I had a listener call my radio show recently. “I’ve been a Christian for 5 years, but I haven’t always lived like one,” she said anxiously. “I want to know, does there come a time when God won’t forgive us anymore?” I recounted the following story to her: Jesus had arranged a secret location to eat the Passover dinner with His disciples—something He’d been “very eager” to share with them (Luke 22:7-38). Very eager? Just think about whom He ate dinner with and what would soon happen.
In a few short moments Jesus announced that someone sitting at the table would betray Him (Luke 22:21-22). He already knew that Judas was the hired hit man (Luke 22:3-6). Would you feel “eager” to dine with your assassin?
On hearing this news, the disciples didn’t grow concerned for their Friend’s safety; no, they started discussing who the betrayer could be (Luke 22:23). The conversation fragmented further as they argued about which of them would be the “greatest” (Luke 22:24-27).Before the dinner was finished, these same friends frustrated and misunderstood Jesus—with disastrous results (Luke 22:49-50). Jesus also broke the news of Peter’s betrayal (Luke 22:33-34).
Immediately following dinner, Judas would betray Jesus (Luke 22:47-48), Peter would disown Him (Luke 22:54-62), the others would abandon Him (Mark 14:50), and Jesus would be crucified. Jesus knew the evil the evening held, yet He was still “very eager” to share it with His disciples. It was to these flawed friends that He gave His kingdom (Luke 22:28-30).
Can you exhaust the forgiveness of God? my caller asked. Not a chance, I replied. Leave your life of sin but don’t doubt the grace of Jesus. If He welcomes flawed friends like His disciples into His kingdom, He’s got a place for us too.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Revelation 1:1-20
More:
Read Romans 8:38-39 to remind yourself of the depths of God’s love. Read 1 John 1:9 for guidance on dealing with sin.
Next:
Have you ever felt like that caller—worried that God won’t forgive you? Why? Can any sin be beyond Jesus’ forgiveness?
pteast on December 29, 2011 at 5:41 am
I am so thankful for forgiveness, His Forgiveness!
sheridan voysey on December 30, 2011 at 3:45 am
Me too!
jstabel on December 29, 2011 at 6:36 am
Honestly a point in life comes were you wondered how come all our sins and wickedness could just be blotted out,a new page(garment) handed over in exchange for the sin-scarlet-coloured garment…but His forgiveness is just ever new and abounded much…GLORY TO THE KING.
sheridan voysey on December 30, 2011 at 3:46 am
And I wonder if it as that very point, jstabel, when we really learn how to forgive others.
dabac on December 29, 2011 at 6:40 am
Interesting topic. There was recently a devotional in my church regarding God’s everlasting forgiveness, you can play it here (Introduction is in Croatian but don’t worry, the devotional is in English):
http://www.box.com/public/ii0pq8xh7y#/shared/ii0pq8xh7y/1/1699324/1314379003/1
However, this opens a issue that I’ve been thinking about for long time:
We are called to forgive, as God forgave our sins. We are also called to forgive even if the perpetrator doesn’t ask for forgiveness and continues to do wrong to us. This bit puzzles me (regarding to comparison with God’s forgiveness) because God doesn’t forgive those who don’t ask for forgiveness. Any thoughts?
cdkanas on December 29, 2011 at 11:40 am
Yes, grace is the cornerstone to Christianity for we are saved by it. True Christianity is recognition that by forgiveness we are saved. If we cannot forgive another, then it is clear that we have not understood what it means to be guilty and forgiven by God. Therefore God cannot forgive us for we haven’t humbly asked for it and understood what it has truly meant.
sheridan voysey on December 30, 2011 at 5:19 am
Hi dabac.
This is a good question – one I’ve wrestled with too. It almost looks like God’s forgiveness is conditional (granted on our repentance) while ours must be unconditional (given irrespective of the offender repenting).
I think the answer lies between the offer and the acceptance of forgiveness.
1. Did God wait until we repented before sending Jesus to us? No, while we were sinners – before we even thought of changing – Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8). His offer of forgiveness to us is unconditional – not based on our status, sinlessness or any other qualification.
2. It is this unconditional kindness that draws us to actually repent from what we’ve done (Romans 2:4).
3. Some, however, don’t receive this forgiveness. They think they don’t need it. The only ‘condition’ on forgiveness is that it be received. To the person who says ‘No’ to God’s forgiveness, God ultimately gives what they want. But not before offering this forgiveness unconditionally and patiently waiting for us to receive (Romans 2:4).
Thus, we are to imitate God:
1. Offering forgiveness to others freely, without condition.
2. This kindness may in fact melt hearts and draw them to receive not just our forgiveness, but the One on whose forgiveness we are modelling ours – God’s.
3. Some, however, won’t receive either. They will reject this forgiveness leaving them, objectively, unforgiven. They won’t experience the forgiveness and new life that has been freely offered to them. That, however, doesn’t stop us imitating the patience of God, praying they’ll repent.
Does this help?
dabac on December 30, 2011 at 6:57 am
Yes, it helped. Well spoken!
Thank you!
Blessings and peace in Christ!
daisymarygoldr on December 30, 2011 at 11:03 am
Forgiving others does not mean that we remain or return to the place, in which the perpetrator will likely do wrong to us again.
sheridan voysey on January 3, 2012 at 8:33 am
That’s very true. Forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same things. Reconciliation will only happen after the offender has repented.
joshuaosazuwa on December 29, 2011 at 4:36 pm
Thank you Jesus for forgiving my sins
regina franklin on December 29, 2011 at 11:07 pm
Sheridan,
You have presented a vivid picture of the events surrounding the Passover. Sometimes, we can idealize what things must have been like and forget the real life failings of those Jesus used to turn the world upside down. Thanks for the word of encouragement to us all.
sheridan voysey on December 30, 2011 at 5:25 am
Thanks Regina. We often think of the Last Supper as this wonderful dinner party Jesus had with his friends, albeit one slightly tinged with Judas’ betrayal. I can only imagine the mixture of feelings experienced by all that night.
dabac on December 30, 2011 at 7:06 am
Yes, you painted that picture very well.
Not to mention how anxious Christ should have felt knowing what’s waiting for him after the supper. Nevertheless, he was looking forward to the supper. He wasn’t grumpy or cynical.
Praise to Jesus.
mike wittmer on December 30, 2011 at 9:26 am
These are inspiring words, Sheridan, and much needed by all of us. I don’t know if there is an easy answer to the conditional/unconditional question, but my current thought is that we must subjectively forgive the person in our heart, which then prompts the offer of forgiveness. However, we can’t objectively forgive and be reconciled to them unless they repent. In this way our forgiveness does look a lot like God’s.
sheridan voysey on January 3, 2012 at 8:31 am
Thanks Mike, and a great addition to this complex idea (as expected!).
daisymarygoldr on December 30, 2011 at 11:04 am
Absolutely agree with your reply, Sheridan Voysey!
God’s forgiveness is limitless but like Judas, people limit His forgiveness by their unbelief. “Leave your life of sin but don’t doubt the grace of Jesus” is the key to forgiveness. Both Peter and Judas sinned. Judas rejected God’s grace and went into the pit of despair to quit following the Lord. Peter repented and turned back to Christ and continued following Him.
Some who have the attitude of withholding forgiveness from others seem to think that God does the same too. So, they harden their hearts with pride and decide for themselves that they have out-sinned God’s abundant grace. This is how people abandon their faiths to become throwaways.
Regardless of how badly we messed up, a child of God will eventually come back to Him in humility. To whom else can we go? God’s presence is certainly not to be found among pigs. “Arise and go” we must. The lost son made a conscious choice to leave the pigpen and return home to his father. What parent would not forgive a wayward son who returns home repenting, no matter how sinful he has been?
Only Jesus Christ is the flawless One. The rest of us share a common past—all have sinned. As Christians, we have all at some point denied and betrayed our Lord by our words and actions. No one is beyond Jesus’ forgiveness, provided we are willing to confess and forsake our sins.
The past is not important. What really matters is how we finish in the future. All the flawed friends of Jesus gladly suffered and die for Him. And Jesus entrusted His faithful friends with the keys of His Kingdom.