Why God Forgives

Intro

Thursday night bible studies

answering their questions about God and faith as best we can

God Forgives

Let’s start with verifying our question

is God forgiving?

one of the most quoted and echoed passages in scripture gives us an important description of who God is from God

X 34:6- the love of God forgives iniquity

the psalmist will write of this

Jonah will quote this when he is explaining why he did not want to God and bring God to the Ninevites

God loves and has compassion such that he forgives those who have done wrong

he is so devoted to his creation, that he has grace and mercy despite their failure

so the claim of our question is good

why does God forgive?

God Creates Good

Back to the beginning

something I’ve asked the kids a lot in lessons over the summer

how does God make things

good by whose standard?

ordered, flourishing, multiplying the good that God created

God gives his creation that value before we have a chance to do anything to earn it

the very good that you are is because God has created you that way, not because of any merit of your own

and the good that you do is because of the opportunity God gives

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God’s Image Bearers

not only does he make us “good” and good by his standard, but he makes us in his image

that comes with some hidden meaning and a few tasks

first, the word for image- idol, what we are commanded not to make

what kings would erect to show dominion over a place

the king of ancient places would be the sole image bearer of the gods in many places

God says instead that all men and women bear his image in his creation, there is no one man greater than the other

God is our Lord and king and we trust him and our lives point back to him

that image comes with the task to rule and to multiply as well, much like a king

before they have names, before their story begins, they have the potential to do good and to rule over creation in such a way

if only they will trust in God to order and define those

Missing the Mark

eventually something disorders the good and the order that God has made

the next chapter is humanity breaking that trust

a serpent, which is depicted a lot like a person in every way except that it is a beast not a man, offers a challenge

the serpent doesn’t understand the image of God in the human and the gravity of that

there is something that is in some way desirable and you should take that

that’s what beasts do

they give in to their desire, they don’t trust God to decide what is good and evil and take that for themselves the one thing they were not to be over

but even so, God is not done with them

he comes to meet them, explains the consequences of their actions and then gives them what they need to continue on

the next story goes similarly

God gives his creation good to do, this time explaining the temptation that is coming before it takes hold

Cain still gives in, and God comes to meet him, explains the consequences, and gives him what he needs to continue on

and we could do this over and over and over again with stories all the way until Jesus who does this same thing once and for all

giving his disciples the good to do, explaining the trouble they should avoid ahead of time, taking their consequences for them, and giving them what they need to carry on and do good

all of this in perspective we ought to see something

of course God forgives you, he’s not done with you yet

God always sees our potential for good as he has made us, even after we have failed

Application

the beast crouching at the door will tell you that if you desire something, you are not good enough until you have it

whatever that may be in your life

God has already made you good and given you purpose and talent and opportunity to multiply that good in your world

if only you will trust him to say what is good and what is enough

when you fall short and give in to the beast to the sin to the desire, of course God will forgive you and transform you

because he is not done with you yet

he knows that he has made you very good and that despite your failure, you are still capable because he has made you as such