Who is God? Able and Willing to Forgive Massive Sin, Merciful
Will God accept anyone who comes to Him in repentance, regardless of past sins?
9/20/20257 min read
Slaves. Hundreds of them. The ship rocked back and forth within each swell, hauling its shackled and frightened human cargo further and further away from the African coast. Although the young ship captain detested his work and encouraged his crew to treat the captives with consideration and a gentle hand, the lure of financial gain pulled his thoughts away from any serious conviction of grievous wrongdoing.
The captain may have further legitimized his unpleasant job because his own life felt chaotic and uncertain. As a youth, his father left on sea voyages as a merchant ship captain, returning not in weeks or months, but two to three years later. It was during one of these extended trips that his mother died from tuberculosis. The grieving 7-year-old had no choice but to move in with a family who were friends with his mother while he waited for his father’s return. Boarding school, bad choices, numerous escapes from death, hardships, and out-of-control behavior marked his early years and seared his soul. He taunted others for their faith, challenging them to abandon long-held Biblical beliefs.
Yes, slavery is justified, the captain told himself over and over again, as long as I treat the men and women on my ship with civility. Would God be even remotely interested in using someone so flawed?
Wicked King
Dead bodies. Thousands of them. “Manasseh also murdered many innocent people until Jerusalem was filled from one end to the other with innocent blood.” (2 Kings 21:16) Ascending to the throne as king of Judah at a mere 12 years old, 2 Chronicles 33:2 succinctly describes Manasseh’s reign of terror that lasted 55 years: “He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight…” The Old Testament book of 2 Kings, chapter 21 details further his mountain of sins that incurred the wrath of God. A few examples include: false idol worship, the building of pagan alters in the Lord’s holy temple, the practicing of witchcraft and sorcery, and the killing of his own son by throwing the child into a raging firepit as a sacrifice to a demon. Would God be even remotely moved to redeem such a wicked man?
Heartless Witness
Heavy stones. Mounds of them ready for the death penalty. Acts chapters 6 and 7 recount the short life of an articulate, righteous, and Spirit-filled man named Stephen, who performed amazing miracles in the name of Jesus. His defense of The Messiah was so solid and factual that no one could win a debate with him: “None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.” (Acts 6:10) And when furious, outmaneuvered debate losers seethed instead of examining their own faulty arguments, they lied about him to foment violence. Sound familiar?
Like those who recently celebrated the death of Charlie Kirk, a religious zealot named Saul nodded in approval as witnesses intentionally misquoted Stephen at his trial. As Stephen defended himself before the Jewish council with absolute truth, the chief priest and other council members flew into a rage and dragged him out of the city to suffer a gruesome death by stoning. Acts 8:1 (NLT) says “Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.”
Saul despised the Christian faith, and not only did he take part in the bloodshed of an innocent Christ follower, but he also intensified his relentless drive to snuff out everyone who agreed with Stephen:
…Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. Acts 8:3 (NLT)
Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem. Acts 9:1-2 (NASB)
Would God be even remotely open to the idea of calling someone so opposed to His Kingdom into His divine service?
God's Presence in Paradise and the Pits
How bad is too bad? Is there a tipping point of “too many” sins where God says, “OK, you’ve crossed the line. You’re just too evil for Me to offer forgiveness.”? Can we drift so far away from all things holy and pure that we are irredeemable, lost forever?
Psalm 139:7-8 (WEB) says, “Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!” Instead of the Hebrew word “Sheol,” some Bible translations use “the grave” or “the place of death.” But what does the word mean?
Sarah E. Fisher, author of the site www.hebrewwordlessons.com has an excellent post titled "Sheol: the GRAVE? Gehenna? Hades? HELL?”. Sheol, explains Sarah, didn’t mean “hell” to ancient Israelites, but the “place where everyone goes” after dying. Her in-depth analysis revealed the word denotes darkness, a place of being completely forgotten, and a “dark pit.” Our Heavenly Father is declaring, even here, where you feel empty, trapped in nothingness, and surrounded by gloom, I will go to find you. And God is interested in anyone who comes to Him in humble repentance, no matter their depth of depravity.
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4, NLT)
Radical Transformations
Horrible history makes no difference to the Almighty. He sees beyond the sin, the mistakes, the failures. A heart change is all that’s necessary, regardless of past crimes, lies, or even alignment with the devil himself.
Saul, the persecutor of Christians, had a supernatural encounter with Jesus Christ, and his life was forever changed (Acts 9). Thoroughly transformed in thought and behavior by the call of Almighty God, he even begins going by a different name—Paul, THE Apostle Paul!
Manasseh, the king who racked up a laundry list of sins and committed atrocious acts of evil in the eyes of the Lord, had a dramatic change of heart as a prisoner of war:
So the Lord sent the commanders of the Assyrian armies, and they took Manasseh prisoner. They put a ring through his nose, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon. But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request. So the Lord brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh finally realized that the Lord alone is God! (2 Chronicles 33:10-13, NLT)
The New English Translation of verse 13 reads, “When he prayed to the Lord, the Lord responded to him and answered favorably his cry for mercy…”
The text goes on to say that King Manasseh “built up the outer wall of the City of David” and removed the idols he had set up in the Temple. He tore down the false altars and dumped them outside Jerusalem. He restored the altar of the Lord and tried to get the people of Judah to do the same. All it took was Manasseh’s humbled stance before God.
What about the slave ship captain? Could a transformation of such magnitude be possible? His autobiography details such a shift in his mind and soul. Forgiven, yet gutted and haunted by his part in the slave trade, the now ordained minister sat at his writing desk to gather his thoughts in a poem. The year was probably 1772. Maybe the lines came immediately. Maybe he agonized and pondered hours for just the right words. Of course, I can only guess. But I wonder if it went something like this…
Wonderful mercy, how lovely the song…
No, that’s not it.
Remarkable favor, how beautifully it chimes…
Humm, not quite.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound…
Yes. Perfect.
John Newton kept writing.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see…
A New Creation is Possible!
If you’re reading this and wondering if your past is too painful, too broken, and too messed up for Jesus to save you and enlist you in service to His Kingdom, I pray you remember the names Saul, Manasseh, and John Newton.
Apostle Matthew recorded Jesus’ straightforward words on what is required to follow Him:
From then on, Jesus began to tell people, “Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near!” Matthew 4:17 (GW)
Apostle Peter continued to preach the Gospel after Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection:
Peter answered them, “All of you must turn to God and change the way you think and act, and each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. Acts 2:38 (GW)
Please know perfection is not required. Repentance, or “changing the way you think and act,” is a process. And God will help you every step of the way.
Salvation in Jesus is sometimes described in a simple A-B-C plan:
Admit that you are a sinner
Believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He paid for your sins on the cross
Confess that Jesus is Lord and call upon Him for salvation
If you feel God is reaching for you, seek out mature Christians to help you grow in your faith. Attend a Spirit-filled, Bible believing and teaching church. Read the Bible for yourself and ask the Lord to give you understanding. If you don’t know where to begin, contact me, and I will pray for you and try to help connect you with a local church.
Anyone who follows Christ becomes a new creation!
2 Corinthians 5:17
New Living Translation: This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
The Message: …anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges!
The Passion Translation: Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he/she has become an entirely new person. All that is related to the old order has vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new.