Does the LORD God Truly Want To Forgive You?

by Leonard V Johnson

Will all your sins be forgiven? Is forgiving all your sins part of God’s Master Plan… From the Beginning?

Does the LORD God genuinely want you to be saved?

Yes!

Notice what the apostle Paul was inspired to write ──

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made FOR ALL MEN, 2) for kings [for presidents, prime ministers, and the like] and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all goodness and reverence. 3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4) WHO DESIRES ALL MEN TO BE SAVED and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

Nearly 6,000 years ago Lucifer (now known as Satan the Devil) began his deception of mankind (cf. Genesis 3:1-4; Revelation 12:9), and from that point mankind was cut-off from the LORD God (the Elohim; the family of God which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ) ──

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16) For ALL that is in the world ── the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the PRIDE of life ── is not of the Father but is of the world. 17) And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does THE WILL OF GOD abides forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17.

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3) as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4) by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” – 2 Peter 1:2-4.

All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory ── Romans 3:23.

And when the time was fulfilled ──

“’ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes [on] Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’” – John 3:16.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9) If we confess our sins [to God our Father and God our Savior], He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:8-9.

Yes! The LORD God will forgive you if you truly repent and confess your sins to Them!

The’Unpardonable’ Sin

Now is there a sin that WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN?

Our Lord Jesus says, “Yes!”

What is the unpardonable sin? Well, simply put ── it’s the blasphemy against God’s Spirit. Rejecting God’s Spirit. Those who have turned their back on the LORD God, having driven out the Spirit of God out of them ──

“’ Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32) ANYONE who [commands] a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but WHOEVER [commands] against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.’” – Matthew 12:31-32.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by [which] you were sealed for the day of redemption [the resurrection of all the saints].” – Ephesians 4:30.

“If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death [speaking of the second death], he will ask, and He will give him life [eternal life] for those who commit sin not leading to death [speaking of the second death]. There is sin leading to death [again, speaking of the second death]. I do not say that he should pray about that [meaning, he should not make a request for this!]. 17) All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death [speaking again of the second death].” – 1 John 5:16-17.

Notice what happens to those who do commit sin leading to death ──

“ …’ He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels … 46) And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’” – Matthew 25:41, 46.

I cover what is meant, “everlasting punishment” in our Letter to our Friends – July 2, 2021.

The fire is everlasting, the execution is the second death, it’s instantaneous.

The LORD God’s immutable word is clear that They are willing to forgive us our sins ── if we confess our sins to Them and REPENT ── Acts 2:38; 3:19.

But what if you do not repent?

Well...   Satan the Devil told Eve ──

“ …’ You will not surely die. …’” – Genesis 3:4.

Yet, the LORD God says ──

“ …’ Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17) but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” ─ Genesis 2:16.

And, under divine inspiration, the apostle Paul ──

“For the wages of sin is death [speaking of the second death], but THE GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23.

They are not speaking of a first death ── our physical death that is caused by the second law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of increasing decay. Because, and I’ve mentioned this several times now ── that even if Adam had taken of the tree of life, he was going to die anyway, no matter if they were to choose the tree of life or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Had they chosen the tree of life, they would still have lived out their days and died. But, like what the apostle Paul wrote, “at the twinkling of an eye,” they would have been resurrected wholly spiritual beings. Have you ever thought of this before? They were speaking of a second death ── a death in which you are not resurrected again. A permanent death.

Again, the LORD God ──

“’ I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you [the very day that you hear His message], that I have set before you LIFE AND DEATH, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, …’” – Deuteronomy 30:19.

“’ Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.’” – Ezekiel 18:4, 20.

On our Statements of Belief page, we wrote ──

Baptism of Fire

The baptism of fire is NOT a baptism to be sought by spiritually begotten children of God – as some teach. It is a baptism that is reserved for the incorrigibly wicked. The Scriptures reveal that the baptism of fire is the eternal destruction of the vile wicked in the “lake which burns with fire and brimstone.” Those who are cast into this lake of fire will NOT be “tormented day and night forever and ever,” but will be burned up. This is the second death – the permanent death – and God’s final judgment for the unrepentant and for those who have committed the unpardonable sin – those who have rejected God’s Way of salvation through Jesus Christ. All who have hardened their hearts in their iniquities and their rebellion against Almighty God and who have committed the unpardonable sin by knowingly resisting and blaspheming God’s Holy Spirit – therefore making it impossible to now be led to repentance. They together will be destroyed (“perish” – cf. 2 Peter 3:9) together in the “lake which burns with fire and brimstone.”

The LORD God gives men time to repent of a sin which does not lead to death. Notice what our Lord Jesus says ──

“ … ‘A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7) Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8) But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9) And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that, you can cut it down.’” – Luke 13:6-9.

Cf. ──

“’ Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21) And I GAVE HER TIME TO REPENT …’” – Revelation 2:20, 21.

Our Lord and Savior is teaching us that while the LORD God may grant the unfruitful some time to repent and begin producing fruits fitting for God (and this certainly applies to everyone who has been called by Father God), there is a limit to the amount of time that is allotted. We MUST OVERCOME AND PRODUCE FRUIT FITTING FOR GOD!

Notice some additional Scriptures basically teaching us what the unpardonable sin is ──

“Therefore, we MUST give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, LEST WE DRIFT AWAY. 2) For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3) HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4) God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” – Hebrews 2:1-4.

“For IT IS IMPOSSIBLE for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5) and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6) if they FALL AWAY, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” – Hebrews 6:4-6.

So notice that the only sin that will not be forgiven in this age or the age to come is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit ── which is knowingly and willingly rejecting/neglecting the glorious Holy Spirit, which is gifted after true repentance and true baptism.

Notice this warning for those who have been called by Father God, have properly repented and have been properly baptized, having hands laid upon them, and receiving the glorious gift of the Holy Spirit ──

“For if we sin WILLFULLY after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin, 27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

29) Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant [the New Covenant] by which he was sanctified a common thing, and INSULTED THE SPIRIT OF GRACE?” – Hebrews 10:26-27, 29.

While this sounds like an unjust God, notice what God’s living word says ──

“For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT.” – James 2:13.

God’s living word in the Old Testament confirms the living truth of the unpardonable sin ──

“ … ‘if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity [speaking of the first death here]; … 20) Again, when A RIGHTEOUS MAN TURNS FROM HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND COMMITS INIQUITY, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die [speaking of the second death here]; … he shall die in his sin, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH HE HAS DONE [previously] SHALL NOT BE REMEMBERED; …’” – Ezekiel 3:19, 20.

“’ But when A RIGHTEOUS MAN TURNS AWAY FROM HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND COMMITS INIQUITY, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, SHALL HE LIVE?

ALL THE RIGHTEOSNESS WHICH HE HAD DONE SHALL NOT BE REMEMBERED; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die [speaking of the second death here].’” – Ezekiel 18:24.

Our Friends, Brethren, and Co-Workers in Christ ── those who worry about committing the unpardonable sin, it is most likely that you have not committed it. The fact that you are concerned about it shows that you have not WILLFULLY turned your back on the LORD God and God’s Way!

The LORD God will indeed forgive you if you REPENT and confess your sins to Them.

Truly, truly, the LORD God wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, and does not want anyone to commit the unpardonable sin ── this explains why the LORD God is only calling a few in this present evil age (Matthew 20:16b), while nearly everyone will be forgiven in the age to come! □