"Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning."
Desmond Tutu
Several years ago, I had the honour of addressing an English-speaking Christian convention in Italy. The night before my speech, I dined with friends, including one who was deeply committed to providing pastoral care to prisoners. Among those he ministered to was a former Mafia member wrestling with a heavy burden.
During one visit, this individual posed a heart-wrenching question to my friend:
“I have taken many lives and committed numerous acts of violence. Will God forgive me?”
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Although I don’t recall the exact words of my friend's reply, the essence of our shared need for divine forgiveness and comfort remains vivid in my mind.
Isaiah 1:18 offers a reassuring message from God: “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (ESV). This powerful imagery highlights the profound transformation from guilt to forgiveness that God promises.
David, another significant biblical figure, experienced estrangement from God due to his sins of adultery and orchestrating a man’s life. In his repentance, he wrote these words of comfort: “As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12, ESV).
Imagine this: God gathers all of our sins, places them in a metaphorical box, and buries them forever from east to west. However, it's essential to understand that true forgiveness involves a commitment to cease sinful behaviours (John 5:14).
Thinking back to the man who asked that poignant question, one wonders if he found the solace he sought in the Bible's profound assurances. Few things are more painful than a conscience weighed down by guilt and remorse.
