Taking a college class, not long ago, a lady asked me if it was “too late” for her. Curiously, I asked what she meant and I came to find out that she had grown up in a loving Christian home and fully knowing the truth had chosen to forsake the truth for a lie. She was quite distraught, thinking that she had ruined her relationship with her Savior and could never go back. This is what I told her:
I want to make sure that you know that God’s love goes beyond human understanding. We have to be careful that we do not make ourselves the judge and jury over sin, even our own (James 4:12). Just because you feel like you’ve done something unforgiveable doesn’t mean that it’s true. You have to believe that God is the righteous judge and that he decides ultimately, he knows your innermost thoughts (Psalm 139). From what we read in the Bible there is only one unforgiveable sin, blaspheming the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:28-29).
Let’s look at the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15
How long was the prodigal son gone?
I suggest that, amount of time is not mentioned on purpose. It doesn’t matter how long we are gone or in “rebellion,” the Father will always welcome his children back home. The fact is he finally came back. He demonstrated true humility, knowing that he did not deserve to come back as a son. But instead of the father giving him what he rightfully deserved, he welcomed him back with open arms and an open heart. In verse 20, the Greek word ‘makran’ means a great way off, we can gather that the father was then intentionally waiting and watching for his son to return, in order for him to see him from a great way off. The father was excited to see him and eagerly awaited his return while watching for him. Not only that but he threw a party because of his return! I think that this story illuminates what God desires for us, and how strongly he cares for us. The father didn’t even wait for the son to say anything before running to him and putting his arms around him (vs 13).
Again we see the immense love of God through the lives of the Israelites. When we see their patterns of idolatry and sinful behavior it’s difficult to see why God continued to deliver them. Good thing forgiveness was not up to me or the Israelites would have been wiped out a long time ago! That being said, we are no different than Israel. He chastened them because he loved them (Proverbs 3:12), but they never lost the love he has for them. He still stands faithful to them/us today regardless that they/us are living in sin. From all the stories in the Bible, even the story of David (a man after God’s own heart? yet a murderer, adulterer, etc.?), the Israelites, the parable of the Prodigal Son, through them it seems evident to me that one of God’s attributes is a profound patience and love for his children (Romans 2:3-4, Numbers 14:18).
I do not see salvation as a light switch. To think that every time we mess up God flips the switch of salvation to ‘off’ and then when you repent God switches it back to ‘on,’ sounds ridiculous to me. My salvation light switch would be worn out because every couple seconds he would be flipping it! Quite the contrary actually, Jesus demonstrates in Luke 15 the love he has for his wayward children. Through the parable of the lost sheep and in the lost coin he states, “…there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.” (Luke 15:10, NKJV) I don’t see that Jesus would compare us to something valuable like sheep or coins or a child, if he was so quick to throw us out.
I think it all comes down to this:
1 Samuel 16:7 says that the Lord looks at the heart. So thankfully for those of us that have been wayward children, if we come to true repentance and are grieved regarding our sin (Jer 15:19-20), He is faithful and just to forgive (1 Jn 1:9)! You can be confident that if you are truly grieved of your sin and turned away from it God has forgiven you. Your sin is gone and there is nothing tethering you to your past, but you. He puts our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).
“ I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14-21, HCSB)
God forgives you (if you sincerely have asked and repented) and he always loves you! Don’t let the lies of the enemy convince you otherwise. I encourage you to learn the names God calls himself. It will help you better understand the attributes of the glorious God we serve! Kay Arthur’s book, “Lord I want to know you” is a fantastic study on the names of God. You can find more resources like these at http://www.precept.org