Who is a God like unto Thee, who pardons iniquity, and
chooses to overlook the sins of His people? He does not
retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.
Micah 7:18
A God who "delights" in showing mercy?
chooses to overlook the sins of His people? He does not
retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.
Micah 7:18
A God who "delights" in showing mercy?
That's my heavenly Father! He forgives, loves, and restores all who have failed Him. Honestly, who has not broken His laws and disobeyed His commandments? I know I have, many times. As God's Word plainly declares, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
In the above passage from the Old Testament's book of the prophet Micah, we see God's nature revealed. He is kind and merciful. He does not deal with us as our sins plainly deserve. We call it forgiveness.
But God's forgiveness is too often misunderstood. Many times, people will accuse the Lord and the church of being "soft" on sin. This, however, is not the case at all. There are dozens of passages in both the Old and New Testaments which reveal God's hatred of sin.
Likewise, there are dozens of passages in which the Lord clearly punishes sin, sometimes even with death. Yet He still delights in showing mercy. In my case, for example, some may argue that for me to be forgiven, is unfair. But being forgiven does not necessarily mean being let off the hook and escaping the consequences of one's sins.
I have said this many times throughout the years. Receiving God's forgiveness, which I am deeply grateful for, does not mean a free ticket out of prison. I still have to suffer the consequences of my actions. I have a debt to pay to society, as well.
God is a being of justice. He carefully weighs each case. He saw all that happened in my life which caused me to go down the dark path that I did. He saw how Satan afflicted me even in my youth. God knows things about me which no one else knows, and He has taken these circumstances into consideration.
In any event, God longs to forgive all who come to Him with a repentant heart. This is what the cross at Calvary is all about, and why the Lord Jesus gave His life. All who come to Messiah Jesus can receive forgiveness. But, as is often the case, we cannot escape God's law of sowing and reaping. For more than forty years now, I have been reaping what I have sown (see what sowing and reaping means).
D.B.
In the above passage from the Old Testament's book of the prophet Micah, we see God's nature revealed. He is kind and merciful. He does not deal with us as our sins plainly deserve. We call it forgiveness.
But God's forgiveness is too often misunderstood. Many times, people will accuse the Lord and the church of being "soft" on sin. This, however, is not the case at all. There are dozens of passages in both the Old and New Testaments which reveal God's hatred of sin.
Likewise, there are dozens of passages in which the Lord clearly punishes sin, sometimes even with death. Yet He still delights in showing mercy. In my case, for example, some may argue that for me to be forgiven, is unfair. But being forgiven does not necessarily mean being let off the hook and escaping the consequences of one's sins.
I have said this many times throughout the years. Receiving God's forgiveness, which I am deeply grateful for, does not mean a free ticket out of prison. I still have to suffer the consequences of my actions. I have a debt to pay to society, as well.
God is a being of justice. He carefully weighs each case. He saw all that happened in my life which caused me to go down the dark path that I did. He saw how Satan afflicted me even in my youth. God knows things about me which no one else knows, and He has taken these circumstances into consideration.
In any event, God longs to forgive all who come to Him with a repentant heart. This is what the cross at Calvary is all about, and why the Lord Jesus gave His life. All who come to Messiah Jesus can receive forgiveness. But, as is often the case, we cannot escape God's law of sowing and reaping. For more than forty years now, I have been reaping what I have sown (see what sowing and reaping means).
D.B.
