“How God Treats His Erring Children” — another look at
some of the most convincing evidence that God is not the kind of person His enemies have
made Him out to be.
What will it be like some day to stand in the presence of the Infinite One and realize
that He knows everything about us? Even if we are among the saved, will it be comfortable
to spend eternity with Someone who knows us so well? Will God haunt us with the memory of
our sinful past?
Our answer to this question depends upon the kind of Person we believe our God to be.
All Scripture speaks to the question, not merely in promises and claims but in evidence
and demonstration. Never was the truth about this matter more clearly revealed than in the
way Jesus treated even the worst of sinners — the woman who "lived an immoral
life in the town," self-righteous Simon, the paralytic at the pool, the quarreling
disciples, the traitor Judas, cowardly and impulsive Peter, even His pretentiously pious
accusers and the men who nailed Him to the cross. Clearly we have no need to fear God's
infinite memory. God is forgiveness personified. Our Heavenly Father finds no pleasure in
the embarrassment of His children. Sinners though we all have been, we shall be
comfortable in His presence for eternity.
Or would we only be comfortable and safe if God should blot out all memory —
including His own — of everything that has happened in the great controversy?
Bible passages included:
Revelation 20:11, 12. "Then I saw a great white throne and him
who sat upon it... And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and
books were opened... And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what
they had done." (RSV)
Romans 3:10, 23. "There is not even one who is righteous... For
all have sinned, and all fall short of God's glorious ideal." (Twentieth Century New Testament)
John 8:7, 9-11. "'Whichever one of you has committed no sin may
throw the first stone at her.'... When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the
older ones first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. He
straightened up and said to her, 'Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?'
'No one, sir,' she answered. 'Well, then, 'Jesus said, 'I do not condemn you either. Go,
but do not sin again.'" (GNB)
John 13:27-29. "Jesus said to him, 'Do quickly what you have to
do.' No one at the table understood what he meant by this. Some supposed that, as Judas
was in charge of the common purse, Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the
festival, or to make some gift to the poor." (NEB)
Mark 14:27, 29, 31. "Jesus said to them, 'You will all fall
away...' Peter said to him, 'Even though they all fall away, I will not... If I must die
with you, I will not deny you."' (RSV)
Matthew 26:69, 70, 72, 74. "And a maid came up to him, and said,
'You also were with Jesus the Galilean.' But he denied it before them all, saying, 'I do
not know what you mean... I do not know the man.'... Then he began to invoke a curse on
himself and to swear, 'I do not know the man.'" (RSV)
Luke 22:61, 62. "The Lord turned around and looked straight at
Peter, and Peter remembered that the Lord had said to him, 'Before the rooster crows
tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me.' Peter went out and wept
bitterly." (GNB)
John 20:17. "Jesus said to her, 'Do not detain me, for I have not
yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren and tell them that I am going up to my
Father and your Father, to my God and your God."' (Noli)
Mark 16:7. "'Now go and give this message to his disciples,
including Peter: "He is going to Galilee ahead of you..."'" (GNB)
Isaiah 38:17. "For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy
back." (RSV)
Micah 7:19. "You will trample our sins underfoot and send them to
the bottom of the sea!" (GNB)
2 Peter 3:9. "The Lord is...patient with you, not wanting anyone
to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (NIV)
Ezekiel 33:11. "As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure
in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back,
turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?" (RSV)
Luke 15:20-24. "While he was still a long way off his father saw
him, and his heart went out to him. He ran to meet him, flung his arms round him, and
kissed him. The son said, 'Father, I have sinned, against God and against you; I am no
longer fit to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! fetch a
robe, my best one, and put it on him...and let us have a feast to celebrate the day. For
this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.'" (NEB)
Hosea 14:1, 2, 4. "But come home, Israel, come home to the Lord
your God! Take words of repentance with you as you return to the Lord;... I will heal
their unfaithfulness, I will love them with all my heart." (Phillips)
Hosea 11:7, 8. "My people are bent on turning away from me;...
How, oh how, can I give you up Ephraim! How, oh how, can I hand you over, Israel!" (Phillips)
Romans 2:4. "Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead
you to repentance?" (RSV)
©1984 Graham Maxwell
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