God's Forgiveness Is The Key

The Bible tells us a lot about who God is and what He does. People often ask, "If God is a loving God, how can He send anyone to hell?" It is true to say that God is a loving God, however, God does not send anyone to hell. People choose their destination.

2 Peter 3.9 "The Lord...is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Many Christians can quote this verse with ease and conviction, however, our own thoughts may not quite grasp its truth. We are not ready for the Lord to save and redeem everyone. For there are many that we wish the Lord would send down judgment on. Whether its Sadaam Hussein, Osama Ben Ladin, the thief that stole something from us or the murderer who stole our loved ones away, we desire judgment, not mercy. Revenge, not love. Hell, not heaven.

When we point fingers at some and say with certainty that God could never save or redeem that person, we are in essence sitting in the place of God. In judging others, we make ourselves to be much better than they. Though we like to think more highly of ourselves than we should, the reality is that all of us are standing in the need of prayer.

Passing judgment on others is never OK. But that isn't our only problem. Our theology of the cross of Jesus is distorted . Either Jesus died for all people or he died for a select few. As I read the Bible, I discover that through Jesus God expressed His love to the world and so the death he died, he died for all, that all may choose to live in Him. 2 Corinthians 5.15 "And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." While Christ's death is sufficient for all people in all generations, yet it is not credited to them personally until they receive Jesus and confess Him as their Lord.

Since God loves all people and sent His Son to die for all people, believers ought to love people. When we judge others, we are in fact not expressing love but disgust. While some may be annoying and certainly some may hurt us, the real problem is with us, not them. We hold on petty things and refuse to forgive. But it is forgiveness that softens our hearts and frees us to truly live and give the way that Jesus desires to.

As believers, we have a message of love that needs to be proclaimed to all people. May we, who have been forgiven of our sins, be quick to forgive and express the same mercy and love that we have been given, that all people may know firsthand of God's precious love.