I'm a bad person, why would God forgive me?

“In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness

of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace."

(Ephesians 1:7)

A huge worry for many who are contemplating Christianity is their past. Everyone has baggage from their past lives…some only have hand luggage and some have Hollywood diva style luggage sets. The good news is that there is no excess baggage charge in the Kingdom of God!

God knows that humans sin and so he planned ahead for it.

As Jesus said: “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
(Matthew 26:28)

God’s plan was Jesus. On the cross ALL sins, for ALL of time, were paid for in FULL. No matter what your sins are or how many there are, they have been paid for. Your slate can be wiped clean. How incredible is that? Jesus’ blood was poured out for “many” not just a chosen few. Jesus sacrificed himself for all of humanity.

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”
(1 John 1:8-10)

In God’s eyes there are no big sins and no small sins…there is just sin. In Romans 3:23 it is written: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” If you sin you fall short of what God wants for your life, no matter what that sin is. Jesus declared that His life was given to us for the forgiveness of “sins”. Note the plural there; it’s not just sins for then or now, but the sins of all time. He didn’t set a deadline. There’s no small print, get-out clauses or exemptions.

Often the Bible is hard to read, as it so full of meaning. This is where prayer, contemplation and listening to God are important. There is an oft misquoted passage about unforgiveable sin which could be worrisome, as it can seem like it contradicts the concept of forgiveness of ALL sins.

“I promise you that any of the sinful things you say or do can be forgiven, no matter how terrible those things are. But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven. That sin will be held against you forever.”
(Mark 3:28-29 - Contemporary English Version)

This concept of unforgivable sin, in speaking out against the Holy Spirit, is difficult to understand at first, but its meaning cannot contradict other scripture. God does not contradict Himself!  Through study of the rest of the Bible it becomes clear that this unforgivable sin is rejecting Christ. It is not an exception to forgiveness; it is a statement of fact, as in rejecting the Holy Spirit you will not be able to repent as God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are all ONE.

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”
(John 3:36)

In other words, the significance of this is that when your earthly body dies, if you have not accepted the Holy Spirit, repented of your sins and accepted Jesus as your saviour, then you cannot meet with God in heaven.

It is not an exemption…it’s a warning given because of His love for us. Like any good parent, God warns us what the consequences of our actions will be in the hope that we will choose the right path. The good news is that there no-one who is beyond redemption, no matter what they have done, as long as they accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and TRULY repent what they have done. Repentance means a sincere turning away, in both the mind and heart, from self to God. Repentance is rejecting sin and living life the way God intends for us.

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
(Colossians 1:13-14)

If you want to ask for forgiveness and accept Christ, but don’t know what to say, or how to pray, then these words might help:

Dear Lord,

In your mercy please forgive me. I know that I have sinned. I accept that I have not lived my life in the right way and I want to change. Jesus, I accept you into my life and ask that you fill me with the Holy Spirit. Wash me clean and make me new. Take away the sins of my past, which you paid for on the cross with your blood. Help me to be strong and true to your word. Help me to live a life that is worthy of your love and grace so people can see that you live within me.

Amen