Thoughts on God's Forgiveness
When my wife and I became more vocal in our affirmation and support of the LGBTQIA+ community, many Christian 'friends' cast us out.
One of their biggest complaints was that the LGBTQIA+ community 'celebrates' sin.
I am not here to argue or condemn what is or isn't sin-
Not my job
I just want to show that every human valued and precious to God created in His image are in the same circumstances- both in their sinful nature and complete forgiveness by God.
We have to understand that all of us have at one time or another 'celebrated' sin whether we are aware of it (admit it) or not. it is in our nature.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned
I personally love 1 John 2:2
1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
The sins for the whole world are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. That means that EVERYONE is forgiven. That's right E V E R Y O N E
But...
forgiveness is not salvation.
Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
And salvation eternal life is a relationship with the God who created you.
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Just my opinion, but it seems that many Christians have difficulty truly understanding God's forgiveness and salvation.
We must understand that each salvation plan is unique between the individual and God but we all receive the same forgiveness and salvation
...and that bothers people. They don't want certain groups of humans to have the same salvation that they received.
This comes either through ignorance or self-interest.
It reminds me of one of Jesus's parables found in Matthew 20- the Laborers in the Vineyard (included below).
Each laborer, no matter when they began to work, received the same wages at the end of the day.
The laborers who were hired first 'grumbled' at this (out of ignorance or self-interest) and the master said
'Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'
Please understand that God's love and forgiveness is infinite and for every human being created in His image.
Laborers in the Vineyard
Matthew 20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”
Grace & Peace Scott ps– all scriptures are NLT unless stated otherwise- all emphasis is my own. pps– subscribing by email is the best way to follow the winding writing path I am on (and I am pretty sure Jesus loves subscribers ;–)