God Forgives You, If You Ask

How does being forgiven increase ones love for God? Note: According to Jesus, God`s forgiveness is motivated by love.

How do Jesus` words make you feel? You may want to save your answer as "Private"

"Take courage my son, your sins are forgiven." (Matthew 9:2)

Because of God’s love for mankind, Jesus encourages us not to be afraid of being rejected when we ask God’s forgiveness for the sins we have committed. He is a merciful God and knowing this, gives us courage to approach Him. Someone who is approachable is one who is easy to talk to, someone who can be reached with ease. God, who our Creator understands our human nature and knows us individually of our flaws and faults and in spite of our sins which we repeatedly committing He repeatedly forgives us. How can we not love Him who loves us the way He does?

"Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem." (Luke 24:46-47)

Jesus’ message of God’s love and forgiveness was not only for Jews and Gentiles living in Israel during His time but was intended for all mankind and for the world to know. He did not overlook us who did not yet exist during His time. As He promised, He sent His Holy Spirit to enlighten and teach all believers to spread God’s Good News so that all may be saved and be united with God in heaven. As much as possible, He does not want anyone of us to be left behind. He will make sure all will have a chance to know about Him. And when we accept Him and repent for our sins, and our forgiveness is proclaimed in His name, we are saved. And when we back slide, we will go after us, look for us, and help us up to return to His fold. Jesus is our Good Shepherd shows us how much He loves and cares for His Sheep. We are drawn to reciprocate to the love He gives us.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17)

God’s love and forgiveness for all is not self serving. It reaches out and draws all to love. God shows us what true love is and how we are to love in our relationship with Him and with others. When we love someone so much, we are willing to give freely to the point of self sacrifice. God paid dearly with the life of His Son, the highest price He could pay. Jesus accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us a new way of life. When we share the Good News with others, our love must be like Jesus by willingly giving up our own comfort and security so that others too will be able to receive God’s love.

"Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life." ( John 5:24)

As soon as we believe and accept Jesus, eternal life is marked in our lives. We may still have sufferings and face physical death but when Jesus returns again; our spirit will be resurrected to live forever with Him in heaven. Just as He has promised Jesus will come back for us to take us to our real home in God’s Kingdom to live with us. He will not allow us to be condemned any longer because He has already delivered us from all our sins because of His great love for us. We praise and thank God for choosing us to have eternal life and come under judgment and forever be condemned.  

"It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are ill. But go and learn what this means, 'I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:12-13)

God is concerned for all people especially the sinful and hurting ones. The is not concern who are the most righteous, the holiest of the holy. He wants His message of love and salvation to reach the poor, the immoral, the lonely the outcast, those who need Him most. His gospel is not only for the rich, the moral, the popular and the powerful. God is concern about us. He wants to reach out to us who need Him most. It warms our heart to know our great and powerful God can be so concerned with each one of us personally. Even how big the sacrifices and gifts we can offer Him, it not as significant as our obedience. God does not want our gifts and sacrifices especially when we give them out of ritual or our hypocrisy. God wants us first to love and obey Him. He just wants our loving loyalty, our desire to know Him and please Him. Loving Him is obeying Him.

"A certain moneylender had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him more?" (Luke 7:41)

God is merciful and compassionate towards those who are guilty and undeserving. He shows His love and forgives those who should be punished. God’s forgiveness is for all kinds of sinner. Whether it be big sins or small sins, God’s forgives all. But in this parable Jesus insinuates here that the one forgiven much will love much.

"For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." (Luke 7:47)

Even how much we have sinned, God will forgive us for all of the sins we have committed. The more sins we are forgiven, the more we get indebted to God for forgiving us. His mercy and love draws us to guilt for committing our sins because God continues to forgive us whenever we ask His forgiveness. By grace, we are sorry for hurting our kind and merciful God and love Him for His goodness and love.

"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a certain king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. And when he had begun to settle them, there was brought to him one who owed him ten thousand days wages. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold a, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. The slave therefore falling down, prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you everything.' And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. (Matthew 18:23-35)

Because God has forgiven all our sins, we cannot withhold forgiveness from others. When we realize how much Jesus has forgiven us , we produce a free and generous attitude of forgiveness toward others.

Jesus makes me feel so loved for having chosen me to say these words of forgiveness and salvation.