Why can't God just forgive? - by Elizabeth Reynolds

I read a novel recently where a man gave a great answer to the question “If God is so powerful to do anything He wants to do, and if He so badly wants to forgive us and welcome us into a relationship, why can’t God just forgive? Why the whole Jesus dying on the cross thing? Why the whole rigmarole of blood and sacrifice? Can’t He just forgive? Why isn’t it that simple?

There are many facets to this concept, but the answer this character gave in the book I read was terrifically simple. He said that you wouldn’t want God to just forgive with no strings attached. Have a look at all the injustice in the world. Could you just forgive that? Murderers, terrorists, thieves, dictators and the like… let’s all just forgive them and say nothing else about it!

What?! No! We need justice for those people don’t we? We want them in jails. We want them stopped. We want them to answer to and be accountable for their crimes! And so they should be. How can we just say, “It’s okay. We forgive you. Let’s sweep all that stuff under the proverbial rug and move on.”

Yes, we are called to forgive them in their hearts. And yes, God is a forgiving God. But it can only be through Jesus Christ. Because we know that God is equal in mercy AND JUSTICE. We know there are still consequences of our actions.

And if non-Christians were to observe a God who just forgives and sweeps all the wrong in the world under the rug so to speak, then I think they would definitely still not be happy. They would be demanding of Him to do something. To do some justice!

When I get given a voucher for a shop that I love, I think woo hoo! I can get a heap of stuff for free. And Joshua always reminds me that no! It is not for free. True enough I don’t have to pay. But someone did pay for that voucher. It was not free.

Forgiveness is free… for us. But it did cost Someone something. Let us remember that, rejoice in it, and not be afraid to tell others about it.