To what extent is God willing to forgive those that fall away from Him, if they should turn back? I’m not excusing sin nor am I giving licence for believers to sin, but I know that temptations, inner pressures, false value systems and demonic attacks can easily lead people astray from the truth and ways of our Lord. But if that one who has fallen away desires to return back to walking with our Lord, is there any hope for restoration and reconciliation with The Lord God? Would God be willing to walk again with the one that pulled away? In the Old Testament, when God established a covenant with His people, God would declare what He will do and would often invoke a seven-fold blessing in the proclamation of the Covenant, (See Genesis 12:2,3 and Exodus 6:6-8). It is interesting that in Deuteronomy chapter 30, after God gives the warnings about what will happen if His people disobey and turn away from Him, that God says what will happen when they try to return to Him. Read through Deuteronomy 30:2-9, in these verses God asserts seven positive things that, “The Lord your God” will do. He re-establishes His covenant by declaring that He will:
- Bring them back from captivity and have compassion on them (vs3)
- Gather them together (vs4)
- Bring them to the land (vs5)
- Change their heart (vs6)
- Put the curses of sinfulness upon the enemies (vs7)
- Make them abound in all the work of their hands (vs9)
- And God will again rejoice over them with singing (vs9)
You might think that your sin is too great for God to restore you, but in effect The Lord says that He will again proclaim His blessing because we turned back to Him. Take a moment to reflect on the loving and forgiving nature of God. He is always willing to receive His people back to Him.
This is really good Keith. Thank You.