To every sinning person or nation, God hold out one of two choices: repentance or judgment. Sin is the darkest tragedy of our universe, for it is rebellion against God which always results in spiritual suicide. The only answer to sin is God’s forgiveness. Good deeds, religious activities or reformation will not erase one sin.
God’s willingness to forgive does not mean God is making light of sin. God could not forgive one sin had Christ not paid the frightful price in the coin of His own blood on Calvary. Every single act of forgiveness has the blood of the Lord upon it. And to show the hatefulness of sin, God goes further than mere forgiveness: He cleanses it away”….the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Forgiveness, therefore, does not condone sin or demoralize the sinner. Rather, the wonder of forgiveness is that it is the greatest force for righteousness in the world. It proclaims to the sinner, in the only language he can understand, that God is love. The forgiven sinner then goes forth in a passion of adoring gratitude to live for His Redeemer. There is no other moral dynamic in the world that can compare with the experience of being forgiven. It is a spiritual law that those who are forgiven much love much (Luke 7:47). Forgiveness always carries with it the dynamic to live a holy life. To a women steeped in sin Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn thee.” Then he added, “go, and sin no more” (John 8:11).
But we must remember that forgiveness is not automatic. It is conditional upon our genuine repentance. God will not – cannot – forgive one sin if we insist on clinging to it. We cannot have our sins and at the same time be forgiven. God sets before us the choice of having all our sins judged upon Christ who bore them on the Cross, or judged upon themselves. When we repent, we receive unconditional pardon and eternal life in Christ; if we refuse to repent, we must pay the full penalty of the wages of sin, which is spiritual death now (Rom. 6:23) and eternal hell hereafter. Repent or perish. This is the choice set before you today. Which will you choose?