loomed and the last supper with His disciples had concluded, He tells them, “…This very night you will all fall away on account of me…” (Matthew 26:31, NIV). Desiring to remain faithful, Peter says, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (Matthew 26:33, NIV). However, despite Jesus’s assurance His foreshadowing of Peter’s denial of Him is correct, Peter states, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you” (Matthew 26:35, NIV).
Remember how I have said people are perfectly imperfect? They are, and so was Peter. Although his intentions were good, he fell short when he denied Jesus three times (Matthew 26:69-75, NIV). Now, before criticizing Peter for denying the Lord, each of us must ask ourselves this question. How many times have I fallen short of how God wants me to live (i.e., sinned) because I succumbed to the pressures of a broken world?
Fortunately, the story does not end there. Not at all. In fact, after Jesus conquered the tomb and rose from the dead, He visited His disciples, including Peter. Imagine the guilt and anguish Peter must have felt at knowing he denied his Friend and Lord and then the immense unease and shame when he was face-to-face with Him again! Wow!
Jesus knows the nature of each of our hearts, including Peter’s. Although Jesus had already forgiven Peter, He recognized Peter still needed to expressly apologize and seek His forgiveness. Therefore, Jesus afforded Peter the opportunity in a rather poignant, symbolic way.
Peter’s wrongdoing was resolved through three exchanges, the same number of times he had denied Jesus (John 21:15-19, NIV)! In that moment, forgiveness overcame painful actions, and Jesus reinstated Peter as “the rock” on which Jesus built His church (Matthew 16:18, NIV).
During Jesus’s Crucifixion
The good news is God’s willingness to forgive is unmatched! During one of Jesus’s teachings, Peter asks Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21, NIV). Without missing a beat, Jesus replies, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:22, NIV).
Essentially, each of us is to forgive those who hurt us (or a loved one). Every. Single. Time. His expectation is not easy by any means, but following God rarely is. Is it? After all, how easy do you think it was for Jesus to forgive the very people who crucified Him (Luke 23:34, NIV)?
A Divine Courtroom Example
As a former elementary school teacher, I always sought ways to provide my students with relatable examples to help them internalize whatever I was explaining. In this instance, I would like to end this post with one final example, compliments of a devout Christian woman whom I am blessed to call both a mentor and friend.
Imagine you have been called to your eternal home. Surprisingly, you find yourself in a divine courtroom where you must answer for all your sins with God serving as Judge and Jury. Let your case begin!
If you chose to make Christ Lord and Savior of your life, He will serve as your Lawyer. When you earnestly (i.e., with sincere conviction) repent of your sins and ask for forgiveness, you are forgiven. After all, 1 John 1:9 (NIV) reminds us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (bold and italics added for emphasis).
Therefore, when God looks at you, Jesus will be standing between you both. As a result, God will only see the blood of Jesus, poured out for the forgiveness of sins, including yours and mine (Luke 22:20, NIV).
Closing Thoughts and a Call to Action
God designed us for love and belonging. However, people often fall short of God’s plan, leaving many to wonder how can God love and forgive a sinner like me? The good news is no sin is bigger than God’s ability and willingness to forgive. When you find yourself questioning your own salvation, seek the Lord’s guidance through His Word. After all, Scripture is filled with inspirational stories of faith, love, and forgiveness, which were lived out by perfectly imperfect people, just like you and me, who simply longed to follow Christ’s example.
Related Posts:
Discard All Doubt and Find Reassurance in God’s Perspective
Make God Your G.P.S. (Great Personal Savior) on Life’s Journey
Reassuring Peace Found in The Father’s Hand
Unattainable Standards or Living for An Audience of One?
A Special Acknowledgement:
Feature image created by Ric Rodrigues on Pexels.com
Copyright © 2024