Shaun30NotPerfectJust4given's blog: "Blogs for thought"

As I said in my blog "TOTALLY against the 'Hellfire and Brimstone' approach" that talks about how some Christians use the aggressive and, sometimes, judgmental, way of ministering to people about God(please read that blog after this. ), I think the main reason some people are so turned off by Christianity is because of the way SOME Christians use that approach. Many Christians seem to forget to mention that God is the God of "love, compassion AND forgiveness" FIRST,and go straight to being judgmental and saying that God is going to punish them if they don't "Get saved". (which is what this blog addresses) I really hope the following blog helps and encourages those suffering from any kind of guilt or shame from anything they've done in the past and is having trouble forgiving themselves.

People give many reasons and/or excuses not to turn to God that range from- they just don't believe He exists to they are angry at Him for a particular reason. However, the real reason a lot of people (in fact a big majority--But,I'm not saying "All")are hesitant to turn to God is because,deep down, they feel ashamed. They feel that the things they have done were so terrible and so vile that they think they are unforgivable. I know this because I've been there, myself. I've gotten to the point where I've said to myself "Well,I've gone this far. God couldn't possibly love me anymore. So what's the point in asking forgiveness? Might as well just keep living the life I'm living".(I know that none of you would have any reason to listen to a word I'm saying.Unless, I had been through what you've been through or a similar circumstance)Well, I was wrong and those people who think that couldn't be more wrong. You see, God's love and forgiveness is different from ours. Our forgiveness has limits and conditions. God's love and forgiveness, however, doesn't. The one and only condition God's forgiveness requires is that we ACKNOWLEDGE and ACCEPT it. And that forgiveness covers everything-whether it's drugs,alcohol, pornography, whatever.

And unlike asking forgiveness from other people, you don't have to be ashamed to ask forgiveness from God. Because He doesn't hold your past against you, as we tend to do to eachother. When it comes to our forgiveness to eachother, even when we forgive, we don't forget. We might SAY we forget. But we always hold whatever that person did in the back of our minds so we can bring it up the next time we have an argument with that particular person and say "remember that time you did this and this or said this?". We use things like ammunition against eachother. Even our so-called closest friends and family do that. But when God forgives you, the bible says in Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more." And another of my favorite verses is from Matthew 26:28, during the Last Supper, which says "This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the REMISSION of sins."  "Remission" means "cancelation". Which basically means that, when God forgives you, He makes it as if what you did never even happened. The Arameic translation is "release." When you confess your sin, God erases it and also "releases" you from the guilt and shame that came with it.

And, for those I mentioned earlier who think that there is something you've done that was so terrible you think they are beyond forgiveness, I'd like you to think about something- God sent Jesus(who was really Himself made into human flesh) to be beaten, spat on, whipped, and then, ultimately die nailed to a cross for EVERYONE and healed and forgiven for EVERYTHING. Whether it's sin or even sickness. So when you tell God that what you did was too terrible to forgive or that your forgiveness for yourself is more important than His forgiveness for you, not only are you unecessarily punishing yourself, but you are also telling God that His sacrifice was not good enough to cover what you did. Really think about that. That's basically a slap in the face to God. Which would probably the worst sin of all if it wasn't for the fact that all sins are equal.

Besides that, what's interesting is that when you go to God for forgiveness, when you think about it, what He's forgiving really isn't your sin. In fact, at that point,God really isn't even focusing on your sin.(because, like I said-every sin is the same. They are equally bad, but equally forgivable) What He is REALLY forgiving is how long it took you to come to Him and ASK forgiveness.What He focuses on is our character and integrity based on how much humility it took us in order to go to Him and admit we messed up. That's what God cares about.

And He doesn't judge us, either. That's what a lot of people are afraid of-That God will judge us based on what we've done. Judgement only comes at the end of our lives and is based on what we DIDN'T confess, not on what we DID. Hence the term "Judgement Day"--No,it's not just a Terminator movie haha lol. (Of course you reap what you sow. Everything you do does have it's consequences. Some people call it "Karma". But, God doesn't JUDGE you for those actions until after death.)

So, to sum it all up, when you are doubting whether or not you think you are worthy of forgiveness or when you are still feeling guilty about something you already asked forgiveness for, just remember - By not accepting that you were already forgiven, you are, like I said, not only unecessarily, punishing yourself. But, you are also undermining God's authority. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them. And again, God bless:)