27 September 2020
When the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die..
From Ezekiel 18: 25-28, NRSV
It is probably safe to say that God is better at forgiving than we are. When faced with someone who has behaved badly towards us, it is human nature to find it hard to forgive. When someone has committed an act of evil, truly repents and tries to live an exemplary life after that, most of us find it hard to believe that their remorse is real. Somehow, we want to keep holding their sin in front of them – reminding them of the effect of that on others, even when they are now painfully aware of just what they did. God is more merciful. Even though God knows even more of the impact of the evil than we do, God allows space for remorse and repentance and does not deny life to the sinner.
- Why does it feel unjust when God forgives great sinners?
- Are there sins that are not forgivable?
If you have caused others great harm but are trying to live a better life, pray for the grace to persevere. If not, pray for trust in God’s judgement – the God who can see deeper than we ever can.
