Why doesn't God just forgive?

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Jesus forgave many peoples' sins while he was walking around on earth... The adultress who was going to be stoned, the lame man, etc...

How come he couldn't just forgive everyone? Why die?

-- VOR (VOR123@hotmail.com), April 18, 2004

Answers

Possibly because in our stubbernness we would not pay much attention to Him and change our ways if He simply sat on a hill and forgave us by saying so. What do you think? Think we would have paid attention?

good questions though... shows your thinking...



-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), April 18, 2004.


Their is a difference between forgicing the sin, and not paying the price for it.

For example, suppose I stoile your car. Youf orgave me, but I was still made ot pay a fine, or go to jail, to attone for hte deed.

Or suppose I kill your best friends. You can forgive me, but I still need to do the time.

Jesus's attonement allowed us reconciliation to God, through the act of his sacrifice. This was nto a mere act of Forgiveness, it was an act of paying the penalty for sin, so that all who accept this, and ruelyu repent ( And the operative element their is sincere repentence) can have their sins absolved.

Thog I doubt you care much forf a more indeap;th answer, aft erlal, you are here " to make us thinl" and show us how nonsensicle our beleifs are. You don't take the time to understand these beelifs, after all, the queatsion you juts asked is so basic you can find readily the anseer you seek without coming onto a messag ebaord to ask it. However, it is your assumption that we swon't be able to provide a good answer that prompts you here, after all, we accepted this unctritically, tou you have to show us the error of our ways.

I amy sound histile, it is not my intent, just i remmeber your ealrier comments, and sincerly doubt dialouge wiht you will be ruitful, as instead of an exchange of informaiton, you will simpley inssit on challengeing our beoleifs, and if one of your argumens falls, you will simpley move on to another, then anothe, then another.

I will Allow more detaled answers to accumulate before I repost, however, I do beleive that you aren't relaly intereste din the actual faith, only in critisising it.

So forgie my blunt manner, I am just less than impressed by such condict.

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), April 18, 2004.


Their is a difference between forgicing the sin, and not paying the price for it.

Yes, Zarove is right here, that is why we believe in Purgatory.

In Christ,
Bill

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), April 18, 2004.


I'm interested in the more indepth answer Zarove! :)

-- Jacob R. (jacobrainey@hotmail.com), April 19, 2004.

Jesus forgave others sins in a preactive way. That is, Jesus forgave the sins of others based on the sacrifice that WOULD BE made eventually. its the same thing with the immaculate conception. Mary was saved by Jesus' actions, even though they had not yet occurred.

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), April 19, 2004.


VOR- There are many deep theological treatises on this subject that appeal to the merely intellectually inquisitive, but I think a possible dimension that is easily accesible to all is our own experience of being human. We are not angels- we do not grasp truths nor are we capable of understanding complex things in an instant; we are material creatures as well as spiritual. We learn through the senses primarily and come to understand difficult concepts discursively. Many people who either deny the existence of God or have converted to belief both use what they have seen or experienced as the reason- ex.: there cannot be a God because there is so much evil in the world or conversely, I discovered God in the beauty of creation! The point is, we are earthly creatures. As such, Christ's redemption really began with His Incarnation- becoming human- touching us- living among us- experiencing what we do. As humans, He would have remained some untouchable, faraway Being that was unnattainable. But why die? We know throughout the Old Testament and in rituals in the N.T sacrifice involving blood was the synbol of the Covenant. Christ came to fulfill the Covenant- hence a sacrifice of blood was necessary to fulfill the Covenant. On a more personal level, especially after having seen the Passion by Mel Gibson, I was struck not so much by the violence, though it was violent, I was most moved by the LOVE with which Christ gave His life for us. It revealed to me the real cost of my selfish sins; it made me realize how deeply loved and cherished I was; and most of all, it gave me hope- for don't we often have to suffer for someone in our own lives? Well, if He could do that for me, how can I refuse to sacrifice in LOVE for someone else when necessary? And knowing that I have been redeemed, knowing that I am loved so by God< I know that He would not leave me alone to struggle- He will always be there to strengthen me and help me carry 'my cross'. I don't know if we would fully understand that if He hadn't come in human flesh and died for us! Just some thoughts!

Roxy

-- Roxy Karney (RoxyKarney@hotmail.com), April 21, 2004.


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