Have you ever tried to talk to someone about changing their life; and they say, “God won’t (or can’t) forgive what I have done?” That is such a frightening statement to me. For someone to think that the things they have done are too terrible to forgive makes me very sad.
Think about the mass murderers, thieves, those that have denied the existence of God. Is it possible for God to forgive these sins? Of course, it is; and we have proof in the pages of the Bible.
An Old Testament man lived in the most wicked city in existence, but God spared his life when the city was destroyed. A man took another man’s wife and then had the woman’s husband killed. This man persecuted Christians, even ordering their deaths. This man served as a jailor and beat two New Testament preachers.
Do you think God forgave any of these people? He forgave all of them. What did it take on their part to be forgiven? It required obedience and commitment from all of them to receive God’s forgiveness.
Lot chose the fertile plains connected to Sodom and Gomorrah. The people of those cities were among the most wicked on earth. Genesis 13:13 says, “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly” (KJV). Abram bargained with God for the lives of the righteous of those cities. God sent angels to warn them; but only Lot, his wife, and their two daughters escaped. Lot’s wife disobeyed the command of God not to look back at the cities as they burned, and she was turned to a pillar of salt.
King David, walking on the roof of the palace, saw a beautiful woman bathing. He sent for her and committed adultery with her. When she told him she was carrying his child, he plotted to bring her husband home from battle and try to cover up his sin. When Uriah refused to go home to his wife, David conspired to have him killed in battle. His plan worked, and Bathsheba became his wife.
Saul of Tarsus consented to the death of Stephen by holding the coats of the men that stoned him to death. Acts 9:1-2 says, “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem”.
But on the road to Damascus, the Lord appeared to Saul and sent him into the city where he was told what to do to be saved. Ananias met with Saul in Damascus, and he taught him the gospel. Poor Saul had been blinded, but his sight was restored. He then was baptized.
Each of these examples sinned against God. They committed adultery or murder or both. Lot lived and supported a city that participated in all types of sins, including homosexuality. In every instance, God forgave them.
In the 2nd chapter of Acts verse 23, Peter and the other apostles stood before the group at Pentecost and proclaimed to them, “…ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain”. From the previous verse, we know Peter was talking about Jesus, the Son of God.
No one has ever done anything more terrible than participate in the death of the Son of God. Yet Peter gave these people the chance to make things right. Read verses 37-41. They heard the message. Their hearts were touched. They asked what they needed to do. Verse 38 says, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…”
According to verse 41, about 3,000 were obedient to Peter’s instructions. Verse 47 says that they were added to the church.
Did God forgive them? Yes, He did. He will forgive anyone who repents of his or her sins, confesses His name and is baptized for the remission of sins. No sin is too great to be forgiven!
–Sandra Oliver